Delisted #40: Tex Wanganeen - Not offered a contract for 2025, thanks Tex! 26/8

[VelvetSledge]

Contract Status: Out of contract 2024 (Category A Rookie)
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 37, ghostdog

 

[Runk]

Remember seeing his Dad play in a VFL game our at Waverley one day and thinking 'Gee this bloke can play.'
Fast Forward to 2022 and I had the same thought about Tex. Exciting times ahead.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

"well... not that hard" - Gavin to Tex

Haha I loved that line from Gavin (keeping it real).

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Just a reminder for the fans out there who don’t know how incredibly good his old man was at 17,18,19 years old playing league football for Essendon.

Just crazy good.

 

[Lore]

Former Essendon and Port Adelaide champion Gavin Wanganeen on Dwayne's World - Thursday 24th February

Gavin Wanganeen speaks to Dwayne about his son getting listed by Essendon, being inducted as a legend by Essendon and more.

player.whooshkaa.com

Gavin got interviewed on SEN, below is what he said about Tex being signed. The rest of the pod is about Gavin's career and being named a Club Legend at the Hall of Fame last night, and some about his art, Indigenous pathways in footy at both Port and Essendon.

It's a pretty proud moment. Yesterday when the club decided to sign him. I'm just over the moon – I’m on cloud nine as any father would.

He’s always had the talent as a kid and he’s worked extremely hard – this wasn’t given to him just because of his name, that wasn’t even a thought, he had to put the work in. He didn’t play pretty much over the last two years because of COVID here in Victoria and then he had a stress fracture. He’s only played four games in two years, so full credit to him.

The games that he’s played at Essendon, the intra-club last week, he showed real poise when he got ball in the hand, he knows what he’s doing, and yesterday to come on in the last quarter and to kick two nice goals against a Grand Final team, he showed a lot of poise.

He's going well the young fella. I’m really proud of him.

(What position will he play?)

He’ll learn his craft as a small forward, as he's shown over the last few weeks. I think he'll develop into, in time, get some midfield opportunities because he uses the ball well, he reads the game well. It’ll be a long-term process, but I think he’s got that midfield ability in him.

(Living situation? Gav going to move to Melbourne as well?)

I think he's going to be living with some of his school mates from Xavier, so I think he'll be doing something there with them. I'll get over to a few of the bombers games that's for sure, and he'll obviously start in the VFL, who knows what could happen.

He's only turned 18 late last year so he's a young fella. So slow and steady I think. It's just a proud moment because of how far he's come from in the last two years. Full credit to the young fella, he's hungry, he's put the work in, it all starts now. Like any of the young draftees from the national draft last year, it starts now and then you've gotta put the work in.

[Gotta be a sneaky chance to play round 1 though doesn't he?]

Haha I knew you'd probably say something like that, who knows?! I mean you guys are watching it as well. Anything is possible in football if there's some injuries or if there's a need. Depends how the next few weeks go. It's the old cliche but it is week by week. He's shown some nice things when he gets the ball in hand and he kicked a couple of goals in each of those games so, who knows. You never know.

Essendon champion “on cloud nine” after son joins Bombers

"It's a pretty proud moment."

www.sen.com.au

 

[NAB777]

Just a reminder for the fans out there who don’t know how incredibly good his old man was at 17,18,19 years old playing league football for Essendon.

Unbelievable player.

PS - 2.43 mark - fu** you Darren Millane.

 

[carnthedons]

Just a reminder for the fans out there who don’t know how incredibly good his old man was at 17,18,19 years old playing league football for Essendon.

I must be getting old because I’d forgotten why 8yo me had number 4 on his jumper. Genuinely outrageous player, could do anything

 

[blitzer]

It'll be interesting to see if he's anywhere near the best 22 early. On the one hand he's raw and inexperienced and has missed a lot of footy. On the other hand he pretty much fills the exact void of genuine small forwards with crumbing ability we have in Tippa's absence.
Probably just expect him to be playing VFL but who knows.

 

[Foxx]

Just a reminder for the fans out there who don’t know how incredibly good his old man was at 17,18,19 years old playing league football for Essendon.

They used to call him the rubber man or rubber band from memory.

 

[I Remember Bluey]

They used to call him the rubber man or rubber band from memory.

 

[NAB777]

They used to call him the rubber man or rubber band from memory.

Correct - I think that gets a mention in the highlights.

Many wouldn't know that he was also the quickest at the club.

 

[ant555]

Need to put the brakes on the hype.
I wanted them to sign him and have liked what I have seen but he has played limited footy in the last 2 seasons and will take some VFL time before he gets to the level. I think he can and would not be shocked if it comes this year but right now he just needs some full games of footy in the VFL.

 

[foj1]

Need to put the brakes on the hype.
I wanted them to sign him and have liked what I have seen but he has played limited footy in the last 2 seasons and will take some VFL time before he gets to the level. I think he can and would not be shocked if it comes this year but right now he just needs some full games of footy in the VFL.

Yep
he has barely played
he shows flashes of brilliance but you couldn’t play him in front of a battle hardened player

 

[astrowizzle]

They used to call him the rubber man or rubber band from memory.

He killed me when he left. He was a week in week out highlight package and absolutely fearless. I hate port Adelaide to this day for stealing him.

 

[TheGrizz]

Potentially unpopular opinion here:

Hating on Port for stealing Gavin Wanganeen has never made much sense to me.

Wanganeen joined Port as a 14 year old and won a SANFL premiership with them in 1990 before he came to us.
So when Port identified him as a marquee player to star their time as an AFL side, it was entirely expected they would come to his door knocking, and so they should from their perspective.

It's not like Wanaganeen left for Carlton because they offered him twice the $$$ we were. He literally left for a new team - his childhood team - in his home state. He had already won a premiership, brownlow etc with us, so joining his boyhood club to start a new challenge isnt that shocking.

It is akin to Jack Riewoldt left Richmond in his prime to play with a new Tasmania team in the AFL. I dont think anyone, including most Richmond fans, would begrudge him.

I know it is a visceral, emotional response to losing a great player, and I don't begrudge people for feeling that, but I just don't understand the hate towards Port for it.

 

[carnthedons]

Potentially unpopular opinion here:

Hating on Port for stealing Gavin Wanganeen has never made much sense to me.

Wanganeen joined Port as a 14 year old and won a SANFL premiership with them in 1990 before he came to us.
So when Port identified him as a marquee player to star their time as an AFL side, it was entirely expected they would come to his door knocking, and so they should from their perspective.

It's not like Wanaganeen left for Carlton because they offered him twice the $$$ we were. He literally left for a new team - his childhood team - in his home state. He had already won a premiership, brownlow etc with us, so joining his boyhood club to start a new challenge isnt that shocking.

It is akin to Jack Riewoldt left Richmond in his prime to play with a new Tasmania team in the AFL. I dont think anyone, including most Richmond fans, would begrudge him.

I know it is a visceral, emotional response to losing a great player, and I don't begrudge people for feeling that, but I just don't understand the hate towards Port for it.

Yeah but **** Port

 

[Foxx]

Potentially unpopular opinion here:

Hating on Port for stealing Gavin Wanganeen has never made much sense to me.

Wanganeen joined Port as a 14 year old and won a SANFL premiership with them in 1990 before he came to us.
So when Port identified him as a marquee player to star their time as an AFL side, it was entirely expected they would come to his door knocking, and so they should from their perspective.

It's not like Wanaganeen left for Carlton because they offered him twice the $$$ we were. He literally left for a new team - his childhood team - in his home state. He had already won a premiership, brownlow etc with us, so joining his boyhood club to start a new challenge isnt that shocking.

It is akin to Jack Riewoldt left Richmond in his prime to play with a new Tasmania team in the AFL. I dont think anyone, including most Richmond fans, would begrudge him.

I know it is a visceral, emotional response to losing a great player, and I don't begrudge people for feeling that, but I just don't understand the hate towards Port for it.

Yes I agree completely. We should feel lucky and privileged to have him be a part of our club.

Having said that, Gavin himself said he probably wouldn't have left if his contract was extended before it got to uncontracted status.
It was that following season Port entered the comp. So the timing was there. So we buggered up by not offering him an extension earlier.

 

[astrowizzle]

Potentially unpopular opinion here:

Hating on Port for stealing Gavin Wanganeen has never made much sense to me.

Wanganeen joined Port as a 14 year old and won a SANFL premiership with them in 1990 before he came to us.
So when Port identified him as a marquee player to star their time as an AFL side, it was entirely expected they would come to his door knocking, and so they should from their perspective.

It's not like Wanaganeen left for Carlton because they offered him twice the $$$ we were. He literally left for a new team - his childhood team - in his home state. He had already won a premiership, brownlow etc with us, so joining his boyhood club to start a new challenge isnt that shocking.

It is akin to Jack Riewoldt left Richmond in his prime to play with a new Tasmania team in the AFL. I dont think anyone, including most Richmond fans, would begrudge him.

I know it is a visceral, emotional response to losing a great player, and I don't begrudge people for feeling that, but I just don't understand the hate towards Port for it.

Yeah but we put development into him to get him to the player he was. When he left he was 100 times the player he was when he arrived.
Call it sour grapes I didn't hate port Adelaide coz they are a bunch of w***ers who spoke him I hate them cuz they took my favourite toy

 

[ant555]

Potentially unpopular opinion here:

Hating on Port for stealing Gavin Wanganeen has never made much sense to me.

Wanganeen joined Port as a 14 year old and won a SANFL premiership with them in 1990 before he came to us.
So when Port identified him as a marquee player to star their time as an AFL side, it was entirely expected they would come to his door knocking, and so they should from their perspective.

It's not like Wanaganeen left for Carlton because they offered him twice the $$$ we were. He literally left for a new team - his childhood team - in his home state. He had already won a premiership, brownlow etc with us, so joining his boyhood club to start a new challenge isnt that shocking.

It is akin to Jack Riewoldt left Richmond in his prime to play with a new Tasmania team in the AFL. I dont think anyone, including most Richmond fans, would begrudge him.

I know it is a visceral, emotional response to losing a great player, and I don't begrudge people for feeling that, but I just don't understand the hate towards Port for it.

I agree. He went home. I am grateful we had for for the period we did.

 

[RedmanWasHere]

According to his IG, Tex has No. 40 now.

 

[doug85]

But of chatter from some track watchers that Tex is working his arse off.

 

[VelvetSledge]

But of chatter from some track watchers that Tex is working his arse off.

Certainly is. Finished his laps, trainer said he was done, and Tex promptly did one more at 100% effort.

Love to see it

 

[faible]

Kid has the raw tools to be a good AFL small forward; lateral movement, goal-sense and those clean hands we often talk about small forwards needing where they rarely fumble.

Given how hard he appears to be working, plenty of reason to believe he'll make the grade.

 

[doug85]

Certainly is. Finished his laps, trainer said he was done, and Tex promptly did one more at 100% effort.

Love to see it

When I was 9 I was lucky enough to go into the bombers rooms after training. Collected autographs, photos, met the players.

I vividly remember being very impressed with Wanganeen senior. All other players were showering or having a bite to eat. Gavin was still on the medicine ball and working well after everyone else had finished up. It was no accident he made the most of his talent. Sounds like Tex is on the same path.

 

[Shane Heard]

Bring him in !

 

[CBombers17]

Yep, I’m in love. I didn’t eat for two days when dad f’ed off to port. Irreplaceable. ******* shattered me. My Dad walked through on memory for two days straight. It affected us that much.

Same - I can remember exactly where i was the second i heard on the radio that Wanganeen was leaving Essendon. Absolutely stunned. The Twin towers was the same (not Sheedys twin towers - Lloyd and John's V Richmond - though i remember that day at the G very clearly too for other reasons...) - thats how big Wanganeen leaving was for me at the time..

If Tex has a good career it would soften that a lot in my mind plus somehow make up a bit for missing out on Rioli too!