Shannon Grant

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Shannon Grant (born 19 April 1977) is a former Australian rules footballer who played in the AFL as a midfielder and small forward. He started his career with the Sydney Swans after being drafted No. 3 in 1994 and moved to North Melbourne in 1998. He played 301 AFL games and kicked 361 goals: 58 games and 38 goals for Sydney, and 243 games and 323 goals for North Melbourne.

Grant was part of North Melbourne’s 1999 premiership team and won the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in the grand final. He earned Kangaroos’ best and fairest in 2001, was All-Australian in 2005, and was an AFL Rising Star nominee in 1996. A memorable moment in 1999 was the Grand Final win, and in 1996 he played in the Grand Final for Sydney on the losing side against North Melbourne.

In 2005, Grant was notable for several comeback victories with the Kangaroos. He helped turn around games in Round 2 against Sydney (three goals in the final quarter) and in the following round against St Kilda (four goals in the last quarter).

Grant announced his retirement on 26 August 2008, and played his 300th game the next day. His 301st and final AFL match came in an elimination final against Sydney at ANZ Stadium, which North Melbourne lost. He received a standing ovation as he left the ground.

After retiring, Grant moved into coaching. He led the Frankston Football Club in the VFL in 2009, then coached the Bendigo Bombers in 2010. He later served as an assistant coach with Essendon and then the Western Bulldogs in 2012. In 2015, he coached Greenvale in the Essendon District Football League and took the team to the grand final, which they lost to Aberfeldie.

In June 2018, Grant was briefly sentenced to six months in prison for assaulting his former partner, but the sentence was overturned on appeal and he was ordered to complete 200 hours of community service.