Rhyan Mansell (born 4 June 2000) is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Rhyan Mansell
Mansell with Richmond's VFL team in July 2022
Personal information
Date of birth (2000-06-04) 4 June 2000 (age 23)
Original team(s) Woodville-West Torrens (SANFL)
North Launceston (TSL)
Draft Pre-season supplemental signing, 2020
Debut Round 4, 2021, Richmond vs. Port Adelaide, at Adelaide Oval
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 70 kg (154 lb)
Position(s) Half-back
Club information
Current club Richmond
Number 31
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2021– Richmond 36 (14)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of round 4, 2024 season.
Career highlights
  • 3x TFL premiership player: 2017, 2018, 2019
  • SANFL premiership player: 2020
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Early life, junior football and state-league football edit

Mansell spent his formative years in the southern Launceston suburb of Prospect, played junior football for the North Launceston Football Club and attended high school at Prospect's St Patrick's College.[1]

As a junior, Mansell was a member of the Tasmanian State Academy and joined the North Melbourne Next Generation Academy as a 16 year old in the program's inaugural 2016 intake.[2] He trained with North Melbourne's AFL squad regularly as part of the program.[3]

In 2017 Mansell played state representative football with the Tassie Mariners .[4] In the same year, he made his senior Tasmanian State League debut with North Launceston and was a member of the club's premiership winning side in their grand final win over Laurderdale that September.[1]

Mansell suffered a significant quad injury in early 2018, hampering his output during the national academy series season with the Mariners.[5] Mansell was eventually selected to represent Tasmania as a member of The Allies side at the 2018 AFL Under 18 Championships, but missed two games as a result of the earlier quad injury.[6][5] He returned to TSL football later in the year, and featured in another grand final win with North Launceston.[7] At the end of the season, Mansell was invited to attend the Tasmanian AFL draft combine.[8]

After going undrafted in both the 2018 national and rookie drafts, Mansell was eligible to be signed by North Melbourne as a category B rookie under Next Generation Academy rules, but was ultimately overlooked.[9][10]

As an overage player in 2019, Mansell joined the newly re-formed Tasmania Devils side in the Victorian-based NAB League Boys competition, where he placed fourth in the club's best and fairest.[11][12] He played state-league football once again for North Launceston that season, winning a third-straight TSL premiership.[13] Mansell was once again eligible to be drafted in 2019 (including with priority academy access by North Melbourne), but was again looked over at the national and rookie drafts.[14]

Mansell relocated to Adelaide in 2020, playing senior SANFL football with Woodville-West Torrens.[15][16] He became a key player across the course of the season and featured in a finals series that included a premiership.[17][18] He contributed a strong 19 disposals, eight marks and five tackles while playing as a half-back in the club's grand final victory over North Adelaide.[19]

Despite his strong season, Mansell was again overlooked by AFL clubs at the 2020 national and rookie drafts.[20]

Junior statistics edit

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks

NAB League Boys

Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2019 Tasmania Devils 27 13 8 139 49 191 51 51 0.6 10.7 3.8 14.7 3.9 3.9
Career 13 8 139 49 191 51 51 0.6 10.7 3.8 14.7 3.9 3.9

Under 18 National Championships

Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2018 Allies 6 2 1 9 4 13 2 8 0.5 4.5 2.0 6.5 1.0 4.0
Career 2 1 9 4 13 2 8 0.5 4.5 2.0 6.5 1.0 4.0

AFL career edit

2021 season edit

In the days following the 2020 draft, Mansell was offered a chance to train with Richmond under a trial period basis.[21] Mansell impressed during his trial and in February 2021, was signed by the club under the AFL's pre-season supplemental selection rules.[22]

Mansell began playing practice matches with Richmond reserves squad from late-February 2021 and into the opening weeks of the AFL season.[23][24] Following an impressive match against the Collingwood reserves in early April, Mansell was selected to make his AFL debut in the club's round 4 match against Port Adelaide at the Adelaide Oval.[25][23]

Player profile edit

Mansell plays as a shutdown small-defender and as a rebounding half-back.[21][26]

Statistics edit

Updated to the end of round 23, 2022.[27]

Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2021 Richmond 31 13 1 0 91 53 144 35 29 0.1 0.0 7.0 4.1 11.1 2.7 2.2
2022 Richmond 31 2 0 0 19 6 25 12 2 0.0 0.0 9.5 3.0 12.5 6.0 1.0
Career 15 1 0 110 59 169 47 31 0.1 0.0 7.3 3.9 11.3 3.1 2.1

Honours and achievements edit

State-league
  • 3x TSL premiership player: 2017, 2018, 2019
  • SANFL premiership player: 2020

Personal life edit

Mansell is a Palawa Indigenous Australian.[28] His father Brett won a TSL premiership with North Launceston in 1995.[28]

He is the cousin of North Melbourne player Tarryn Thomas.[29]

References edit

  1. ^ a b Geale, Hamish (20 September 2017). "North Launceston's Connor Young and Rhyan Mansell prepare for debut grand final". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  2. ^ Burton, Rob (9 December 2016). "A glimpse into the future". North Melbourne FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  3. ^ "Tassie talent heads North". North Melbourne FC. Telstra Media. 18 January 2017. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  4. ^ Martin, Corey (28 April 2017). "Mariners keen for third victory". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  5. ^ a b Martin, Corey (14 September 2018). "Rhyan Mansell is hopeful an AFL club will give him a chance in 2019". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  6. ^ "Eight Academy players picked in Allies squad". Brisbane Lions. Telstra Media. 16 May 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  7. ^ Martin, Corey (13 September 2018). "2018 Tasmanian State League grand final - North Launceston v Lauderdale". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  8. ^ Martin, Corey (8 August 2018). "Jay Lockhart to attend 2018 AFL Rookie Me Combine". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  9. ^ Balmer, Matt (21 November 2018). "AFL draft 2018: How father/son and academy draft picks work, explaining the bidding system". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  10. ^ "Sons of guns nominate for AFL draft". SBS. 20 November 2018. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  11. ^ "Davis, King claim top honours at 2019 Tasmania Devils Awards". Tassie Devils. Solstice Digital. 13 October 2019. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  12. ^ Geale, Hamish (12 April 2019). "Tasmania Devils duo on different paths to draft". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  13. ^ Geale, Hamish (21 September 2019). "TSL: North Launceston defeat Lauderdale in 2019 decider". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  14. ^ Twomey, Callum (26 September 2019). "NGA draft prospects revealed: Cousin of star Blue on Freo radar after big GF". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  15. ^ Andrew Capel and Jordan Pinto (2 September 2020). "AFL Draft 2020: South Australia's top 30 prospects". The Australian. News Corp Australia. The Advertiser. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  16. ^ Capel, Andrew (24 August 2020). "Glenelg's Rulla Kelly-Mansell is back on track at the Tigers after injuries and shock cancer scare". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  17. ^ Milbank, Zac (19 October 2020). "Eagles fly high to win 2020 Statewide Super League Premiership". Woodville-West Torrens. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  18. ^ Andrew Capel and Jordan Pinto (21 September 2020). "September power rankings: South Australia's 30 top AFL Draft prospects". The Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  19. ^ Waterworth, Ben (20 November 2020). "The 23 mature-age bargain gems your club could steal at AFL draft - and three of them are ex-Pies". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  20. ^ Waterworth, Ben (18 December 2020). "The 16 players seeking AFL lifelines that have been invited to train with clubs in 2021 summer". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  21. ^ a b "Tigers to look at a quartet of 'train-ons'". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 20 December 2020. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  22. ^ "Rhyan Mansell becomes a Tiger". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 18 February 2021. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  23. ^ a b Mann, Brenton (3 April 2021). "VFL Tigers overrun Magpies to reign in the heat". Richmond FC. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  24. ^ Matt Balmer and Max Laughton (1 March 2021). "Ray of hope for cellar dweller; big 'if' in statement game: How your club's recruits fare in pre-season". Fox Sports. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  25. ^ "Tigers name two debutants for Port clash". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 7 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021.
  26. ^ Sutton, Ben (18 February 2021). "SANFL speed machine joins Tigers as a rookie". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  27. ^ "Rhyan Mansell". AFL Tables. Retrieved 30 August 2022.
  28. ^ a b Edwards, Phil (3 July 2016). "Local indigenous footballers call for end to racism in sport". The Examiner. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.
  29. ^ Jones, Mitchell (26 June 2018). "Tarryn narrows focus". North Melbourne FC. Telstra Media. Retrieved 8 April 2021.

External links edit