Shannon Motlop facts for kids

Shannon Motlop was born on August 18, 1978. He is an Indigenous Larrakia person and a talented Australian rules footballer. Shannon played as a midfielder or a small forward. He played for two big teams in the Australian Football League (AFL): the Kangaroos and the Melbourne. Today, he plays for the Robinvale Football Club.

Shannon's Early Football Journey

Shannon Motlop started his football career with the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL). He played for the Wanderers, a team where many members of the Motlop family have played. When he was a teenager, Shannon moved to South Australia. He joined the North Adelaide Roosters in the South Australian National Football League (SANFL).

Joining the AFL: The Draft

In 1998, Shannon was chosen by the North Melbourne team. This happened during the 1998 National Draft, where teams pick new players. He was the 85th player picked that year.

Playing for the Kangaroos

Shannon Motlop played seven games for the Kangaroos in his first year, 1999. This was a very special year for him.

Winning the Grand Final

In 1999, Shannon was part of the Kangaroos team that won the Grand Final. They played against the Carlton team and won! This was a huge achievement for a new player. For the next two years, Shannon played regularly for the team. His brother, Daniel, also joined the Kangaroos during this time.

Moving On from North Melbourne

Later, Shannon didn't play as well as before. He only played 12 games between 2002 and 2003. At the end of 2003, the Kangaroos decided not to keep him on their team. This meant he had to leave the AFL. He then went back to play for the North Adelaide Roosters in 2004.

Time with Melbourne Football Club

In 2005, Shannon got another chance to play in the AFL. The Melbourne Football Club asked him to join their team.

A New Opportunity

Shannon joined Melbourne after a sad event where the team lost a player. He became an important player for Melbourne's reserve team, the Sandringham Zebras. The Zebras won championships in 2005 and 2006. However, Shannon only played ten games for the main Melbourne team. After his second season, he was again asked to leave the AFL. He then returned to North Adelaide for a third time.

Playing for Dunolly Football Club

In 2009, Shannon Motlop decided to play for the Dunolly Football Club. This team is in country Victoria.

Highlights at Dunolly

Shannon played a few games for Dunolly in 2009. He even scored a goal with his very first touch of the ball in a game against Avoca. He played alongside another former AFL player, Robbie Ahmat. In the 2009 Grand Final, even though Dunolly lost, Shannon was named the best player on the field. He was a great addition to the Dunolly team, both on and off the field.

Playing for Robinvale and St. Arnaud

Shannon continued his football journey with other teams after his time in the AFL.

Robinvale Football Club

In 2010, Shannon started playing for the Robinvale Football Club in the Sunraysia Football League. He was interested in Robinvale because of their special Indigenous round during the season.

St. Arnaud Football Club

In 2012, Shannon signed with the St. Arnaud Football Club. He helped the Saints try to improve their ranking. He played in the 2012 Grand Final, but his team lost to Wedderburn. Shannon was awarded runner-up for the club's Best and Fairest award that year.