SHAUN Mannagh was 25 when he was first interviewed by an AFL club. That was in 2023, weeks before the Mid-Season Rookie Draft. The Western Bulldogs rated him, but needed a wingman. The wait continued. But not for much longer. 

The now 28-year-old will play in his first AFL Grand Final in his 35th appearance at this level, following a year where Mannagh is rated the No. 2 general forward in the competition behind only Geelong teammate Gryan Miers.

For a long time, a career at this level appeared just beyond reach. The path from Walla Walla to the Murray Bushrangers to North Albury to Richmond to Lavington and Werribee has been well documented. 

But ahead of Saturday's decider in front of 100,000 at the MCG, AFL.com.au has explored how many clubs spoke to Mannagh before he was eventually picked just under two years ago.

Mannagh became a permanent fixture at VFL level in 2021 after moving to Werribee just before the pandemic. He was named at half-forward in the 2022 VFL team of the year when he kicked 28 goals to finish third in Werribee's best and fairest, 12 months after finishing second. Yet not one AFL club expressed interest. 

Rather than wait to hear from them, Mannagh took matters into his own hands. His manager, Scott Lucas from Phoenix Management Group, provided him with some club contacts to ask for a trial during the pre-season supplemental selection period. 

Greater Western Sydney and the Western Bulldogs responded to his email. Both clubs rated him, but had other list needs at the time. 

Giants head of talent Adrian Caruso and recruiter Emma Quayle spoke to him over the phone for a long chat and met with him in July. Essendon’s national recruiting manager Rob Forster-Knight kept in contact in 2023 and met with him during the season, providing insight into what recruiters were looking for from him. 

Mannagh met with then Bulldogs recruiting boss Dom Milesi, before interviewing with list manager Sam Power ahead of the 2023 Mid-Season Rookie Draft. The Dogs opted to address a list need and selected Caleb Poulter. 

Fremantle put him through a physical a few days before the 2023 VFL Grand Final. Dockers list boss David Walls sat down with him, alongside recruiting manager David McMullin and St Kilda great Leigh Montagna, who works part-time for Fremantle around his media commitments with Fox Footy and Triple M. 

No one else interviewed him until he won the Norm Goss Medal for best on ground in the VFL Grand Final loss to Gold Coast. Even then, Mannagh couldn’t score an invite to the state combine. In fact, he was never invited to one of them. 

Mannagh and his wife Sarah flew to Europe for their honeymoon the day after he kicked six goals from 27 disposals at Ikon Park. Sydney and Essendon called a week into the trip. Kinnear Beatson wanted him to test with the Swans, but he was on the other side of the world. 

The day after he returned from Europe he was put through a yo-yo, agility and sprint test at The Hangar alongside then Werribee teammate Sam Clohesy, weeks before Gold Coast selected Clohesy in the Rookie Draft, as well as 15 other players trialling for the Bombers’ VFL team. He met with Essendon list manager Matt Rosa that day. 

The Cats have been the masters of the mature-age recruit for as long as veteran scout Stephen Wells has been in the building. Tom Stewart, Harry Taylor, Mark Blicavs, Tom Atkins, Tim Kelly, Brad Close, Lawson Humphries and James Podsiadly are all smash hits. 

Wells emailed Mannagh when he was on his honeymoon and quietly did his work on the forward-midfielder from Walla Walla. The Cats were prepared to move earlier than others, pouncing on Mannagh at pick No. 36 in the 2023 AFL Draft, using the pick they secured from Essendon on the night to move back one spot from pick No. 10 to No. 11. 

"I knew 2023 was the big opportunity to get drafted. Apparently I had some interest from Port Adelaide in 2019, but I never spoke to them, didn't have a manager back then," Mannagh told AFL.com.au this week at GMHBA Stadium. 

"The first real interest was the Doggies before the 2023 mid-season draft. I met with them and went through that whole process with them. I thought I interviewed well, but you never know do you? It didn't eventuate. 

"That hurt at the time. I was really disappointed. At that stage we’d won six in a row and it felt like we were a good chance of having a good crack at finals; we ended up winning 17 in a row and making a Grand Final. But it just didn’t eventuate in the end. I think the AFL to VFL difference was telling, they were able to maintain a three-goal lead for most of the day."

Fremantle was the keenest and hoped Mannagh would still be available at their second pick – No. 41 – but Geelong was wary of the Dockers and moved earlier than expected for a 26-year-old. Not hard to see why. 

The Cats also landed a 20-year-old Lawson Humphries at pick No. 63 – the second-last pick in the draft – after gaining pick No. 31, which became 36, after trading down one spot with the Bombers, so they could select Nate Caddy. Geelong picked Connor O’Sullivan at No. 11. Mannagh, O'Sullivan and Humphries will all be out there on Saturday. 

Mannagh was coached by Michael Barlow at Werribee – the poster boy of mature-age recruits – and watched Kane Lambert up close when he was on Richmond's VFL list between 2017 and 2019. Before Lambert became a three-time premiership player with the Tigers, he was recruited out of the VFL as a 23-year-old rookie. 

Michael Gibbons was also 23 when Carlton signed him during the pre-season supplemental selection period at the start of 2019. The dual J.J. Liston Trophy winner ended up playing 47 games for the Blues across three seasons. All three reminded him that the dream isn't over until it's over.

"Kane Lambert was at Richmond when I was in the VFL, and his role and the way he played was what I wanted to do. Hearing his story, made me think: 'If he can do it, why can't I?'

"Gibbo was the biggest one. He was from 'Lavvy' as well, dominated the VFL for a long time. I knew I wasn't at that level, had to pay my dues and do what I had to do. Then I went to Werribee and Mick Barlow was the poster boy. They gave me a lot of confidence that I could make it, but obviously waiting until 26 is a bit different. Although James Podsiadly was 28, I think!"

Mannagh was picked in round one last year, played the following week but wasn’t recalled until round 17. He played the last 10 games of 2024, starring in the qualifying final win over Port Adelaide. 

After overcoming a stress fracture in his navicular bone during the pre-season, Mannagh has established himself as one of the most damaging high forwards in the AFL in 2025, averaging 18.4 disposals, 6.9 score involvements, 3.5 clearances and 1.4 goals from 22 appearances.   

"A lot have helped me take the next step; the first one is James Rahilly. The way him and 'Scotty' [Chris Scott] have instilled confidence in me to go out and play my role and do it to a high level has been due to their help," he said. 

"Seven or eight of us come in and do extra touch with James Kelly on off days. I think that stuff helps. At VFL level you are working, so you don’t have the time for that; you are only at the club two days a week, whereas at AFL level you have eight hours a day. 

"Steven King has been amazing as the midfield coach. Those guys have given me confidence. I spent a fair bit of time with Mark Corrigan in the VFL last year. him and Nigel Lappin, our head of development, its well documented what they’ve done for the younger guys. I really respect the way Nige sees the game. He has been huge for me."

Mannagh created history when he became the youngest player in more than 100 years of the Hume Football League to win a best and fairest when he played seniors for Walla Walla at 16. 

Two Grand Final performances have been woven into his story. The Werribee performance is legendary in the VFL, but so too is the five-goal performance in the Ovens & Murray League decider in 2019 for Lavington. 

Now the 2025 AFL Coaches' Association's best young player award winner – which is assessed on a player’s first two seasons in the League and clearly not age – heads to another Grand Final, just on a bigger stage, where the stakes are higher.