Brad Mangan reveals why he took on Gisborne Giants captaincy for inaugural RDFNL season

Brad Mangan, one of country footy’s most decorated players, would have had numerous suitors but a conversation with his neighbour led him to become Gisborne Giants inaugural captain.

Brad Mangan joins Gisborne Giants.

A chance conversation over the fence with his neighbour ended with Brad Mangan becoming Gisborne Giants’ inaugural captain.

There would have been no shortage of suitors for one of country footy’s most decorated players as he decided to leave his junior club Kyabram after eight years.

However, the challenge of leading the Giants into their maiden Riddell District senior season only made the job more appealing.

Having made the move to Gisborne a couple of years ago, Mangan is excited to help build a new list and develop the club’s young talent.

Mangan said it was an opportunity to pass on his knowledge to the next generation.

“I was travelling up to Kyabram, where I was born and bred, but it was getting difficult travelling two hours to games, four hours there and back, so I wanted to play somewhere closer to home,” Mangan said.

“My neighbour actually, his young fella plays in the under-17s, and they mentioned the Giants were fielding a team in 2025.

“It sounded like an exciting opportunity, I’m getting towards the back-end of my career so coaching is probably the next step.

“The Giants coming in are going to be a young team and I thought I could impart my knowledge and dip my toe into coaching.

“I’ve never been a part of an inaugural club, there’s never been a new club start up in the Goulburn Valley league, so it’s really exciting to be a part of a new club starting from scratch in seniors and reserves.”

Gisborne Giants are coming off a RDFNL Under-19s premiership last season – and made the grand final in 2023 – but will be a young and inexperienced line-up in 2025 at senior level.

Mangan brings AFL experience, having been drafted by North Melbourne in 2012, before going to represent Werribee and Williamstown in the VFL and West Adelaide in the SANFL, winning a flag with the Seagulls in 2015.

He returned to his junior club Kyabram in 2017 and led the Goulburn Valley club to four grand finals and two premierships.

The Giants kicked off pre-season training last week and Mangan was excited by the young talent.

“Obviously, we’ll be a very young team but our under-19s are coming off a premiership this year,” he said.

“About 20 of those players have aged out of the 19s and will come up to the senior program, so we’ve got some really good kids we can develop.

“Now the club has got, not just myself, but other recruits in Matt Wallace and Matt Quigley, and we can impart training standards and game day and preparation standards that they wouldn’t have seen.

“We’ve also got a very experienced and knowledgeable coaching group around them.”

Andrew Hall was announced as inaugural senior coach in June.

The physiotherapist by trade brings experience at AFL clubs Richmond, Collingwood and Port Adelaide as well as Calder Cannons, Strathmore, Sunbury and Rupertswood.

Together with Mangan, football manager Aaron Doyle and new president Anton Bant, Hall is placing some important experience around his young players.

“There’ll be myself up forward and then Matt Wallace will be our general down back and now adding Matt in midfield we’ll have an old head in every part of the ground,” Mangan said.

MOVES: NEW RECRUITS FLOW INTO RIDDELL DISTRICT CLUBS

LEADER: GET YOUR RIDDELL DISTRICT FOOTY NEWS HERE

RDFNL: MELTON CENTRALS POUNCE ON IN-DEMAND COACH

“Young kids tend to be a bit quieter, so to have an older head on the ground to give that leadership around the ball and in close games you need that.

“We’ve had two (pre-season) sessions now and we’ve got a really talented group.

“We’re going to be young and fast and we’ve got no expectations, we can go out and play with dare and freedom, have fun with our football.”

Gisborne Giants will play out of the newly developed Macedon Ranges Sports Precinct.