By JARROD POTTER
IT’S one thing to rise through the junior football ranks en route to the TAC Cup.
That’s a predictable path the best talent will inevitably tread with the way Victorian football pathways are currently structured.
But to only have just arrived in Australia late last year and immediately take to his newly adopted country’s national code makes the efforts of Noble Park footballer Manaia Grant even more remarkable.
Packing his bags and leaving Wellington, New Zealand in 2014, Grant also packed away his rugby league and union gear as the 15-year-old decided to give the local code a run.
“I just started to give AFL a go because I gave rugby and rugby league a rest – I kept on losing a lot of games last year for rugby – for the whole season,” Grant said.
After starting in a few clashes in the South East Juniors under-15s competition, the Noble Park powerhouse was hand-picked by a Sandringham Dragons TAC Cup recruiter to enter their development pathway … an amazing achievement for someone who is only 17 games into their Australian football journey.
Being in the pathway doesn’t guarantee him a place in the Dragons’ team in years to come, but is indicative of his endurance, skill-set and most importantly – the raw potential that could see him become a TAC Cup footballer.
Grant, who lives with his aunt and uncle in Noble Park, was shocked to get that initial call-up to the Dragons’ development ranks as he’s still so fresh to Australian rules.
I was pretty surprised when I got into the Dragons ‘cos I’ve never played AFL before,” Grant said. “Just for the first season – they (Sandringham) saw me play one of my games and gave me a go.
“Makes me feel pretty good, pretty good that I’m already at this level.”
The rangy back pocket/wingman wants to make the most of his opportunity in the TAC Cup development ranks, especially with Under-16 duties the start, in many ways, of the rise towards elite senior football.
“Im starting to get used to the running for AFL,” Grant said. “Even though there’s a lot of it – but I’ve been training for my stamina for AFL and I also really like tackling.”
“I’m just going to focus on footy at the moment – I just want to make sure that I can take my footy seriously and I want it to take me to where the professionals play and be on TV and that.”
He’ll join the list of New Zealand-born footballers to have ventured over from our southern neighbours and given the TAC Cup a run.
Grant can look up to current Hawthorn rookies Kurt Heatherley – who also played for Sandringham – and former Western Jet Shem Tatupu for blazing the path before him.
Granted wanted to thank his parents, aunty and uncle for helping him get to where he wants to be and In2Fitness Health Club for its support.
