Shaun McManus

Infobox afl player


firstname = Shaun
lastname = McManus


| birthdate = birth date and age|1976|9|2
birthplace =
originalteam = East Fremantle Football Club
heightweight = 181cm / 81kg
dead = alive
deathdate =
deathplace =
debutdate = Round 5, 1995
debutteam = Fremantle
debutopponent = Footscray
debutstadium = Western Oval
playingteams = Fremantle (1995 - 2008)

228 games, 95 goals
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = Round 18, 2008
careerhighlights =

*AFL Rising Star nominee: 1995
*Fremantle co-captain: 2000-2001
*35 career Brownlow votes
*WA State of Origin selection: 1995, 2003
*East Fremantle Premiership Player (WAFL: 1994
*Larke Medalist: 1993

Shaun McManus (born 9 February 1976) is a former Australian rules footballer. He is one of the most popular players to ever represent the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) and is often seen as an icon or favourite son of the club. [Chadwick, Justin; [http://wwos.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=604996 Freo's McManus to retire after WA derby] ; Wide World of Sport; 2008-07-28] [ [http://blogs.thewest.com.au/sport/sport-blog-share-your-memories-of-a-freo-legend/ Share your memories of a Freo legend] ; The West Australian; 2008-06-29] He has been described as the AFL's uphill skiing champion [Price, Matt; [http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21633234-23211,00.html Headland must square ledger] ; Fox Sports; 2007-04-28] due to his courage, persistence and resiliance in overcoming two knee reconstructions. He was the co-captain of Fremantle in 2000 and 2001, the second player to reach 200 games with the club and his 227 games is the second most game played for Fremantle behind Shane Parker. Following the retirement of Peter Bell during the 2008 season, McManus was the only remaining player from Fremantle's inaugural squad to still be playing in the AFL.

Early career

McManus was a highly rated junior player who won the Larke Medal as the best player at the 1993 National Under 17 AFL Youth Championships. [ [http://www.sportingpulse.com/assoc_page.cgi?client=1-3020-0-0-0&sID=55887&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=5053612&sectionID=55887 Larke Medalists] ] He represented Western Australia, alongside future teammates Peter Bell, Jeff Farmer and Troy Cook. He then won a premiership with East Fremantle in the WAFL in 1994,Hope, Shayne; [http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=87556 Shaun McManus hangs up boots] ; The West Australian; 2008-07-28] before being selected by Fremantle into their initial squad as a pre-draft selection prior to the 1994 AFL Draft.

Introduction to the AFL

McManus made his debut in Round 5 of 1995 and played all 18 remaining games for the year. He continued his good form into 1996 and despite missing 6 games with ankle injuries finished 10th in the Fremantle Best and Fairest award.cite book|year=1997|chapter=Player Profiles|title=AFL '97: The Official Guide to Australia's Greatest Game|editor=Lovett, Michael|publisher=Mandarin|location=Kew, Victoria|pages=p. 68|isbn=1-86330-629-3]

In Round 3, 1997, he suffered a knee injury in the season's first Western Derby and required a full reconstruction. He returned for the start of the 1998 season, but in Round 6 against Port Adelaide he suffered a recurrence of the injury and required a second reconstruction.

Return from injury

He returned again in 1999 and played all but five games over the next six seasons. In 2000 his leadership qualities were recognised when he was awarded the co-captaincy of the club alongside Adrian Fletcher. During the Round 4 2001 Western Derby McManus displayed one of the most courageous acts seen in a derby when he ran back with the flight of the ball to take a mark, only to collide heavily with David Wirrpanda. His resilience was displayed when he continued to play after the collision and kicked the goal from the resulting free kick. [ [http://fremantlefc.com.au/tabid/7009/default.aspx?newsid=64518] ; AFL.com.au; 2008-07-31] He played his 100th game for Fremantle in the second last game of 2001, becoming only the fifth player to do so.cite book|chapter=Games Records|title=AFL 2002: The Official Statistical History of the AFL|editor=Lovett, Michael|publisher=AFL Publishing|location=Melbourne, Victoria|year=2002|pages=p. 121|isbn=0-9580300-0-6]

In 2005, however, his form fell away and he struggled for selection. Amid calls for his retirement or delisting, [Butler, Steve; [http://www.thewest.com.au/default.aspx?MenuID=12&ContentID=180 Sack Chris Connolly] ; The West Australian; 2006-06-20] he played on and had one of his best everseasons in 2006, playing all 22 home and away games and all three finals. In 2007 he was one of only five Fremantle players to play in all 22 matches. Despite this, the calls for retirement continued, [Walls, Robert; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/the-retiring-types/2007/08/17/1186857775950.html The Retiring Types] ; The Age; 2007-08-18] especially as it became clear that Fremantle's 2008 season would not result in reaching the finals series. [Hagdorn, Kim; [http://www.news.com.au/perthnow/story/0,21598,23974595-5005401,00.html Vote for which players you want the Dockers to bump] ; PerthNow; 2008-07-05] He even denied the rumours early in the season [ [http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/04/28/2229677.htm Docker McManus quashes retirement talk] ; ABC; 2008-04-28] before announcing that his final game of AFL football would be in the Round 18 Western Derby at Subiaco Oval.

]

Family connections

His family is well-known in Fremantle: comedian Rove McManus, inaugural Fremantle coach Gerard Neesham and West Coast's Daniel Kerr are his cousins; he is also related to Con Regan and Melbourne Cup winning jockey J. J. Miller and he attended Corpus Christi College in Bateman, Western AustraliaClarke, Tim; [http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/derby-to-be-mcmanus-final-game-20080728-3m0y.html Derby to be McManus' final game] ; WAtoday; 2008-07-31]

External links

*AflRleague|ref=S/Shaun_McManus.html

References

###@@@KEY@@@###