Bowls: O'Connor says he is not a has-been

By LINDSAY KNIGHT

One of Auckland's best lawn bowlers, Danny O'Connor, is hoping a switch from the Auckland centre to North Harbour this summer will help to revive his career.

O'Connor confirmed yesterday that he would join his great friend Rowan Brassey at the Takapuna club, thus becoming eligible to represent the Harbour centre at national levels.

Not only has O'Connor been an outstanding player, with several centre titles to his credit, he has also served Auckland administratively and has been a past president of the centre.

Also crossing the bridge with Brassey and O'Connor are three of the country's most outstanding younger bowlers: Jamie Hill, at 22 years already a national representative, reigning Auckland singles champion Neven Grgicevich, and 1999 national singles champion Justin Goodwin.

The exodus represents a dramatic and unprecedented switch of power in the generally staid Auckland bowls region.

Five high-profile recruits have made the modest Takapuna club and the Harbour centre potentially among the country's strongest.

But although the transfers of Brassey and the younger trio are linked to the disagreement Brassey had with Auckland centre officials last season, and other issues, O'Connor's is more an urge to make a personal statement.

He would like to prove that he is not a has-been and that bowlers can still be competitive at the highest levels even when past 50.

"I'm sticking up for Rowan, certainly, but I'd also like get back into the game," he said yesterday.

"In the past couple of years I've only been a part-time bowler but I'd like to prove I'm not over the hill yet.

"Bowls generally has been screwing itself up with science in recent years. They're looking at players' ages and that's ridiculous," said O'Connor.

"Look at Ivan Kostanich, who still plays well at 83. He's an exception, of course, but there's no reason why anyone shouldn't still be playing good bowls into their 60s.

"In fact, the older bowlers are, the better they often are because they're more relaxed, have better judgment and don't panic as much as someone younger and less experienced."

Like Brassey, O'Connor is a New Zealand gold star badge-holder, having won seven national titles - five in fours and one each in singles and pairs. But he has not played for New Zealand since the mid 1980s.

As a life member of Okahu Bay, he would always retain his ties with that club.

Brassey and Hill are also keeping memberships with Avondale, and Grgicevich, son of the legendary Nick, with Onehunga.

But Goodwin will be a member only of Takapuna.

Brassey said yesterday that as well as his spat with the Auckland centre over the running of last year's interclub contest, there was a disenchantment with the way team selections were made at centre level.

Goodwin, after returning from Australia, had not been considered for the Auckland side and Grgicevich had been omitted from the top seven despite winning the centre title and being in the squad all season.