[6] Connolly polled seven votes in the 1954 O&MFL Reserves best and fairest award, the Marks Medal to finish equal third.
[7] Connolly then played in Benalla's 1955 O&MFL Reserves premiership team, as a 17 year old, prior to being a regular Ovens & Murray Football League senior player in 1956 and 1957.
A centreman, Connolly spent the 1958 VFL season at Footscray and kicked three goals against Richmond on his debut.
[8] At the end of the year he returned to the country and went on to have a long career as a player, coach and administrator.
He and his wife Monica had four children, including former Fremantle coach Chris Connolly.