Standing at 189cm tall, Hills District product Erin O’Brien was born to play goal keeper.
But it’s the North Shore United defender’s instincts, timing and aerial leap that she’s learnt during her time in the NSW pathways that keeps her in the contest.
Representing her state and country at both the U17 and U19 level, O’Brien received her first Super Netball training partner contract at GIANTS in 2022.
That put her in the right place, right time, to debut as a temporary replacement player in last year’s season when Lauren Moore was ruled out in round 14 due to illness.
Now on the verge of turning 21, O’Brien is a regular in the GIANTS set-up after earning her first full-time contract to be part of the senior 10 for 2024.
Coach Julie Fitzgerald has seen enormous potential in O’Brien and so let her run loose in a pre-season friendly against the NSW Swifts.
If fans didn’t already know her name before then, this match definitely put her name on the map, as she dazzled with a series of intercepts and deflections.
“I was actually super nervous ahead of that game,” O’Brien said.
“It was my first Sydney derby even though it was just in pre-season.
“I was just so excited to get out there and happy to play my role.
“Managed to get a few tips on the ball and the whole team really backed each other up.”
At GIANTS, O’Brien has been exposed to the Jamaican defensive style.
As this year Sunshine Girl Jodi-Ann Ward also joined the ranks of the team in orange.
Ward was a member of the team that won a bronze medal at the recent World Cup and a historic silver at the Commonwealth Games.
Light on their feet, with incredible closing speed, the Jamaican defenders continue to challenge Australian players – whether it be on the international stage or in Super Netball.
The opportunity to work alongside Ward in a regular capacity is therefore not lost on O’Brien.
“I’ve definitely learnt a lot from Jodi already,” O’Brien said.
“She’s super experienced and I think she just brings something completely different to our defensive end, like she can fly for ball, she can run super-fast.
“We’ve also got Tilly McDonnell who's amazing in the air, super good at hunting and coming out.
“Sitting behind the two of them and getting to train alongside them, I mean everything they say is just so good to take in and I’m trying to soak up everything like a sponge.
“Every training session, every game, I walk away having learnt something new.”
So far, O’Brien has had limited Super Netball game time as adjusts to the top level.
But getting her first full-time contract has been a gratifying reward for all her hard work BTS.
“It's amazing, definitely a dream come true,” O’Brien said.
“Obviously I have been working towards that for a really long time, so to get that first full-time contract this year, it is a big step up, but I'm really enjoying it.
“It’s such a great group of girls at GIANTS and the confidence is great, like they've all got confidence in each other, plus Julie's got confidence in every one of us.”
Reflecting on one of the craziest moments of their season so far, O’Brien shared her thoughts about the scoreboard error that happened at Ken Rosewall Arena back in round five.
Almost an hour after the final whistle had sounded, the Sunshine Coast Lightning side were called back to the court as a score review confirmed the game was actually drawn.
Hungry for their first win, the GIANTS kept warm and were constantly talking tactics as the review took place.
This put them in a better headspace to play extra-time and led them to their first victory of the season, 86-80.
It was a nice way to pay back their loyal fans that had stuck around to cheer the home team.
The moment has taught O’Brien that you always need to be prepared for the unexpected.
“It was so crazy,” O’Brien said.
“Like the game finished, I had no idea it was a draw initially, but Sophie Dywer was so onto it.
“I don't know, it’s something you can’t really prepare for, but I think we handled it really well.
“We were ready to go back on if needed and I think that showed when we got to go on court, because we were warm, we were ready.
“It was just such a weird and wonderful way to win and to show what we're capable of.”
Matisse Letherbarrow was the hero of the night, as co-captain Jo Harten could not warm-up her knee in time, having had injury problems with it before.
Having not played a single minute of the prior 60 minutes, Letherbarrow as a long-bomb specialist took on the challenge and shot the lights out to finish with six goals and three super shots in the 10-minute extra-time period.
“It was really awesome to see her get out there and sink all those goals,” O’Brien said.
“She's so accurate and always ready to come on court and shoot.
“I'm so lucky I get to come up against Matisse at training all the time.
“We had so much trust in her.”
Much like O’Brien coming out for an intercept, the North Shore United Opens team is absolutely flying this Premier League season.
With Australian men’s captain Dylan Nexhip as head coach for another year, they lead the competition and are yet to lose a game.
Meanwhile, North Shore United’s U23s side are currently in ninth place and hoping to push up the ladder in the final six rounds of the regular season.
