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Werribee’s Shaun Mannagh has emerged as a VFL top-liner and an AFL draft prospect at age 25
Four goals and 40 possessions have lifted 25-year-old Shaun Mannagh into the limelight and AFL mid-season draft discussions, writes PAUL AMY.Paul Amy
4 min read
April 13, 2023 - 12:00PM
Shaun Mannagh’s incredible start to the season at Werribee has him in AFL club’s sights as a mature-age draft prospect.
Steve Daniel liked what he saw of Shaun Mannagh.
It’s just that the Southport coach saw too much of him.
The VFL season is but a pup.
But it’s safe to say that by the end of it, Mannagh’s round 3 performance for Werribee against Southport will be recorded as one of the best individual efforts of 2023.
The right-footer had 40 possessions and kicked four goals in an impressive and important 23-point away win for the Tigers.
In doing so he gave AFL clubs assessing mid-season draft prospects something to think about.
His first goal was from a left-foot snap.
Another was slotted from 50m.
And the other two were on-the-run efforts after dashes deep into the forward line.
Each goal caught the eye, and the Southport defence unawares.
“Very impressive player,’’ Sharks coach Daniel says of 25-year-old Mannagh.
“He’s a matchwinner. He’s special.
“His running capacity is elite. It’s AFL-elite, an AFL attribute.’’
He adds: “Ovens and Murray, isn’t he?’’
Daniel made his reputation coaching in Victorian country football, and he knows his leagues and clubs.
Mannagh did come out of the strong Ovens and Murray competition, going through the grades at Lavington and then North Albury.
He had two years in the TAC Cup with the Murray Bushrangers too.
But Mannagh was born at Werribee (the family moved to Albury when he was 18 months old) and indeed had ties with its football club before joining it ahead of 2020.
His grandfather, Joe, was a property steward with the Bees for about 30 years.
His father, Craig, played under 19s football there in the 1980s.
Other relatives remain sponsors and supporters of the club.
There’s a Brisbane Lions connection to Mannagh’s football too.
Jason Akermanis was his coach at North Albury in 2015 and ’16.
Mannagh booted 36 goals in his second season under ‘Aker’ and Akermanis arranged for three of his players – Mannagh, Dom Brew and Lachan Tanner Nugent – to do a week of pre-season training with Richmond’s VFL squad.
Akermanis’s Lions premiership teammate Craig McRae was coaching the Tigers.
Mannagh made the list and figured in Richmond’s grand final side.
The Tigers lost to Port Melbourne with a kick after the siren.
Akermanis saw something special in Mannagh through their shared time at the North Albury Hoppers. Picture: Simon Dallinger/NCA
When Richmond won the 2019 grand final, Mannagh was watching on, squeezed out of the side.
His consolation came from playing in Lavington’s premiership and jagging the medal as best-afield.
“With the list being so healthy there weren’t many spots up for grabs in those years I was at Richmond,’’ he says.
The prospect of more opportunity at a stand-alone club – and his family ties – led him to Werribee.
“I just thought I needed to play every week to put my best foot forward,’’ he says.
“I learned so much at Richmond, and I thought it would hold me in good stead going forward.’’
Mannagh was runner-up in Werribee’s best-and-fairest in the shortened 2021 season and, promoted to a vice-captain, finished third last season and was named in the VFL team of the year.
Every year, he says, he’s tried to develop aspects of his game.
Heading into 2022, his priority was to improve his speed and his size.
Mannagh worked on his pace and strength to better challenge in defence through the 2022 VFL season. Picture: Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
This year it was about his endurance, repeat efforts and his use of the ball.
“Just trying to get better one way or another,’’ Mannagh says.
When the 40 possessions and four goals against Southport are mentioned, he responds: “Pretty good. But I’m not sure of the efficiency. I’ve messaged the coaches and asked for my efficiency stats, because that’s what I’m keen on at the moment.’’
As for taking the eye of recruiters: “Maybe I have. A lot of it doesn’t get relayed to me. I just try to keep my head down and work hard. I’d like to hope so. I think I’ve been playing some OK footy, in the past two years especially. That only happens after your team’s had a bit more success. If we keep winning hopefully there’s some more attention.’’
On this week’s VFL podcast, Werribee coach Michael Barlow said he challenged Mannagh at halftime against the Sharks.
He said his acting captain “might have drifted away (from the way the Bees wanted to play) … only for a really short period, but I find it’s important to challenge in particular our leaders … from there it’s the best half of football I’ve seen him play in our colours’’.
When CODE Sports messaged McRae about Mannagh’s slashing outing against the Sharks, the Collingwood coach observed that his former player “always had an appetite to improve’’.
Mannagh says McRae was “awesome for my development’’.
“When you come in, it’s all about yourself and how you can improve. He really instilled that connection and team-first mentality, which you see happening at Collingwood now.’’
There was no rest for Mannagh after the star turn against Southport.
Werribee flew back on Saturday night. On Sunday morning he headed for Myrtleford to watch Lavington Panthers, then drove on to see his family in Albury.
He was back in Melbourne on Tuesday afternoon, then set off for training from his home in Mordialloc to Chirnside Park.
Mannagh, the sports co-ordinator at Altona College, wears the No 6 jumper, which Barlow also wore at Werribee.
Barlow, of course, was drafted from the Bees as a mature-age recruit and went on to a worthy AFL career.
Mannagh is trying to take the same path as his coach.
“That’s always been the dream and the goal,’’ he says.
“The older you get it’s harder and harder to achieve. We’re pushing for some success at Werribee and with that comes rewards for individuals.
“If that’s the case for me, that would be awesome. If not, I’m more than happy playing at Werribee.’’
