Not only is the 21-year-old goal shoot in her first year as a starter, she is also filling the gap left by the most dominant player in Southern Steelhistory.
Big, strong and accurate, Jhaniele Fowler-Reid had plenty to do with the Steel’s success in recent years.
Indeed last year she was unstoppable as the side went unbeaten to win the ANZ Premiership and Super Club titles.
At 1.93m and with a solid frame, O’Connell very much fits that same type of player.
Whether she could fill Fowler-Reid’s spot as effectively was one of the big talking points for the season.
Heading into tomorrow’s penultimate round-robin game against the Waikato Bay of Plenty Magic in Auckland, that was still a factor for the youngster.
"I’m definitely still compared to Jhaniele," she said.
"But again you’ve just got to take it in your stride and carry on.
"It comes to pressure, there is pressure there, but you’ve just got to be patient and it’ll happen and if it doesn’t, it doesn’t. So she’s still there I guess."
It was in the last game against the Magic that O’Connell gave the best indication yet that she could indeed fill that same role.
On that night she scored an impressive 53 goals from 56 attempts, as the Steel romped to a 76-60 win.
It was the 32nd time a Steel player has topped 50 goals in a game — the first not by Fowler-Reid.
"I actually had the flu that night, I was pretty sick, so I couldn’t really believe it.
"I guess it gives myself a bit more belief to see that I am capable of doing it.
"For me it’s about backing that up and not just doing it once and never again, so striving for that again for sure."
After impressing with the champion South Beko League team in 2016, O’Connell was first signed to the Steel last year.
However, she was used in very much a development role behind Fowler-Reid.Her one major appearance came after a van accident sidelined four players, when she shot 38/45 to help the depleted Steel past the Mainland Tactix.
This year she has started every game and the improvement has been plain to see.While there is still plenty to work on, she has become far more adept at establishing good position and the combinations are starting to click.
She is looking far more comfortable on court, although admitted to still getting nerves.
"Definitely compared to that debut I had last year," she said when asked if she felt more comfortable.
"I still get quite nervous and things.
"There’s still a lot of pressure playing against top-level players and I’m surrounded by them.
"So it’s still pretty daunting, but definitely a little bit less daunting than the start of the season."
The Steel has clinched a home preliminary final with two games to play, although still has a slim chance of advancing directly to the final.
Its game will be the third on the season’s last Super Sunday, as the Tactix and Central Pulse begin at 2.10pm and the Northern Stars and Northern Mystics play at 4.10pm.
