Merrivale coach Josh Sobey believes recruit Manny Sandow will bring energy and experience to a group chasing the 2021 Warrnambool and District league flag.
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The 2017 Hampden league Maskell Medallist has signed on as a playing assistant coach with the Tigers.
Sandow has crossed from HFNL club South Warrnambool.
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Sobey is thrilled to have one of the south-west's top ruckmen back in the yellow and black.
"Manny has been away for five years now and we've been friends for a long time and obviously he was part of our last successful team in 2014 and also played in the 2015 grand final as well," he said.
"Since then he's gone on to win a Maskell Medal and continued to grow as a player.
"And also dipped his toes into the coaching side with (former South Warrnambool coach) Mat Buck.
"We're rapt to have him come back and rapt to have him playing that assistant role."
Sandow, who played all his juniors at Tigerland, said the opportunity to get into coaching with a long-time mentor was too good to pass up.
"'Sobes' has been a bit of a mentor to me throughout my footy," he said.
"When I first started at Merrivale, he was a pretty big leadership figure at the club and now he's back coaching."
The ruckman feels he can help the Tigers improve on their 2019 semi-final appearance.
"That's the goal," he said.
"If I didn't think they would be in contention, I probably wouldn't have come."
He's excited to help implement the brand of footy Sobey wants the Tigers to play.
Sandow was grateful to South Warrnambool.
"I absolutely love South, I can't thank them enough for what they did for my footy," he said.
"It's a brilliant club and I'll definitely miss the people there.
"But it's a great opportunity for me to head back to Merrivale."
Sobey, a new senior football coach, said he would value having Sandow's experience.
"It's fantastic to see he believes in the coaching staff and the players and a lot of it's to do with off-field," he said.
"It's a credit to everyone involved and we're happy to have him back home."
Sobey said Sandow would be a great help to the Tigers' young ruckman Michael Boyd.
"There's no doubt we'll certainly look at using him in different areas," he said.
"He'll work closely with Michael and help him develop and add a bit to the midfield depth we've got."
Sandow is excited for the challenge.
"It'll be good fun, I enjoy helping others, especially ruckmen," he said.
"I was lucky to be taught by a few experienced ruckmen when I young."
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