Avery and Emerson Mann-Rea with their father Josh
Mann-Rea after he helped lead the Harden Red Devils to their 2nd premiership in 3 years.
They say it’s the game they play in heaven. On Saturday it must have felt that way for Josh Mann-Rea. The former Waratah, Wallaby and Brumby player won his first ever grand final at 39 years of age.
Playing for the Harden Red Devils in the twin township of Harden-Murrumburrah, Mann-Rea’s side overcame the Young Yabbies in a highly entertaining and bruising encounter, 27-13.
Mann-Rea first pulled on the boots as a 13 year old. Just 6 years later he was playing u19s for Australia and 2 years after that, u21s for his country. He made finals in both of those age brackets but was on the wrong end of the scoreline in the final matches.
Later in his career he played in semi finals and quarter finals with the Brumbies but never got to the ‘big dance.’
Harden-Murrumburrah like many bush communities has been hit by drought over the last 3 seasons and like the rest of the country, Covid-19 in 2020. It forced a shortened calendar on the teams for the 2020 season and a long list of strict Covid-19 regulations which allowed the Oilsplus South West competition to go ahead.
Mann-Rea has been at the coal face of drought and better times while in Harden. He works on Oxton Park, an 8000ha farm between the twin towns and Young. He has been witness to both the dusty and dry times of the last couple of seasons and this year’s muddy and green pastures which reinvigorated the landscape, after drenching rain in the middle of this year.
The rain has provided hope to farmers in the district known as the ‘Centre of the best wheat growing area in Australia.’ He has spent a year at Oxton Park and enjoys the agricultural side of life, living in the bush brings. He said, “I’m really enjoying my time there. It is a big operation. I work on the stock side and the cropping side, just depending on where I am needed. I also do fencing, I’m happy to do whatever needs to be done. You are always busy which is good.”
Saturday’s win alongside the season has given locals a chance to be distracted from the new Covid-19 world we all live in. It has given them the chance to meet within their local community and watch both the town’s young men and women, ply their trade within the sport.
When still playing professionally, Mann-Rea, a 105 kilogram Hooker made the trek down the Hume and Barton Highways to the nation’s capital to train and play with the Brumbies. A 3 hour return trip before away games or overseas games were taken into consideration.
In April 2019 while playing for the Brumbies in Cape Town, Mann-Rea ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament during the match and knew almost immediately it was likely to be his last game professionally. He refused to be stretchered off the field, stating it wasn’t his style, so he hobbled off to the sideline himself.
In June last year while in the early stages of his injury, he was hopeful of playing a few games for Harden. Mann-Rea entered professional retirement and set about rehabilitating his knee with the assistance of the Brumbies organisation. He also had his sights set on delivering on his statement further down the track.
39 years is a long time to wait for a premiership and for Mann-Rea, it was both exhilaration and relief. He lined up in the Front Row and played both Hooker and Prop in a decisive Harden victory, with the Devils claiming a 4 tries to 1 win.
His class around the field was evident in his work carrying the ball, cleaning out at the ruck and tackling the opposition. However, it was his skillset in the scrums and his accuracy with the ball when throwing the line outs for the Devils which shone through. Harden had a glut of possession and capitalised on this to score more points than their opposition.
Harden’s Coach Jack O’Connor works on his family’s property Oxton Park, alongside Mann-Rea. He was glowing of the former Brumby’s efforts in helping to lead a squad whose ages spread across a generation, from 19-40.
Jack said, “I’m fortunate enough to work with Josh, Monday to Friday at Oxton Park. He is hands down the hardest working guy I have met. Work and footy. His work ethic on the field is a small reflection of his personality and I have never come across such a special bloke who works so hard and is so thoughtful for everyone else. His involvement with this club, it is unimaginable the effect he has had. His leadership style is different to others, he works so closely with the younger players, he loves mentoring our young players. They wouldn’t be the players they were this year without Josh. He has really taken them under his wing. He does it so casually.”
It wasn’t an easy road back to the football paddock for Mann-Rea. He worked hard on his rehab and debuted for Harden off the bench against West Wyalong in a 44-3 victory just over a month ago. His playing time that day let him know his knee was sufficiently healed to handle the rigours of bush rugby.
Jack said “He has done a lot of rehab, he wasn’t playing for the first half of the season. He wanted to play and everyone in Harden is glad he did. When he hits a bloke, they get hit back to the 1950s.”
The Devils have now won 2 grand finals in the last 3 years of the competition. This being their 3rd successive grand final appearance.
Mann-Rea said, “I’m just wrapped. Some fellas go through their whole career and don’t get to a grand final, so to win one, yeah, it’s pretty special. I’m ecstatic. All year I have just been watching the boys develop as players. Some of the younger fellas in the team, they just gel now. The last few games we have played some pretty good footy. Forwards as well as backs across the park.”
Mann-Rea reflected on his time when he was injured but said it was probably too early to call if he would go around again as a 40 year old. He said, “I didn’t expect to be playing this year the way the knee was going but it just seemed to get better when I was training each week with the boys. Against West Wyalong we were a bit short and Jack said we were down a few front rowers. He asked if I would sit on the bench. I thought I would give it a crack and from there it got better and better. Now I’m glad I did. I want to thank the Harden Rugby Club and the boys and the support staff down there. It’s all the stuff that goes on behind the scenes and the volunteers. It just doesn’t happen, without them you don’t have a comp a club or a team. It was great to be involved and meet a lot of younger fellas and people in the community.”
Get this week’s Twin Town times for the full match report.
