Manuel’s Unique Feat

Probably lost among the drama of Claremont’s dramatic last-gasp victory over East Fremantle at Claremont Oval on Saturday when Keifer Yu accepted a handpass from Jordan Law to score the winning goal as the siren was blaring was a remarkable, and most likely a unique, occurrence in football.

Alex Manuel, a highly skilful half-forward flanker, performed a feat I had never witnessed in an extremely long involvement in the game when he kicked three goals with his non-preferred left foot.

The natural right-footer used his left boot to score Claremont’s only two second-quarter goals before scoring his side’s seventh major with another left-foot snap in the third term.

“It was weird and just the way things happened,” said Manuel, who was in sparkling form at left-half-forward opposed mainly by Joel Kalajzic. “I was on the run and on my left foot. And, I suppose that by using my left foot it also helps to confuse the opposition.”

Manuel, who finished with one mark, 13 kicks and four handpasses, as well as four tackles, said that, quite remarkably, that he used his left foot for every kick he had in the first half.

Manual accepted a pass from Jye Bolton two minutes into the final quarter, taking the mark at left-half-forward and about 45 metres from goal. His unerring right-foot kick gave him his fourth goal.

Eight minutes later Manuel used his right foot to take a shot from the opposite flank. The ball curled from right to left and appeared to just sneak in for a goal. But the goal umpire signalled a behind. It was a desperately close call.

By Ken Casellas