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Hassa Mann Turns 80

Dee-Nee
Dee-Nee
in Melbourne Demons

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A fellow long time Demon supporter told me Hassa turned 80 on Wednesday. 

What a great player he was! Premiership player, club captain, state representative, member of The Galahs and MFC team of the century.

Then, later in his career, after success as a playing coach in the West he returned to the club in administration.

As an aside, why did our players go to WA? Big Bob Johnson and dashing half back also left us with plenty of games left in them, as did Hassa. Were we so arrogant in those days we'd say "we don't need you, we'll win without you?"

Does anyone remember Hassa's goal from the boundary at Glenferrie Oval to put Hawthorn out of the 4? A Hawthorn mate still claims it was a point!

Many happy returns Hassa!

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    Good post  Dee-Nee. What a great player. Could play  centre, half forward or as a  rover-great captain. Yes I remember that goal-did he actually mark that ball? I seem to remember it was a line ball decision and the umpire might not have  had a  good view? It was  great kick though.

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    One of my all-time favourite players!  Seems like yesterday he was in the team!

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    Hassa mann was a great player watched him   play  in the 60s  and always looked to kick a goal even playing in the midfield or on  sometimes half forward. He had a knack to link in a play starting back of centre and finding himself  at the end of the chain lining up for a set shot at goals. He did that several time in his career it was amazing.

    IMO and many others his career was cut short at the end of 1968 after Captaining the club for 2 seasons and moved to South Fremantle in 1969 at the age of  28,

    He was a Best and fairest in his first year 1969 and also Captain coached them to a premiership in 1970.

    Such tragedy when we needed him most.    . Fond memories of him playing..

                                                              Happy  Birthday   Hassa    

    Edited by nosoupforme

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    I heard a bit of the interview on SEN to commemorate his 80th.  The part I heard was about our tumultuous history.  Hassa was there at the time of the big 3 upheavals:  when Barassi left, was Captain when Smith was sacked (emotional story about that) and CEO at the time of the merger proposal.  Can't find it on the sen website.  The few minutes I heard were great to listen to.

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    By gee, that makes me ancient!  As others have said, he was an outstanding player of his era, and an 'all time' great Demon.  I worked with Hass for a short time after he retired from the game.  Not only a great player but a fantastic person with just one small fault.  He had the most 'finger crushing' hand shake I've ever experienced.  Happy memories, happy birthday Hassa! 

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    Here is an artical on Hassa Mann .

    Note that the reasons why he left is explained. 

    There is also a link that l have provided of the full article as well.    Great reading.

     

    Mann’s performance at Subiaco when the Big V won by nine points not only won him a nipple-pink coloured transistor radio, but the attention of both Fremantle clubs, who sounded him out as a prospective playing coach.

    “I had no intention of moving from Melbourne Football Club, let alone across the country,” Hassa said. But when the two clubs pooled together to offer him and wife Glenys a trip to Perth he thought: “why not?” “We flew over with the aim of enjoying ourselves for a week or so; it was an opportunity too good to refuse.” Mann spent a few days as guest of East Fremantle, then South.

    “I went back to Melbourne and advised the club that I’d been offered a coaching position in the West, told them I’d prefer to stay, and asked for a two year contract,” he recalled. “The Chairman of Selectors replied that he didn’t reckon I had two years left in me.”

    At twenty eight years of age, the three time club fairest and best winner, most recent being 1967, current All Australian, and club captain, was justifiably upset by his rating at the Demons, and decided to accept South Fremantle’s offer.

    https://ozfooty.net/newsarticles/pastnpresent/55-where-are-they-now-hassa-mann

    Edited by nosoupforme

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    1 hour ago, Lucifer's Hero said:

    I heard a bit of the interview on SEN to commemorate his 80th.  The part I heard was about our tumultuous history.  Hassa was there at the time of the big 3 upheavals:  when Barassi left, was Captain when Smith was sacked (emotional story about that) and CEO at the time of the merger proposal.  Can't find it on the sen website.  The few minutes I heard were great to listen to.

    Here is the segment with Hassa Mann.

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    3 hours ago, nosoupforme said:

    Here is an artical on Hassa Mann .

    Note that the reasons why he left is explained. 

    There is also a link that l have provided of the full article as well.    Great reading.

     

    Mann’s performance at Subiaco when the Big V won by nine points not only won him a nipple-pink coloured transistor radio, but the attention of both Fremantle clubs, who sounded him out as a prospective playing coach.

    “I had no intention of moving from Melbourne Football Club, let alone across the country,” Hassa said. But when the two clubs pooled together to offer him and wife Glenys a trip to Perth he thought: “why not?” “We flew over with the aim of enjoying ourselves for a week or so; it was an opportunity too good to refuse.” Mann spent a few days as guest of East Fremantle, then South.

    “I went back to Melbourne and advised the club that I’d been offered a coaching position in the West, told them I’d prefer to stay, and asked for a two year contract,” he recalled. “The Chairman of Selectors replied that he didn’t reckon I had two years left in me.”

    At twenty eight years of age, the three time club fairest and best winner, most recent being 1967, current All Australian, and club captain, was justifiably upset by his rating at the Demons, and decided to accept South Fremantle’s offer.

    https://ozfooty.net/newsarticles/pastnpresent/55-where-are-they-now-hassa-mann

    Dreadful decision by the Club to let him go.  So many of our better players from the mid sixties to mid seventies were let go or left for greener pastures - Dillon, Parke, Brewer, Kenneally, Callery, Groom, Keenan, Fitzsimmons, Thorne

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    Hassa is my uncle. Hard to believe he is 80. The guy is as fit as they come. He’d probably run rings around me 30 years his junior. 
     

    Whatever his reasons for going to WA, he is Melbourne through and through. He loves the club as much as any football tragic.

    Happy birthday uncle Hass

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    I remember that goal. We lost the next week to Footscray (I think). We went on to win the premiership through Crompton's goal. If it weren't for Hassa's goal, we'd have missed the finals altogether. 

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    Great watching the footage of that game

    It seems that when we mention the great players of that team

    John Townsend seems to get forgotten 
    He was such a talented brave rover

    I remember John Nichols shirtfronting him at the MCG

    How he got up after that I don’t know

     

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    26 minutes ago, Old Bear said:

    Great watching the footage of that game

    It seems that when we mention the great players of that team

    John Townsend seems to get forgotten 
    He was such a talented brave rover

    I remember John Nichols shirtfronting him at the MCG

    How he got up after that I don’t know

     

    Yes John Townsend N0 16. Great rover and goal kicker. Same he hurt his knoee on t at overseas trip. A great roving combination with Ken Emselle. No 10. I think I also remember Hassa getting shirtfronted at the old South Melbourne Lakeside  oval.

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    I was right behind the posts and it was an absolute goal.

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    I was watching from the fence near the half-forward flank right behind him. Unfortunately I'd run out of torn-up telephone directories to toss in the air when Hassa goaled. 

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    Can anyone else remember another time when Hassa got us into the finals. If my memory serves me correctly it was at The MCG and he took a diving mark and kicked a goal that got us into the finals?

     

     

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    I remember him coaching Caulfield in the VFA days following T. Jewell., P Guinane & S Trott as his coaching predecessors.

     

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    On 10/10/2020 at 3:49 PM, Vagg said:

    One of my all-time favourite players!  Seems like yesterday he was in the team!

    Startling to realise, Vagg, that we have been supporting the Dees for so long - and Hassa was a fantastic player, he held a special place in so many of our teams - the good teams and the weaker teams. It does not seem like he retired as a player so long ago - such was his contribution to the MFC, eternally stamped in our minds. 

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    On 10/11/2020 at 6:13 AM, Uncle Fester said:

    Hassa is my uncle. Hard to believe he is 80. The guy is as fit as they come. He’d probably run rings around me 30 years his junior. 
     

    Whatever his reasons for going to WA, he is Melbourne through and through. He loves the club as much as any football tragic.

    Happy birthday uncle Hass

    I briefly met your Uncle Hassa at the Bentleigh club when the premiership players had their 50th anniversary celebration.  He stayed till every one who wanted a chat and an autograph had seen him.  I thought he was delightful and nothing like the 74 year old he would have been at the time.  I look forward to listening the whole sen interview.

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    On 10/12/2020 at 9:33 AM, Old Bear said:

    Great watching the footage of that game

    It seems that when we mention the great players of that team

    John Townsend seems to get forgotten 
    He was such a talented brave rover

    I remember John Nichols shirtfronting him at the MCG

    How he got up after that I don’t know

     

    My first jumper with his number 16  and  wore it  proudly. He was my favourite at the time.

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    Was one of my faves as a kid.

    I had a Hassa Mann signed 45 rpm Single record of the grand ole flag which was released by Ampol service stations in the 60s

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    What a legend of this football club! If only we had more who bled red and blue like Hassa! 

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    On 10/11/2020 at 6:13 AM, Uncle Fester said:

    Hassa is my uncle. Hard to believe he is 80. The guy is as fit as they come. He’d probably run rings around me 30 years his junior. 
     

    Whatever his reasons for going to WA, he is Melbourne through and through. He loves the club as much as any football tragic.

    Happy birthday uncle Hass

    So, if you're Uncle Fester, that makes him Great Uncle Hassa. Is that right?

    On point, it's amazing how our club's inability to move with the times from the mid-60s through to the mid-80s caused so much damage.  

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