DOB: 10 October 1940
Debut: Round 1, 1959 against Richmond at Punt Road,
Last Game: Round 20, 1968 against Richmond at MCG
From: Merbein/Rutherglen
Number: 29 (1959-1968)
Honours:
Premiership Player - 1959, 1960, 1964
Captain - 1965-1969
Team of the Century member
Best First Year Player - 1959
150 Heroes selection
Life Member - 1968
MFC Hall of Fame - 2001
Best and Fairest - 1962, 1963, 1967
Victorian state representative - 1964, 1965, 1966, 1968 (8 games)
All-Australian - 1966, 1968
Games: 178
Goals: 193
Career Statistics
| Wins | Draws | Losses | Winning % |
| 111 | 2 | 65 | 62.35 |
Statistical categories led
Most games and Most goals in jumper 29
First spotted by Jim Cardwell while scouting another player, Harold 'Hassa' Mann transferred to Rutherglen for work and starred for his new team in the Ovens and Murray League. Several league clubs chased his signature after winning the Rutherglen Best and Fairest in 1958, but a specially made pair of football boots for Mann's wide feet sealed the deal for Hassa and his cousin Len. Len was responsible for the name 'Hassa', as he was unable to pronounce Harold as a child.
A slow start in his first practice matches caused Mann to consider offers he'd also received from Geelong and Richmond, but he excelled in the final practice match of the 1959 pre-season, and graduated to the seniors after just a handful of Reserves games. At first he played on a half forward flank, but moved into the centre when Laurie Mithen switched to ruck/rover. Mann won the Best First Year Player award at 18 years of age and capped off a dream first season by kicking the sealing goal in the Grand Final, having moved back to the half-forward flank.
Mann backed up with 20 games in 1960 and played in another premiership side. He went on to win Best and Fairest awards in 1962 and 1963 while playing 101 consecutive games. In 1964 Mann started as a rover because of the side's deficiency around the packs, and ended the year with another flag. He had been key to getting the Demons to top spot in the first place by kicking the winning goal in the Round 17 match against Hawthorn. He became Captain in 1965, the youngest in the league by eight months. It was a turbulent year, with the temporary sacking of Norm Smith and a second half collapse which saw Melbourne miss finals. Mann missed three weeks in the middle of the year after being injured in a state game.
In 1966, Mann won All Australian honours for his play in state games, and in 1967 picked up his third Best and Fairest. That year he was discussed as a Brownlow Medal fancy despite struggling with a knee injury during the year. Early in the year he played for the Victorian side in a game against 'the rest' of the VFL. At the end of that year he toured Europe and America with the 'Galahs' All-Star team, suffering a broken jaw when king hit in a Gaelic Football rules match in New York.
At the end of 1968, Melbourne refused to give Mann a two year contract but refused to clear him to a Western Australian side. Mann eventually won his freedom and coached South Fremantle from last to a flag in 1970. He retired as their playing coach at the end of 1971, but remained in Perth and was a Western Australian state selector in 1975.
Returning to Melbourne in 1978, Mann was an assistant coach to Carl Ditterich and Chairman of Selectors. In August 1980 he announced himself as a candidate to succeed Carl Ditterich as coach, but after Ron Barassi was appointed he joined VFA side Caulfield for 1981. Mann later had spells at Eltham in 1982 and 1983 where he won a premiership and Templestowe in 1984 before returning to Melbourne as Under 19s coach, where he served until mid-1987.
Mann joined the Melbourne board in 1991 and served as CEO from August 1992 to May 1997. Joseph Gutnick had already tried to replace him with Cameron Schwab when he became President, but Mann survived, finally resigning before being pushed after Gutnick flagged major changes during a radio interview at the Round 6 loss against the Saints. He later served as the CEO of the Victoria Titans NBL team.
| Year | Games | Goals | Brownlow |
| 1959 | 17 | 21 | 7 |
| 1960 | 20 | 22 | 0 |
| 1961 | 20 | 26 | 4 |
| 1962 | 19 | 8 | 11 |
| 1963 | 20 | 6 | 7 |
| 1964 | 19 | 15 | 11 |
| 1965 | 14 | 9 | 0 |
| 1966 | 14 | 19 | 12 |
| 1967 | 17 | 38 | 12 |
| 1968 | 18 | 29 | 6 |
Video
Lists
100 Plus Consecutive Games
Administrators
WAFL
Media
Age, 03/03/1965, 22/06/1965, 25/04/1967, 10/07/1992
Inside Football - 05/04/1975, 14/08/1980, 26/03/1981, 20/03/1986, 08/07/1987
Australian Football Action - Issue 1, 1981
Links
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Eltham FC captains and coaches
Wikipedia profile