‘Smartest man in footy' Reilly O'Brien lines up plan to become doctor and follow in family's footsteps as a GP

7NEWS

11-05-2025

Adelaide Crows ruckman Reilly O'Brien is gunning for a fifth university degree as he makes a move towards following in the footsteps of two family members and a club great.
The 29-year-old helped the Crows to a thrilling Showdown win over Port Adelaide on Saturday night — and will soon get back to planning for his future.
O'Brien graduated high school with an impressive 99.75 ATAR and has chipped away at his tertiary studies ever since.
'I did a Bachelor of Medical Science, then a Master of Neuroscience and a Master of Public Health, and an MBA (Master of Business Administration),' O'Brien told 7NEWS Adelaide.
'The smartest man in football' tag sits well, even if his teammates might think otherwise.
'I'll run with that — I'm very happy with that title,' he said.
'Not sure all the boys at the club would agree. They reckon I'm book smart, not very street smart.'
By the end of the decade he could have a new title — Dr O'Brien — and join his grandfather and uncle as GPs.
'It does sound good. I like the sound of Doc so hopefully I'll get there one day,' he said.
His planned career shift will require four years of full-time study, meaning it has to wait until he retires from the AFL.
'I'll be a bit of an old university student,' O'Brien said.
'A lot of medical students and doctors would know it's a very long journey, but one I still think I want to go down.'
O'Brien would be the first Crows player to become a doctor since Matthew Liptak, who did so during his 116-game career.
Liptak won the 1996 best and fairest while also working 70-hour weeks at the hospital.
Now an orthopaedic surgeon who, fittingly, specialises in sports injuries and knee replacements, Liptak once considered throwing away football to concentrate on medicine.
'A couple of weeks ago it was very difficult,' he said in a 1990s interview.
'I was in a quandary over whether to give it away altogether and stick to medicine.'
O'Brien, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, is happy to solely focus on football and study, rather than football and work.
'It's crazy he did that,' he said of Liptak's dual roles.
'That's a busy enough schedule without playing AFL footy.'
O'Brien said he hoped more footballers would not 'forget to plan for life outside' of football to avoid 'becoming a bit institutionalised'.
But that message seems to have struck a chord.
'The AFL's so much better these days with helping guys plan for outside of footy,' he said.
Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson and Jake Soligo are both completing teaching degrees while Billy Dowling is studying business.