Former Sharks benefit from Lions identifying recruiting needs

SAM Menegola has experienced plenty of down times early in his football career but the second half of 2015 at Subiaco saw everything come together remarkably culminating in a premiership alongside one of his ex-East Fremantle teammates Scott Hancock.

Menegola has always been a player with enormous talent and versatility to play virtually any position on the ground which is why he’s spent four years on AFL lists with Hawthorn and Fremantle respectively.

However, injuries meant he never got to see through a full season or settle into one position on the ground with him unable to break through for an AFL debut at either club before being delisted by Fremantle at the end of 2014.

It was Subiaco who presented Menegola with the chance in 2015 for his first season out of the AFL system in five years as he joined the Lions rather than return to East Fremantle.

He then missed the first 10 rounds of the season with injury, but had put in a remarkable amount of work to be ready to go in Round 11 and the result was the most dominant performance by an individual in the WAFL since Andrew Krakouer with Swan Districts in 2010.

Menegola averaged 27.2 possessions and kicked 21 goals over the last 12 home and away games of the season, and Subiaco’s commanding second semi-final and grand final victories over West Perth.

That saw him poll 41 votes in 12 games in the Sandover Medal and he was then again one of the best afield in the premiership win with 31 disposals, six clearances and a goal.

At just 23 years of age and having proved what a dominant force he can be as a big bodied, hard running and goal kicking midfielder, it appears likely he will get another AFL chance but for now he is just making sure he fully soaks in being a premiership player.

“It’s hard to put it into words really. It is just everything that always says about winning flags with the bond you have together, and how much work you all put in. It makes it worth it and it all just makes sense now, it’s an unbelievable feeling,” Menegola said.

“It means everything and the year would have really been worth nothing if we didn’t win. We had put all the work in so it would have been such a shame to miss out, but the grand final just typifies the way this group plays together.”

With the weeks and months Menegola has spent in rehabilitation over the last five years, now getting to be part of Subiaco’s second straight premiership, and sixth in the last 12 years is something that makes all those tough times worthwhile.

“Personally I’ve experienced the low points in what they talk about the rollercoaster of football, but I’m definitely sitting at the high point at the moment. It’s awesome,” Menegola said.

“Everyone is just so tight and everyone wants to do the job for everybody else. We don’t really have a superstar, we have 22 honest players who want to win a flag and now that’s what we’ve achieved, and it’s unbelievable.”

Meanwhile, Hancock was one of nine Subiaco players to take part in a WAFL premiership for the first time having made the move over summer from East Fremantle to join the reigning premiers.

It continued the pain for East Fremantle with Menegola and Hancock enjoying a premiership, and Aidan Tropiano winning the Sandover Medal with Perth, but for Hancock he just enjoyed the whole experience of being part of the Lions in 2015.