BATLEY BULLDOGS stalwart Dane Manning has plenty more games left in him according to his former coach Mark Moxon.
The 36-year-old second rower recently racked up his 400th professional appearance – and marked it with a try for James Ford’s side – in the 30-12 defeat by Midlands Hurricanes in Birmingham.
It was a 247th outing in Batley colours for Manning, who is in his second spell at the club.
The first, in 2011, when having joined from Leeds, he played 27 times and scored nine tries as the team finished third in the second tier, ended when he followed coach Karl Harrison to Halifax, where he featured in 129 matches over five seasons.
By the time he returned to Batley in 2017, Moxon was assistant coach to Matt Diskin, having had the same role under John Kear. He was also right-hand man to Craig Lingard before taking the top job in late 2023.
And Moxon, who stepped down in June of last year, after which Kear had a three-month stint as interim coach, said: “Playing 400 games is a really great achievement by a good player who is also a top bloke.
“Dane is tough as teak, and you know he is going to give 100 percent every single week.
“When I was coach, it gave me great comfort that I had him in my squad. He was one of the first names on the teamsheet, and I know the other players were more than happy to have him alongside them.
“Knowing Dane, I’m sure there are plenty of games left in him yet.”
Manning took his first rugby steps as a junior at Dewsbury Celtic and toured Australia with the British Amateur Rugby League Association Under-18 side before joining the Leeds development ranks in 2009.
While with the Rhinos, he made one first-team appearance and played 23 times while on loan at Featherstone.