George Mann

OVERALL STATISTICS

BIRTHAGESIGNED ONFROM
31-07-1965
N/A
31-07-1989
Mangere East- NZ
DEBUTLAST MATCHLEFT
08-10-1989 v Wakefield Trinity
Wigan
1994- Leeds
CAREERAPPEARANCES (SUBS)
1989-1993
141 (7)
TRIESGOALSDGOALSPTS
23
0
0
92

Biography of George Mann



HERITAGE NO : 1019
George Mann by Dave Dooley:

George Mann was a powerful strong running Kiwi who signed for the Saints in the summer of 1989. He emanated from the Mangare East Club and was signed on recommendation of Shane Cooper who played for the same New Zealand team. George played mostly at prop whilst at the Saints but also performed well in the second row particularly in his second season with the club. He made his debut against Wakefield Trinity in an away fixture, which the Saints prevailed in a thrilling encounter by 24 points to 21. George made a sensational home debut against Featherstone Rovers one week later. Saints were winning comfortably when George received the ball 40 yards out on the right hand side of the pitch as the team were attacking the Edington Stand end. He suddenly cut across the field and started a south-westerly diagonal run. With great pace he skirted around the Rover`s defence and outpaced the full back to score with a spectacular dive as he was about to be tackled. The crowd whooped with delight as they realised the potential of a forward with such power and pace. George would not let them down! In his first season with the club George scored three tries from 23 appearances.

In the following season (1990-91) the Saints rattled up the points again. Unfortunately the side was defensively stretched in many games and 11 losses in the league left Cooper`s men in sixth position. George had a golden period for the Saints during October and November 1990. He scored in five successive matches whilst operating in the second row. His powerful bursts helped the Saints in the fabulous 19 points to 2 semi-final win over Widnes in the Challenge Cup semi-final. However, George and the boys were thwarted as Saints fell at the final hurdle when Wigan held on to a handy half time lead to prevail by 13 points to 8 in the 1991 Challenge Cup Final at Wembley. Many felt that Wigan were there for the taking on that day and this made the club even more determined to bring some silverware to Knowsley Road.

George`s ambition for a winner`s medal was soon fulfilled in the following campaign (1991-92) as he and the Saints had a blinder against Wigan in the Lancashire Cup semi-final, as Saints prevailed by 28 points to 16. Ten days later the Saints went on to record a 24 points to 14 win over Rochdale Hornets in the Lancashire Cup Final at Warrington. Mann had an absolute strormer as the Saints gradually broke down the resistance of a stubborn Hornets` defence. Indeed the power and support play of George was one of the main differences between the two sides that day, not to mention his two well-taken tries. George had collected his first winner`s medal with the Saints. He ended the season with a total of seven tries from 36 appearances. The side also settled down that season and finished a comfortable second position in the league but still somewhat adrift from Wigan at the top.

In the 1992/3 season George gave one of his finest displays in the Boxing Day match against Wigan in 1992. He was supporting all over the pitch as Saints whipped the boys from Wigan by a fabulous score-line of 41 points to 6. Mike McClennan often positioned George at stand off when Saints fed a scrum in the opponent`s half, using the power of the Kiwi against the smaller defence backs. This proved very effective in this particular game as did the triumvirate of Kiwis in George, Tea Ropati and captain Shane Cooper who dominated and dictated play throughout the match. Everyone felt that the balance of power was finally shifting westwards over Billinge Lump after that game but at the end of the season Saints lost out to Wigan on points difference at the top of the table following an 8 points all drawn match at Central Park. Some consolation came however in the last match of the season as the Saints thoroughly deserved their1993 Premiership Final win over Wigan by 10 points to 4. George added another winner`s medal to his collection. Remarkably in 29 matches of the 1992/3 season, George failed to score. More importantly, he was often instrumental in making a break and laying on tries for his colleagues.

In George`s final season at Knowsley Road competition was red hot for starting positions in the pack. Eric Hughes had Neill, Harrison, Dannatt, Pickavance, Fogerty and George as the choice of props with Nickle, Joynt and Cooper firmly embedded in the back three. If you then considered the availability Bernard Dwyer and a young Chris Morley at the time, it would be enough to make the modern coaches of streamline squads drool! George played 24 matches in his final campaign managing six tries in the process. This haul included a rare brace against Featherstone Rovers. This amiable Kiwi was always popular with the Knowsley Road crowd. His career had stretched 141 and included 23 tries before his transfer to Leeds at the end of the 1993/4 season.

When you look at George`s playing style you would have loved to have seen him used in the modern set up of four substitutes - he would have been an ideal "impact player".



SEASON STATISTICS

Season (Official Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1989~903 0 0 23
1990~917 0 0 29
1991~92 7 0 0 36
1992~93 0 0 0 29
1993~946 0 0 24
TOTALS:23 0 0 141
Season (Other Matches)TriesGoalsDGoalsMatches
1989~902501
1991~921001
1992~930002
1993~940002
TOTALS:3506

ALL MATCHES

DateMatchPosOpponentsCompVenueFTFTOTGDG
8th Oct 1989 1
W
8 Wakefield Trinity L A 24 21 VIEW
15th Oct 1989 2
W
8 Featherstone Rovers L H 50 11 1 VIEW
29th Oct 1989 3
W
10 Warrington L A 15 3 VIEW
10th Dec 1989 4
D
8 Dewsbury RT2 H 12 12 VIEW
13th Dec 1989 5
W
8 Dewsbury RT2 (rep) A 14 0 VIEW
23rd Dec 1989 6
L
8 Halifax RTSF N 9 10 VIEW
28th Jan 1990 7
W
15 Bramley CC1 A 22 14 VIEW
31st Jan 1990 8
W
10 Bradford Northern L H 32 10 VIEW
4th Feb 1990 9
W
8 Leeds L H 32 26 VIEW
10th Feb 1990 10
W
10 Hull CC2 A 24 12 VIEW
18th Feb 1990 11
W
10 Barrow L A 46 6 VIEW
25th Feb 1990 12
W
10 Whitehaven CC3 H 44 10 VIEW
28th Feb 1990 13
D
10 Warrington L AB H 0 0 VIEW
4th Mar 1990 14
L
10 Castleford L A 24 34 VIEW
10th Mar 1990 15
L
10 Wigan CCSF N 14 20 VIEW
14th Mar 1990 16
L
10 Warrington L H 14 23 VIEW
17th Mar 1990 17
W
10 Wakefield Trinity L H 44 21 VIEW
25th Mar 1990 18
W
10 Leigh L H 12 6 VIEW
1st Apr 1990 19
L
10 Leeds L A 14 50 VIEW
8th Apr 1990 20
W
10 Sheffield Eagles L H 42 26 1 VIEW
13th Apr 1990 21
W
10 Wigan L H 35 10 1 VIEW
16th Apr 1990 22
L
10 Widnes L A 16 34 VIEW
22nd Apr 1990 23
L
11 Bradford Northern PT1 A 8 25 VIEW
2nd May 1990 --
W
6 Pilkington Recs/ Thatto Heath* Fr Benefit H 74 38 2 5 VIEW
9th Sep 1990 24
L
10 Hull L A 14 20 VIEW
16th Sep 1990 25
W
10 Bradford Northern L H 24 20 VIEW
7th Oct 1990 26
L
15 Australia Tour H 4 34 VIEW
21st Oct 1990 27
L
11 Castleford L H 16 29 1 VIEW
4th Nov 1990 28
W
11 Rochdale Hornets L A 30 18 1 VIEW
11th Nov 1990 29
W
12 Sheffield Eagles L H 34 17 1 VIEW
21st Nov 1990 30
L
12 Bradford Northern L A 16 18 1 VIEW
25th Nov 1990 31
W
12 Rochdale Hornets L H 44 14 1 VIEW
2nd Dec 1990 32
W
12 Swinton RT1 A 31 7 VIEW
11th Dec 1990 33
W
12 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 33 16 1 VIEW
16th Dec 1990 34
L
12 Warrington RT3 A 12 18 VIEW
1st Jan 1991 35
L
12 Widnes L A 8 14 VIEW
6th Jan 1991 36
W
10 Wakefield Trinity L H 36 14 VIEW
13th Jan 1991 37
W
15 Featherstone Rovers L A 36 28 1 VIEW
20th Jan 1991 38
W
10 Leeds L H 22 16 VIEW
27th Jan 1991 39
D
11 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 26 26 VIEW
18th Feb 1991 40
W
12 Hull L H 12 10 VIEW
23rd Feb 1991 41
W
12 Wakefield Trinity CC2 H 16 2 VIEW
3rd Mar 1991 42
L
12 Warrington L A 20 34 VIEW
10th Mar 1991 43
W
12 Halifax CC3 A 24 16 VIEW
13th Mar 1991 44
W
12 Oldham L H 33 22 VIEW
17th Mar 1991 45
W
12 Featherstone Rovers L H 54 38 VIEW
24th Mar 1991 46
L
12 Castleford L A 4 28 VIEW
30th Mar 1991 47
W
12 Widnes CCSF N 19 2 VIEW
4th Apr 1991 48
L
13 Wigan L A 14 28 VIEW
7th Apr 1991 49
W
15 Wakefield Trinity L A 22 8 VIEW
14th Apr 1991 50
W
12 Warrington L H 62 16 VIEW
21st Apr 1991 51
L
12 Hull PT1 A 12 28 VIEW
27th Apr 1991 52
L
12 Wigan CCF N 8 13 VIEW
25th Aug 1991 --
W
12 Barrow* Fr Testimonial A 20 16 1 VIEW
1st Sep 1991 53
W
15 Hull L A 31 10 VIEW
8th Sep 1991 54
W
15 Warrington L H 27 20 VIEW
15th Sep 1991 55
W
12 Trafford Borough LC1 H 104 12 1 VIEW
22nd Sep 1991 56
W
12 Swinton L A 16 12 VIEW
26th Sep 1991 57
W
12 Oldham LC2 H 39 26 VIEW
29th Sep 1991 58
W
10 Castleford L H 25 14 VIEW
6th Oct 1991 59
L
10 Halifax L A 6 26 VIEW
10th Oct 1991 60
W
12 Wigan LCSF H 28 16 VIEW
13th Oct 1991 61
W
12 Bradford Northern L H 30 12 1 VIEW
20th Oct 1991 62
W
12 Rochdale Hornets LCF N 24 14 2 VIEW
23rd Oct 1991 63
W
10 Salford L H 25 16 VIEW
27th Oct 1991 64
D
10 Leeds L A 8 8 VIEW
3rd Nov 1991 65
L
10 Wakefield Trinity L A 12 20 VIEW
10th Nov 1991 66
W
12 Hull Kingston Rovers L H 38 15 VIEW
17th Nov 1991 67
W
10 Huddersfield RT1 A 32 10 VIEW
24th Nov 1991 68
W
10 Oldham RT2 A 24 18 VIEW
1st Dec 1991 69
W
10 Bradford Northern RT3 H 30 12 VIEW
4th Dec 1991 70
L
10 Featherstone Rovers L A 6 8 VIEW
8th Dec 1991 71
W
10 Swinton L H 28 4 VIEW
15th Dec 1991 72
L
13 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 14 24 VIEW
21st Dec 1991 73
L
10 Widnes RTSF N 10 18 VIEW
26th Dec 1991 74
L
10 Wigan L A 6 16 VIEW
1st Jan 1992 75
W
10 Widnes L H 24 22 VIEW
5th Jan 1992 76
W
10 Salford L A 15 6 1 VIEW
16th Feb 1992 77
W
10 Bradford Northern L A 20 8 VIEW
22nd Feb 1992 78
L
10 Wigan CC3 H 6 13 VIEW
1st Mar 1992 79
W
10 Leeds L H 19 8 VIEW
8th Mar 1992 80
D
10 Castleford L A 8 8 VIEW
22nd Mar 1992 81
W
13 Halifax L H 30 28 VIEW
29th Mar 1992 82
W
9 Hull L H 42 12 VIEW
4th Apr 1992 83
L
13 Warrington L A 18 30 1 VIEW
17th Apr 1992 84
L
10 Wigan L H 6 16 VIEW
20th Apr 1992 85
W
11 Widnes L A 28 23 VIEW
26th Apr 1992 86
W
12 Halifax PT1 H 52 6 VIEW
10th May 1992 87
W
12 Castleford PTSF H 30 14 1 VIEW
17th May 1992 88
L
12 Wigan PTF N 16 48 VIEW
2nd Aug 1992 --
W
12 St. Helens Born XIII* Fr Testimonial H 72 46 VIEW
16th Aug 1992 --
W
12 Widnes* Fr Charity H 22 12 VIEW
23rd Aug 1992 89
W
12 Wigan CS N 17 0 VIEW
13th Sep 1992 90
W
10 Barrow LC1 A 36 2 VIEW
20th Sep 1992 91
W
10 Sheffield Eagles L A 18 10 VIEW
27th Sep 1992 92
W
12 Salford L H 48 8 VIEW
30th Sep 1992 93
W
12 Widnes LC2 H 10 8 VIEW
4th Oct 1992 94
W
10 Wakefield Trinity L A 18 5 VIEW
8th Nov 1992 95
W
10 Leeds RT1 H 15 14 VIEW
15th Nov 1992 96
W
12 Salford L A 15 12 VIEW
22nd Nov 1992 97
W
10 Bradford Northern L A 16 4 VIEW
29th Nov 1992 98
W
10 Sheffield Eagles L H 30 20 VIEW
6th Dec 1992 99
W
10 Featherstone Rovers RT2 A 25 8 VIEW
11th Dec 1992 100
L
10 Castleford L A 6 16 VIEW
19th Dec 1992 101
L
11 Castleford RT3 H 8 12 VIEW
27th Dec 1992 102
W
11 Wigan L H 41 6 VIEW
6th Jan 1993 103
W
10 Leigh L H 64 9 VIEW
17th Jan 1993 104
W
10 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 22 11 VIEW
22nd Jan 1993 105
W
12 Halifax L H 18 16 VIEW
31st Jan 1993 106
W
12 Featherstone Rovers CC1 A 24 22 VIEW
5th Feb 1993 107
W
10 Warrington L H 12 4 VIEW
13th Feb 1993 108
L
10 Wigan CC2 A 3 23 VIEW
17th Feb 1993 109
L
10 Widnes L A 8 26 VIEW
21st Feb 1993 110
L
10 Hull L A 16 21 VIEW
28th Mar 1993 111
W
15 Warrington L A 32 17 VIEW
4th Apr 1993 112
W
12 Leeds L H 42 8 VIEW
9th Apr 1993 113
D
12 Wigan L A 8 8 VIEW
12th Apr 1993 114
W
10 Widnes L H 29 18 VIEW
23rd Apr 1993 115
W
10 Halifax PT1 H 34 25 VIEW
9th May 1993 116
W
10 Leeds PTSF H 15 2 VIEW
16th May 1993 117
W
10 Wigan PTF N 10 4 VIEW
8th Aug 1993 --
L
10 International XIII* Fr Testimonial H 24 54 VIEW
22nd Aug 1993 --
W
10 Widnes* Fr Charity A 30 14 VIEW
29th Aug 1993 118
L
10 Hull Kingston Rovers L A 10 16 VIEW
5th Sep 1993 119
W
10 Salford L H 22 14 VIEW
12th Sep 1993 120
L
12 Warrington L A 10 17 VIEW
19th Sep 1993 121
W
10 Leigh L H 34 16 VIEW
26th Sep 1993 122
W
10 Castleford L A 35 18 1 VIEW
1st Oct 1993 123
W
10 Featherstone Rovers L A 37 16 2 VIEW
10th Oct 1993 124
W
10 Wakefield Trinity L H 36 10 VIEW
20th Oct 1993 125
L
10 New Zealand Tour H 8 14 VIEW
24th Oct 1993 126
L
12 Sheffield Eagles L H 12 19 VIEW
7th Nov 1993 127
W
10 Bradford Northern L H 54 3 VIEW
12th Nov 1993 128
W
11 Dewsbury RT2 A 20 6 1 VIEW
17th Nov 1993 129
W
12 Leeds L A 21 18 VIEW
21st Nov 1993 130
W
10 Oldham L A 12 2 VIEW
26th Nov 1993 131
D
11 Halifax L H 16 16 VIEW
3rd Dec 1993 132
L
11 Hull L A 14 18 VIEW
11th Dec 1993 133
L
10 Warrington RT3 H 8 16 VIEW
26th Mar 1994 134
L
10 Leeds CCSF N 8 20 VIEW
1st Apr 1994 135
L
10 Wigan L H 9 15 VIEW
4th Apr 1994 136
L
10 Widnes L A 17 20 VIEW
10th Apr 1994 137
W
10 Hull L H 52 10 1 VIEW
13th Apr 1994 138
W
10 Leeds L H 68 0 1 VIEW
19th Apr 1994 139
L
10 Bradford Northern L A 16 18 VIEW
24th Apr 1994 140
L
12 Halifax L A 30 37 VIEW
8th May 1994 141
L
10 Wigan PT1 A 16 34 VIEW
*Unofficial Match. **Non Playing Sub.
WINS : 94 | LOSSES : 46 | DRAWS : 7

GALLERY





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