O'Connor inks two-year rookie contract extension, will remain a Raider

Signing a two-year extension of his Cricket Tasmania rookie contract, O'Connor will move to the state's capital in November but will remain a Greater Northern Raiders player.

First playing for the CTPL side when he was 15, the 17-year-old is keen to remain with his Northern teammates.

"It'll be good to keep this connection going so I'm looking forward to it," he said.

"I spoke to [coach] Alistair Taylor at the end of year function and hinted towards him that I'd be staying, so he was pretty happy with that."

The Launceston Grammar student signed his first rookie contract in August, with a focus on him finishing his schooling before relocating.

This meant travelling to Hobart several times during school holidays, training alongside Tasmania's fully-contracted players, including fellow George Town products Jarrod Freeman and Gabe Bell.

"It's great to have that guarantee of the year after as well, just to get down there and settle in and get to know all of the boys," O'Connor said.

"I obviously had limited time with them this year but they were all very welcoming, Sam Rainbird especially. It's sad to see him go now but he was very welcoming to me and helped me out.

"For me it's about earning respect from all of the players, coaches and staff down there, then maybe get a game or two, maybe not, but that's the main thing for me."

O'Connor's 2023-24 season saw him play cricket across several different levels - both junior and senior.

He represented Riverside, Greater Northern Raiders, Tasmania's under-19s and second XI and Australia's under-19s.

Making his Australian debut against Zimbabwe in the World Cup-winning side, O'Connor believes that trip has held him in good stead for the future.

"It was a great trip to South Africa so I learned a lot about cricket culture and how you go about it on long trips away, so I'll definitely be ready if I have to go away somewhere with Tasmania," he said.

"Cricket's a weird game where you can get out the same way, it doesn't matter who you are playing.

"It's about switching on every ball, it doesn't matter if it's for Riverside or in the World Cup, but I loved every minute of this year and loved playing for Riverside as well."

O'Connor is not the only member of the under-19 World Cup side to have signed a state contract for next season.

Queensland have announced Callum Vidler and Hugh Weibgen as fully-contracted players, as have New South Wales with Sam Konstas, while Mahli Beardman, Corey Wasley (both WA), Lachy Aikten, Tom Straker (both Queensland), Charlie Anderson and Ryan Hicks (both NSW) have all signed rookie contracts.