IN THEIR WORDS – KODY MANNING ROUND 15

THIS week we took a different approach with the 'In Their Words' player column by throwing 10 questions at renowned hard Kody Manning to put him on the spot and get his thoughts on a number of issues at the Falcons and get an update on his health.

Must be frustrating with the same injury keeping on bobbing up this season?
Yeah it has been really frustrating, but it was brought upon by a pretty nasty injury to my shin which happened vs Perth in Round 2. I ended up with a 15cm by 1 1/2 deep hematoma along my shin and I was unable to walk for the next two weeks so my leg got really weak. Playing at the pace I do gave me a little niggle.Hopefully once you come back this time you stay sound for the rest of the year?
You can expect me back in the next week or two and don't you worry I'll be staying around for the rest of the season and finals time you can count on that.
 
The positive is you’ve been in good form when you’ve been on the field this year?
Yeah I've been in a lot better form this year, just enjoying being out there with the boys having a few wins always helps, haha. I'm just enjoying it a lot more this year and it's obviously showing.
 
How do you go watching from the sidelines?
Hate it! haha... I can't stand watching the boys play without me knowing I could be helping doing this n that... but it in turn makes me want to do everything I can in getting my body right quicker so I can get back out there again.
 
After the tough start to the year, must be good to see the team playing so well?
It's really good. It wasn't the best start being 1-4 but we stayed confident and really focused on our strengths and what we do so well that we turned the season round really fast. Now sitting third it's a very nice place to be this time of the season but in no shape are we safe we're just going to stay focused and finish the rest of the season off strong. 

Who’s had the bigger impact on the winning streak, Munns or Nelson?
Oooo that's a tough one. They both have been really good at what they do. Munns just puts that super glue on his hands and doesn't leave you to the point where the opposition focuses on him and trying to get their best player free. It takes their focus away from the game, to which Nelly can get his standard quick touches out from the stoppage down the line to us forwards to set up scoring opportunities or gain vital metres for ourselves.
 
Biggest impact as a key back, Keitel or Rodda?
Mate these aren't easy haha... Kits has really come out this year and has been playing really well in the backline for us playing on guys that are a lot taller than him and still makes a contest and most often than not wins. Then add Rodda into the back who again takes on players, I wouldn't say who are bigger cause Rods' legs are bigger than most guys shoulders that he plays on, but he just doesn't let up. He loves hitting the contest hard or the player who's got the ball hard and letting them know about it straight away. It's good to see and provides a laugh haha..
 
Most ferocious tackler, Lynch, Meadows or Manning?
I don't need to answer that haha all I say is that they try their best but yeah   hah...
 
Best soccer goal against Subiaco in the wet a few weeks back, yours or Max Duffy's?
Mine. Haha funny though cause just before I got that goal I could have got another one cause my man left me to try stop Duffs and if he didn't get poo poos and grabbed the ball properly he could have popped it over to us and I would have got another too. When I was sprinting for this one I could hear him calling and I was like nope you burnt me before and went for it and was quite happy it went in, surprised me that's for sure. But nah me and Duffs always have fun out there and it was all good fun. We joked about him not being able to pick it up to saying whose goal was better.

Would you hope for less of a wait from your 149th to 150th games than Teddy had?
You can only say that you would love to go from 149-150 straight away but you never know? For Ted it was just pure unluck he got a bit of a niggle to where he missed a few then that's when we really got on our bike with the wins that it was hard to change the team. But he never gave up, he went and played reserves, played good consistent footy week in week out to where last week he finally got to click over to the 150. I admire that about Ted with what he showed in those weeks leading into the South Freo game to not give up, train hard and play hard to finally getting his shot. He 100% deserved to finally become a life member of the WEST PERTH Football Club.