One of the oldest players selected in the Draft in recent years, the 26-year-old will play for Geelong in its home match against St Kilda.

Ironically, another Border and North East product in Wangaratta Rovers' Darcy Wilson will play his first game for the Saints.

Mannagh has been named on the interchange bench.

Geelong drafted Mannagh at No. 36.

Mannagh's selection is no surprise, but it will delight all football fans after being overlooked for previous Drafts, but simply refusing to give up.

Cats' captain Patrick Dangerfield spoke about the first-year player's impact when the guest of Albury's season launch last month.

"Shaun has acquitted himself exceptionally well," he said.

"From what I've seen, he looks really composed and makes good decisions which is what you want from players in that area of the ground."

Werribee chief executive Mark Penaluna was delighted.

"It's hard to think of someone more genuine and a club-oriented person, although we've been very lucky to have so many of those players associated with our club," he said.

"From a skill base I remember talking to a few AFL recruiters on preliminary final day and they asked, 'tell us about Mannagh' and I said if someone can take three bounces, run away from people and kick goals from 50m, they're on an AFL list, they're not playing VFL.

"And it's wonderful too that clubs around your area have the Dom Brews, the Nick Coughlans, obviously Shaun Mannagh, and others, who come down here and follow their football journey, we're indebted to those clubs around the Albury area."

In a little known fact, Mannagh's grandfather, Joe Mannagh, was Werribee's property steward, while his father Craig also played under 19s and reserves at the club.

"I'm pretty stoked, obviously having lived it yourself, you get connected to his experience," Mannagh's former Werribee coach Michael Barlow suggested.

"I spoke to him today (Thursday) and you could tell the exhilaration and excitement in his voice.

"He's 26, he's had a lot of kicks in the guts, I couldn't be more thrilled for him, it's pretty special."

The classy midfielder-small forward was the game's hottest mature age player after a stunning season at Werribee in the VFL.

He completed the standout year with a 28-disposal, six-goal game to win the Norm Goss Medal in the Tigers' grand final loss to Gold Coast.

Mannagh made the Team of the Year as a clever half-forward, averaging 25 touches per game and kicking 40 goals in his 21 games to finish fifth in the J.J. Liston Trophy.

He debuted for North Albury at senior level in 2014, before claiming a premiership with Lavington in 2019.