Connor Rozee shares huge news about fiancee amid whirlwind month for new AFL captain
The 23-year-old recently signed a monster eight-year contract extension after being handed the Port Adelaide captaincy.
New Port Adelaide captain Connor Rozee is living the definition of a whirlwind after revealing fiancee Maisie Packer is expecting their first baby. The 23-year-old took to social media on Friday to announce the wonderful news, uploading a photo of himself and Packer holding her belly.
The baby news comes amid a whirlwind few weeks for Rozee, who was handed the Port Adelaide captaincy earlier this month before signing an eight-year contract extension. He also popped the question to Packer back in October, just a few weeks after the end of the AFL season.
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“Best Christmas present ever," Rozee wrote on Instagram on Friday while announcing the baby news. Fans and fellow AFL figures sent their congratulations to the happy couple.
Kellie Finlayson, wife of Rozee's teammate Jeremy, wrote: “The best ever, so happy for you two." Teammate Zak Butters tagged fellow Port player Mitch Georgiades and commented: "We got the baby sitting covered."
Travis Boak, Miles Bergman and Hollywood actor Teresa Palmer also sent their well-wishes. Port Adelaide Football Club also shared the news, writing: “Baby Rozee coming soon."
Connor Rozee's eight-year extension after Port captaincy nod
Earlier this month, Rozee was announced as the Power's eighth skipper in club history, taking over the No.1 jumper from the recently retired Tom Jonas. It was also confirmed that the 23-year-old has signed a monster eight-year contract that ties him to the club until the end of 2032.
He revealed how Aussie cricket star Travis Head, who has captained South Australia since he was young, has helped him with his leadership aspirations. The pair struck up a relationship through former Power assistant coach Nathan Bassett two years ago.
"(Head) is someone I can reach out to with questions more than anything," Rozee said. "(Bassett) set us up with someone outside the football club to learn a bit of extra leadership stuff off.
"I love my cricket, so that was a good relationship for me. When (Head) is back in Adelaide we're able to catch up and have discussions about not only leadership but just life in general and any questions that I've got."
Rozee has played 106 games for Port and is a two-time All-Australian. While still relatively young, he said he feels well prepared to take on the captaincy and said his leadership style will evolve with time.
"I feel like I'm ready now," Rozee said. "I'm still only 23 but I feel like I'm a mature 23-year-old and ready to take this club forward and hopefully lead it to some success."
Port coach Ken Hinkley said Rozee's eight-year contract was an "enormous endorsement" for the club, while also commending Butters for his ascendancy to vice-captain. "It's been pretty clear from the time these two boys arrived that they've both got leadership credentials," Hinkley said.
"What they both bring is competitive spirit on the training track with the way they go about it and the way they play. Performance is ultimately the thing that sets you apart sometimes and these two play at really high levels."
with AAP
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