AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott praises mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh ahead of debut as tall still in mix to play

Shaun Mannagh will make his long-awaited AFL debut against St Kilda. But will it be in the green vest? Meanwhile, a youngster is still in the frame to play despite being left out.

Chris Scott at Cats training. Picture: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images

Geelong coach Chris Scott said the Cats’ draft punt on VFL gem Shaun Mannagh embodies the club’s philosophy of backing in players regardless of age.

But the veteran coach was coy on whether the 26-year-old would start his first AFL game in the green vest and said the unlucky Shannon Neale, who was named emergency after a “line-ball” selection call, could still face St Kilda on Saturday night.

The Cats confirmed on Thursday night that Mannagh would make his long awaited AFL debut against the Saints after he was taken at pick 36 in the 2023 national draft.

His AFL chance came off the back of a standout VFL season for Werribee, with his stunning 27-disposal and six-goal display in the VFL grand final all but confirming he would be taken despite his age.

Scott had followed Mannagh’s progress before that Norm Goss Medal winning display and joked that he would have preferred to see the high-impact player benched for the second half.

He expressed his pride for Mannagh after his journey and for breaking into a Geelong side with just three injury concerns – Cameron Guthrie (quad), Gary Rohan (back) and Jack Bowes (calf), the latter of which is set to be back in action next week.

Shaun Mannagh will make his debut this weekend. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images

“They’re one of the most enjoyable conversations you have as a coach. They’re all a little bit different and it’s really exciting when a first year player comes in and plays his first game, but arguably, it’s even better when you get to speak to a 26-year-old who’s really done his time and probably thought his dream of playing AFL footy was over long ago, and he’s fought his way back to this point,” Scott said.

“We brought him in thinking that he was a strong chance to play AFL footy straight away, but he still needed to prove himself in our system through the preseason and we’ve got pretty good availability so that I think is different to say, this time last year in some respects in that to force your way into our team at the moment with really only a couple of injuries is a quality effort.

“I don’t get brought in (to the drafting process) until relatively late in the piece unless there’s someone specific that we were targeting and Shaun was one that I was encouraged to have a look at well before the season finished.

“I was a very small part in that, our recruiting team had identified him quite early in the piece, and I guess it does fit within our kind of overall philosophy that we’re not ageist, and in some ways you can make an argument that a 26-year-old is better prepared to come in and have an impact than an 18 year old and there’s still plenty of time for him to have a you know, sort of six to eight year AFL career.”

The 180cm forward came on later in the piece in both of their practice games and showed good signs against Essendon in particular, where he kicked a goal and had eight touches in a quarter and a half.

Shaun Mannagh in action in the VFL grand final. Picture: Kelly Defina/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

Asked if he would play a similar role as the substitute against St Kilda, Scott said: “Maybe. Ross (Lyon) and Corey Enright and those guys are too good for us to give them any more than we need to. We’ll try to make a habit of not announcing that before we have to.”

Scott said he was “determined” to get Neale into the side and kept the door open to the possibility of a late inclusion.

“Completely line ball, to the point where he may still play. That was a tough call, we are determined to get him into the team but not at the expense of players having to earn it and play well,” Scott said.

“He has had a good preseason and he has played well enough to justify spot in the team... think I’m very confident that he’ll play well enough to just demand his spot in the team.

Scott was pleased by emerging midfielder Jhye Clark and exciting forward Oliver Dempsey who have also forced themselves into the side after strong pre-seasons.

He was bullish on the rapid improvement of Dempsey, saying he has forced his way into the side through his form in their pre-season games and at training.

“If (Dempsey) were a stock, you’d be buying him. His rate of growth has been significant from playing Old Carey in the Ammos so if he continues that improvement - and it hasn’t slowed down in the last 12 months, or the last six months,” Scott said.

“In our forward half we’re missing Gary Rohan and that’s a good effort. It’s not like three spots opened up.

“There’s no reason for us to think that his rate of improvement is going to slow down. But if (it continues), he’s going to be a pretty special player.

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong coach Chris Scott praises mature-age recruit Shaun Mannagh ahead of debut as tall still in mix to play