O’Connor has been a key component of the reigning premier’s perfect record in the first half of the season.

The 23-year-old played in the Demons’ round one win over Warrack before spending the next two weeks in the club’s B Grade side.

Since then she has established herself as a vital cog in the Demons’ A Grade mid-court brigade, alongside Paige Lloyd and Abbie Avery.

“I hadn’t been playing netball for the past three years, so this is my first season back and it took me a couple of weeks to get back into the swing of it,” O’Connor said.

O’Connor has been in unfamiliar territory after growing up playing in goals, but two mentions in the Demons’ best players in their past three matches proves she is playing an important role for Horsham coach Zoe Heard.

“Previously I’d always played in goals but this year Zoe has put me in wing defence, which was new to me,” she said.

“I’ve really enoyed being in a new position. Zoe’s really helped me and I’ve played a bit of centre as well.”

O’Connor has spent the past three years studying physiotherapy in Adelaide and will travel back to the city soon.

“I played all my juniors at Horsham and went away to Adelaide for uni,” she said.

“I’ve been home on placement the first half of the year, so it’s been really good to return to Horsham after being away.”

But O’Connor is planning to become a regular fixture in the Demons’ line-up come the business end of the year.

“I’ll come back every couple of weekends when I can and I’ll definitely be back for the finals,” she said.

“We’re hoping we can keep going the way we started in the first half of the year – keep winning and keep doing what we have been come finals time.”