He has played in two losing grand finals with the club, in 2008 and 2012, but missed its hat-trick of Warrnambool and District senior football flags when he was playing with Hampden club Terang Mortlake.

“I played in a losing grand final before (the three flags) and a losing grand final after – maybe I was the bad luck charm,” O’Connor laughed.

The 27-year-old, who will play his first match since 2014 after 18 months in London, will notch up his 100th appearance for the Power when they take on South Rovers at Walter Oval in Saturday’s season opener.

“A win first and foremost (is the goal), but also just to get a couple of kicks and get back into the swing of things,” he said.

He is hopeful this season could be the year his luck turns, with a buzz around the club as it looks to build on last year’s semi-final appearance following a fruitful pre-season recruiting campaign.

O’Connor has returned to the district and is helping out on his parents’ dairy farm at Glenormiston. He played all his junior footy at the Noorat Recreation Reserve-based club, making his senior debut 11 years ago.

Kolora-Noorat coach Danny Finn said the defender’s immediate appointment to the vice-captaincy showed the regard he was held in by the playing group.

Joey Conheady has been reappointed captain, with Ben Fraser, Sean Bourke and Paul McSween joining him and O’Connor in the leadership group.