Ando’s Shout: Glenn Manton’s comedic turn, Bill McMaster’s best Geelong Team

Former Blue Glenn Manton acknowledges he’s known for a having a bolt attached to a certain part of his anatomy Sam Newman highlighted on The Footy Show, but his change from footballer to comedian is so much more than that.

Former Carlton footballer Glenn Manton, now and then.

Whether it be 93,670 screaming fans at the MCG on Grand Final day, or a passionate crowd of three at a stand-up comedy gig, Glenn Manton treats them all the same.

The one-time footballer come high school teacher come professional speaker come stand-up comic has trodden a very different path to most AFL players as he explained this week. Manton, 46, appears at The ESPY during the last two weeks of September, in “Put Your Damn Phone Down”.

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JON ANDERSON: You played 178 AFL games with Carlton and Essendon, including the 1995 premiership win with the Blues, and you have always been quirky, so why aren’t you on the media gravy train?

GLENN MANTON: When I left the game in 2004 my style of media wasn’t really appreciated. I was chastised by The Age for writing articles that weren’t footy-centric or Fox Footy for not dressing in a way they deemed appropriate for a football commentator.

JA: So “BANG”, footy media gets traded for comedy?

GM: It became an easy choice to go and play in the real world rather than work with producers and directors behind the scenes who I don’t think were in touch with real people.

JA: You love the comedic work of Anthony Jeselnik and Dave Chappelle internationally, or Tommy Little locally. What style is Glenn Manton?

Former Carlton footballer Glenn Manton, now and then.

GM: My shows are more info-based, a two-way game of satire with the audience rather than straight stand-up. I try to find ways where a serious message is mixed with humour. I rarely use football experiences, relying more on day-to-day observations.

JA: Some people remember you for having a bolt attached to a part of your anatomy which Sam Newman highlighted on The Footy Show?

GM: That is still referenced most days, usually by middle-aged women which is kind of flattering and kind of scary. The Footy Show was a good space for me. Live television is a gift and something to be really respected.

JA: What’s more nerve-racking, 90,000 at the ’G or 300 at The Comedy Festival?

GM: Neither. I view them both as a privilege. Three people turned up at one of my first crowds in the Melbourne International Comedy Festival at Trades Hall. It remains one of my favourite shows.

Sam Newman and Glenn Manton on The Footy Show.

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BILLY’S BEST

In the same year some cute little critters known as rabbits were released at Winchelsea, a meeting in a boozer on the corner of Moorabool and Mallop streets helped form a football club named Geelong.

The year was 1859, the year Fraser’s “big-uns” knocked off Mason’s “light infantry” in the first game of footy in Geelong, a week after rules had been draw up for the club.

Professor Geoffrey Blainey, a passionate Cats supporter, believes Geelong Football Club to be the second oldest continuous professional sporting team in the world, a year younger than the Melbourne Football Club, and three older than English soccer club Notts County.

To celebrate Geelong’s 160th birthday we asked 1951-52 premiership player and 1971-72 coach Cyril “call me Bill” McMaster to select his finest team since the Cats rejoined the VFL in 1944 after a two-year absence. McMaster was then a budding 14-year-old ruck prospect from Lake Bolac.

McMaster, 89, who lives in the Geelong suburb of Highton, is still a regular and much-loved face at the club, one where he was responsible for recruiting players such as Gary Ablett Snr, the Hocking brothers, Paul Couch, Mick Turner and Greg Williams during his role as recruiting boss before he handed over to Stephen Wells in 1993.

“I played against John Coleman in the 1950s and never thought I would see a more spectacular or better player, but Gary Ablett Snr did things that even Coleman couldn’t do,” McMaster said on Friday.

“Most of the players in this team pick themselves, although I found centre half-back hard very difficult given Peter Walker and Jack Hawkins were extremely qualified. I ended up going for Harry Taylor as I have such a strong memory of the job he did against Nick Riewoldt in the 2009 Grand Final.”

BILL McMASTER’S BEST GEELONG TEAM (1944-2019)

B: Bernie Smith Matthew Scarlett John Newman

HB: Corey Enright Harry Taylor Geoff Williams

C: Michael Turner Paul Couch Joel Selwood

HF: Bob Davis Fred Flanagan Patrick Dangerfield

F: Gary Ablett Snr Doug Wade Bill Goggin

R: “Polly” Farmer Garry Hocking Gary Ablett Jnr

I: John Sharrock Jimmy Bartel Paul Chapman Barry Stoneham

Can Oscar Brownless emulate his famous father at Geelong? Picture: Michael Klein

OSCAR A WINNER?

Oscar Brownless is making steady progress in his attempts to emulate his father Bill by playing senior football with Geelong.

It won’t happen this year, but the 19-year-old wingman with running and kicking attributes has steadily improved this season.

Closer to senior selection as a quick-moving 196cm key forward or defender is Nathan Kreuger, a mature-age recruit from South Adelaide who was taken in last year’s draft as a special-assistance pre-listed player.

PACKAGE DEAL?

One interesting scenario was raised during the week from a learned Perth-based gentleman regarding the respective 2020 AFL homes of Brad Hill and Harley Bennell.

Could it be that 26-year-old Hill, who will be extremely hot property come draft time given his running skills, will insist that Bennell be part of any deal done should he move clubs?

Brad Hill could put pressure on a Melbourne club to take his mate Harley Bennell. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Harley Bennell has been told his time is up at Fremantle. Picture: Getty Images

WHO AM I?

I polled 75 Brownlow votes in my 321 AFL games.

TRIVIA

1 Who was first man out in the World Cricket Cup final?

2 Who did Roger Federer beat to reach the 2019 Wimbledon final?

3 Tiger Woods has won how many major golf tournaments?

4 Greg Norman won how many British Opens?

5 In what year did Greater Western Sydney debut in the AFL?

6 James Hird was born in what city?

7 Rugby superstar Cameron Smith is what height: 183cm, 185cm or 187cm?

8 Who had the second kick in the iconic 1989 VFL Grand Final?

9 Who has kicked the most goals at the MCG?

10 With what sport do you associate Colin O’Riordan?

ANSWERS

1 Martin Guptill

2 Rafael Nadal

3 15

4 Two

5 2012

6 Canberra

7 185cm

8 Gary Ablett

9 Matthew Richardson

10 AFL

Who am I?: Tyson Edwards

Originally published as Ando’s Shout: Glenn Manton’s comedic turn, Bill McMaster’s best Geelong Team