AFL is still the dream but there’s a lot of work to go
- Shaun Mannagh
NORTH Albury excitement machine Shaun Mannagh hopes a big performance for the Ovens and Murray can help keep his AFL dream alive.
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The 18-year-old Hopper was rewarded for his superb start to the season by winning selection in the interleague team to tackle Hampden in Warrnambool on Saturday.
Mannagh has kicked 22 goals in eight matches for North Albury and while he’s spent most of his time on the ball with the Hoppers, he looks set to feed on the forward-line crumbs of Josh Mellington and Jydon Neagle at Reid Oval.
He said it was a “huge honour” to make the interleague team alongside some of the Ovens and Murray’s biggest names.
“It was big enough just getting selected in the squad, so to make the team is huge,” he said.
“To get in at such a young age is very lucky.
“It’s a huge honour, especially when you consider the quality of the players in the league with blokes like Joel Mackie and Daniel Cross.
“I always enjoy going up against the Albury guys because they’re the benchmark of the competition but it’s going to be much better playing with them instead of against them, that’s for sure
“It’s been really exciting going to training because you know the ball is going to hit you on the chest every time.
“It’s been great to train with them and see how they go about it.”
Mannagh, who won Walla’s senior best and fairest as a 15-year-old, credited North Albury coach Jason Akermanis with his rise to prominence in the Ovens and Murray.
Sam Murray found his way onto the Sydney Swans’ rookie list after a stunning season with Wodonga Raiders in 2015 and Mannagh said if anyone could help him do the same, it was Akermanis.
“AFL is still the dream but there’s a lot of work to go,” he said.
“It is still the goal, big picture, but at the moment I’m just focusing on this weekend and then going back to North Albury.
“‘Aker’ knows what it takes to get there so I’m just keen to keep learning off him.
“His football intelligence is second to none.
“He’s the best coach I’ve ever had.
“The professionalism he brings to us young blokes about life at the top level is unbelievable.
“He still shows us young blokes up at training.”
Mannagh is the only North Albury player in the interleague team after Ricky Whitehead was named emergency but he will have at least one familiar face in Warrnambool in Corowa-Rutherglen’s Jay O’Donoghue.
The pair have played a lot of representative football together after lining up for NSW-ACT at under-16 level.
Mannagh also played for the Rams at under-18 level, where Greater Western Sydney young gun Jacob Hopper was his captain.
OVENS AND MURRAY TEAM
B: M. Duncan, J. Heagney-Steart, M. Dalbosco
HB: J. Di Mizio, M. Dussin, B. Doswell
C: T. Bonat, D. Cross, E. Powell
HF: L. Garland, J. Neagle, S. Mannagh
F: C. Burgess, J. Mellington, D. Stone
Foll: H. Heta, J. Mackie, B. O'Hara
Int: S. Gaston, J. Svarc, J. O'Donoghue, B. St John
Emg: R. Whitehead
Xavier Mardling
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
Xavier started at The Border Mail in Albury-Wodonga in 2001, covering sport and general news before moving to the subs' desk. He was editor of his hometown masthead from 2016 to 2020 before swapping the Murray for Merewether. He returned to The Border Mail as editor in 2023.
