O'Connor: I have plenty to offer

Not many Northland rugby fans thought they'd ever see Pat O'Connor playing in Cambridge Blue again but the 25-year-old Queenslander is back in Whangarei and is beseeching the rugby gods for a change in fortune.
O'Connor was one of two locks recruited for the Taniwha's 2009 campaign but an injury prone season meant he only played a bit part that season.
He arrived with a concussion that he took longer to recover from than predicted and when he came right, he broke a finger - in the warm-up no less - playing a game for Northland B. It wasn't until the ninth round, against Canterbury, that he finally got some game time, coming on in the second half.
He played 30 minutes against Tasman and in his first start - against Wellington - he strained a hamstring, ending his season early.
"I didn't have any luck at all last year but I was really excited to get the opportunity to get back here and get into it. When I got home last year I took a bit of time off to get the body sorted and feel like I'm in pretty good shape now," he said.
Staying in good shape is integral to his playing contract Northland coach Bryce Woodward said.
"He has to come through two games of club football before the contract [with Northland] takes effect," Woodward said.
"To be fair to him we know what he can do when he's fit so if he can come out the other side then we'll be glad to pick him up - but if he doesn't do that, he's on a flight home," he said.
The former Australian U21 international and Western Force Super 14 player said it's understandable he has to prove himself to Northland and believes a good season might  get his career back on track.
"I'm just looking forward to starting to play again, that's what I'm hanging out for and I can't wait for it," he said.
"I didn't contribute a lot last year, and I feel I owe the team a fair bit, so that's another thing that's driving me as well. It's all up to me now to get some footy in, try and stay on the park and obviously contribute as well," he said.
He will play in his first club game for Hikurangi today against Mid Western in the Northland club
competition and the 112kg, 197cm forward is positive about his future career.
"I'm hoping I've still got plenty to offer, I'm hoping that all the time off so far means that I'll have more time at the back end of my career," he said.