 Mannah in 2011 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full name | Jonathan Mannah | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | (1989-09-13)13 September 1989 Sydney,New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 18 January 2013(2013-01-18) (aged 23) Sydney, New South Wales, Australia | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Playing information | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Height | 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 107 kg (16 st 12 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Position | Prop | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Relatives | Tim Mannah (brother) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Jonathan Mannah (13 September 1989 – 18 January 2013) was an Australian professionalrugby league footballer. He played as aprop for theCronulla-Sutherland Sharks (2009–2011) and theParramatta Eels (2012) in theNational Rugby League (NRL).[3][4] Since 2013, theJohnny Mannah Cup, which is named in his honour, is annually competed for by both clubs he played for.[5]
Mannah was born inSydney,New South Wales, to aLebanese Australian family. He was the younger brother of former Parramatta Eels captainTim Mannah.[6]Like his brother Tim, he also attended Christian Community High School and served as vice-captain in his last year of high school during 2007.
The brothers both played for the Parramatta Eels through the junior ranks before Jon joined the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks just prior to the commencement of the 2009 NRL season from Parramatta. In 2011, he scored his first try in first grade for Cronulla in round 3 against thePenrith Panthers. In November 2011, after amassing 24 appearances in three seasons with the Sharks he signed with Parramatta, returning to his junior club and to play with his brother, Tim.[7]
Mannah qualified for Lebanon through heritage and was named in theLebanon squad for the2013 Rugby League World Cup qualifying tournament.[citation needed]
Mannah was first diagnosed in 2009 withHodgkin's lymphoma.[8] His illness may have been accelerated by purportedly performance-enhancing peptide which was administered to him by Stephen Dank.[9] Mannah died of the disease on 18 January 2013 at age 23.[10][11][12] His funeral was held at Faith Baptist Church[13] inRegents Park, Sydney, on 21 January 2013.[14]
In his short career, Mannah played for both the Parramatta Eels and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks clubs. The two clubs together introduced theJohnny Mannah Cup in his memory, to be competed for annually the first time those two clubs meet in a season.[5]
