Sam Menegola Biography

Sam Menegola won't begin pre-season training until the new year after undergoing knee surgery in October. The 29-year-old underwent surgery to repair a meniscal tear and is remaining in Perth to continue his rehab.

Six years after a second AFL club decided he was surplus to needs, Sam Menegola will be part of Geelong's Grand Final side in 2020.

Menegola spent the 2015 season with Subiaco in the WAFL, dominating the competition and highlighting his strengths as a ball-getter. There was no guarantee of a third AFL chance, but he wanted to be at least sure in his own mind that he had exhausted every option.

"There was just that nagging thought that I didn't know if I'd actually played as well as I possibly could have. In some ways it was a bit of curiosity to see what level I could get to," he said.

"I didn't feel like I'd reached the best football I could possibly produce so there was a bit of that, but once I got delisted the main thing was I just wanted to get back to enjoying it and Subiaco was a big part of that.

"I got back to playing footy because I loved it and I was excited to play footy again. It was clearly good for my footy and from there things progressed, and you get a little bit of confidence that maybe you are capable of playing footy at AFL level.

"Then I was lucky enough to get the opportunity, and it was another challenge and another thing to attack."

Sam Menegola is scheduled for knee surgery after scans revealed more serious damage to the cartilage in his knee than first expected.

The 27-year-old will undergo "keyhole" surgery which will rule him out until after the Cats' round 13 bye.

Geelong re-signs a quartet of emerging Cats, with Sam Menegola, Nakia Cockatoo, James Parsons and Brandan Parfitt all inking new deals with the club.

Menegola and Parsons have signed three-year deals with the Cats, which will keep the duo at Simonds Stadium until the end of 2020, while Cockatoo and Parfitt have both recommitted until the end of 2019.

After averaging 24 disposals since making his late debut against Adelaide, Sam Menegola says the Cats' preliminary final loss to Sydney in 2016 was an eye-opener.

"If you looked at the Sydney game, there was a pretty clear gap between myself and guys like Luke Parker and (Dan) Hannebery, and their system and the way they worked around the ball," Menegola said.

"At times last year, I felt within games there were too many fluctuations in the small parts of my game, so I really want to iron those out."

Menegola's contract expires at the end of the upcoming season but the 24-year-old said it was not causing him any concern.

"I'm used to not having another contract on the table," he said.

"It doesn’t really change your mindset when you come into the club day-to-day because you just want to be the best footballer you can."

Sam Menegola makes his AFL debut for Geelong at Kardinia Park with 26 disposals (12 kicks and 14 handballs), 5 marks and 5 tackles in a 30-point win over Adelaide.

Sam Menegola finally cracks the big time after making his AFL debut for the Cats against Adelaide.

Menegola finished with 26 disposals, five marks, five tackles and 14 contested possessions.

"I never gave up hope but you just start finding it a bit hard to see how it is going to happen," Menegola said.

"It was nice to see what it was like and I absolutely loved (it). I was sort of hoping they could add a couple of quarters on to the end so we could just keep going."

Sam Menegola could return early in the season after scans revealed he will not need surgery on his sore left knee.

Menegola suffered the injury to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during the Cats' opening NAB Challenge game against Collingwood.

"This is a minor setback for Sam. He has shown resilience through his career and has shown the ability to bounce back from injury," Geelong football manager Steve Hocking said.

"Sam was playing well when he suffered this injury and we expect him to be back to that form when he returns."

After being drafted by Geelong, Sam Menegola hopes his third club will be the one that helps him break into AFL ranks.

The mature-aged draftee spent four years on the rookie lists at Hawthorn (2011) and Fremantle (2012-14) without playing a single game.

Following his delisting from the Dockers at the end of 2014, Menegola, 23, joined Subiaco in the WAFL and produced a stunning individual season.

He missed the first 10 rounds of the year due to a serious ankle injury but on his return averaged 27 disposals and kicked 18 goals in the last 12 home and away matches of the season.

He finished third in the Sandover Medal, just four votes behind the winner Aidan Tropiano. In the 5-4-3-2-1 voting system, Menegola polled 41 votes, averaging 3.42 per game.

"Some guys develop at different rates and his level of professionalism and attitude and commitment to Subiaco in the last 12 months has been outstanding," Subiaco coach Jarrad Schofield said.

"He's an ultimate professional in how he prepares himself and it was no surprise in how he came back after missing half a season with a serious ankle injury."

Geelong select Sam Menegola with pick No.66 at the 2015 NAB AFL Draft.

"He had a fantastic second half of the year with Subiaco, including a premiership," Cats recruiting chief Stephen Wells said.

"His performances in the WAFL this year warranted another opportunity at an AFL club and we know he'll give it everything he possibly can to be a success."