Glenn Manton is a former AFL footballer, educator, and social commentator with a reputation for authenticity and impact. Across 12 seasons with Essendon and Carlton, Glenn reached the AFL 200-game milestone and became a Premiership player with Carlton in 1995. Beyond the field, he represented Australia in the bobsled team and co-founded Whitelion, a not-for-profit supporting at-risk youth.
With over 25 years of experience as an educator, consultant, performer, and storyteller, Glenn has engaged audiences from classrooms to boardrooms with his unique blend of grit, humour, and insight. His work spans comedy festivals, media commentary, authorship, and advisory roles, all underscored by a deep commitment to communication, relationships, and social responsibility.
What sets Glenn apart is his ability to transform a room through authentic storytelling. He asks provocative questions, creates dialogue, and welcomes challenge. Whether drawing on his sporting career, life experiences, or work with marginalised communities, Glenn sparks reflection and motivates audiences to see themselves and their choices differently.
Based in Melbourne and a father of three, Glenn continues to inspire through his books, stage performances, and keynote presentations that are raw, relatable, and unforgettable.
Talking Points
Resilience, Responsibility, and Real Connections
From elite sport to community work, Glenn’s journey is proof that resilience comes from connection and responsibility. He inspires audiences to look beyond themselves and take meaningful action.Resilience, Responsibility, and Real Connections
Key Takeaways:
- How resilience is built through responsibility, not avoidance
- Why strong connections are essential for performance and wellbeing
- Actions to foster a culture of accountability and care
Beyond the Game: Lessons in Leadership and Culture
Drawing on his AFL career and leadership in education and community advocacy, Glenn shares what great leaders and teams get right and what they often get wrong.Beyond the Game: Lessons in Leadership and Culture
Key Takeaways:
- Lessons from elite sport that apply to business and leadership
- The impact of culture on performance and trust
- Strategies to align teams around shared purpose and values
Mental Health: Breaking the Silence with Real Stories
Mental health challenges affect every workplace, yet stigma and silence often prevent honest conversations. Glenn uses his lived experience, candid storytelling, and background as a youth advocate to create a safe space for dialogue. He shows how openness, vulnerability, and humour can normalise the conversation and strengthen wellbeing across teams.Mental Health: Breaking the Silence with Real Stories
Key Takeaways:
- How storytelling can open up difficult conversations on mental health
- Recognising the role of vulnerability in leadership and culture
- Practical steps to support personal wellbeing and collective resilience
Video
Glenn Manton | Background video
Glenn Manton, AFL Premiership player turned storyteller, has lived a life beyond the field—bobsledding for Australia, encounters with Ronald Biggs, Dennis Rodman and Patch Adams, and work in Indigenous communities. This video highlights the breadth of his experiences and the powerful stories he brings to audiences.Glenn Manton | The Kookaburra | TEDx StKilda
Former AFL player Glenn Manton shares a powerful story of resilience, mentorship and personal growth, sparked by a chance encounter with football great Alec Epis. This memorable TEDx talk highlights the importance of guidance, accountability and connection, offering audiences insights into leadership, discipline and the impact of authentic relationships.Glenn Manton is an exceptional speaker and entertainer. Over the past three years, he has acted as MC and Ambassador of the Public Transport Challenge, an annual event Metlink hosts for seco ... keep reading Metlink
Glenn was fantastic and the night was a great success for us. We were super-impressed with Glenn's ability to read the crowd, his easy going manner and professionalism. His talk was definitely a highlight of the night and everyone's feedback has been so positive.
Glenn recently made a presentation to our Year 12 students, giving his own unique recount of finding his way in life as an emerging adult. He spoke about the challenges that he faced as an 18 year old, telling the passionate tale of the trials and tribulations of his relationships, and his experiences with alcohol, violence and girls. It was a very real and entertaining story, told with energy, sensitivity and humour. It really hit the mark with the boys at St. Bernard's College. Glenn's visit was a definite highlight and lasting memory of their final year at school. Glenn was very generous with his time, and chose to stay for lunch with the boys, sharing more stories and insights. He even returned weeks later to offer assistance to the Physical Education class, sharing his training methods and tips freely in a practical class. If you're aiming to engage students, I highly recommend Glenn for the positive connections he made with our Year 12 students.
Glenn is one of the first speakers we call upon for any of our events. Glenn is real, personable but more importantly approachable. His content, delivery style and tailored message always ring plenty of bells with whoever the audience is. I've seen Glenn entertain the top end of town through to kids in the play ground keep it real!
Being a brand new franchise in the National Basketball League, the South Dragons were out to make an impact both on and off the court in their first season. This meant doing what had never been done before. The key component for us was to have the best game night in the league, and the key factor in all this was to engage the crowd. After considering a number of people, the most professional, creative and dynamic fit for the role of game night presenter was Glenn Manton. Not only does Glenn engage the crowd, he can creatively change the atmosphere and feel of the game. His ability to keep a crowd entertained certainly showed through after a league survey surmised that 70% of people who attended a Dragons home game came to see the event, and 30% came just to see the basketball - this was due largely to Glenn's performance and ability to entertain, and was a key factor in the Dragons attracting the three largest crowds of the season in the entire national league. The South Dragons have also employed Glenn's expertise at a corporate level. He has been utilized as Master of Ceremonies for all major announcements, and has always delivered a faultless, well-structured performance, mixing good humor with the ability to get all the right messages across to the media and corporate guests in attendance. Glenn Manton is a diverse and creative presenter who comes highly recommended for any project or event.
