Manuel scores his century

By Ken Casellas

When Alex Manuel was a defender in the Scotch College Alcock Cup side in 2012 and enjoying playing for Collegians in the amateurs the following year, he had not the slightest inkling or ambition of becoming a Claremont league footballer, let alone of starring as the club’s leading goalkicker.

“I didn’t think that any of that was possible,” he admitted this week as he prepared to lead Claremont’s attack in the WAFL elimination final against East Perth at Leederville Oval on Sunday.

This contest will Manuel’s one hundredth league appearance for the Tigers --- and he is desperately keen to celebrate the occasion of becoming the club’s 121st centurion with a victory.

“This is a must-win game, and to celebrate a hundred WAFL games from a personal point of view will be a great achievement,” he said. “But that is secondary to getting the win. My sole focus at the moment is winning our next few games.”

It was a trip to Subiaco Oval in 2013 to watch the colts grand final that stirred Manuel’s interests in playing league football. “I went there to watch a few of my junior teammates like Max Bentley from school and Jordan Law from the district juniors,” he said.

“I was one year out of school and playing for Collegians, and watching Claremont win that grand final in which Alec Waterman was best on the ground, and Tom Barrass and Darcy Cameron were in action inspired me. So, I asked Darcy Coffey, Claremont’s footy manager at the time, if I could come down and train, and after a practice game against South Fremantle the following year I got the last spot on the senior list.”

Manuel played six matches for Claremont’s reserves side before dropping back to play for the colts for the rest of the 2014 season in which the Tigers, coached by Ross McQueen, reached the grand final but lost by a couple of goals to Swan Districts.    

“It’s quite poetic that we will be up against Rosco as East Perth’s coach on Sunday,” said Manuel. “I have played in two league grand finals for narrow losses to South Fremantle and West Perth, and in two reserves grand finals for a win in 2016, the year I made my league debut, and in 2019 after coming back from knee surgery.”

It hasn’t all been plain sailing for the 28-year-old Manuel this year. He was badly concussed in Claremont’s final pre-season scratch match against East Fremantle, and then was affected by ankle and knee problems.

“It took a while to get back to full fitness and I needed a few games with the reserves to get back into the league side,” said Manuel, who returned to league action in the round eight match against Perth at Lathlain Park in early June when he scored five goals.

Manuel has been Claremont’s leading goalkicker in the past two seasons, with tallies of 42 majors in 2021 and 28 last year when he played at full-forward, at centre-half-forward and on a half-forward flank.

He is a skilful, cool and composed forward who troubles rival defenders with his fast leading, strong marking and clever ground play. Apart from being a reliable goalkicker from set shots, Manuel has the rare ability to kick many goals from clever snap shots with his non-preferred left foot.

Manuel has booted 151 goals and 86 behinds in league football --- and his next major will be his 250^TH for the club, taking into account his 28 goals in 15 colts matches and 70 goals from his 51 reserves appearances.

He plays tribute to many people who have been influential in his football career, with league coach Ash Prescott being most supportive and former Tigers stars Jake Murphy and Tom Lee providing great help in his formative football years.

“Jake took me under his wing from a really young age, and the same with Tom, who coached me in the seconds in Year eleven at school at Scotch College,” said Manuel.

Manuel, who works as a management consultant, said that apart from kicking goals his job was to help marshal some of the younger teammates. “I have a bit of a leadership and stewardship role and have to make sure that we are playing team offence and team defence,” he said.  

“We have missed Jack Buller in attack this year (after he was taken by the Sydney Swans in the mid-season draft), but it still has been nice to play in a potent forward line in which Talon Delacey, Zac Mainwaring and Tyron Smallwood are very good around the goals,” he said.