AFL Player # 4: Kyle Langford - AA squad, Leading Goalkicker, McKracken Medal, 2nd in Crichton 🥈

[Beerfish]

Contract Status: Restricted Free Agent 2026
My Boy Draft 2024: Pick 8, boncer34

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Still a bit scared of the hard stuff and is terrible in close pressure situations. I can’t see the midfield experiment continuing once we are fully fit and the likes of Cox/Perkins take charge the wings (if they haven’t done so already).

 

[yodellinhank]

Still a bit scared of the hard stuff and is terrible in close pressure situations. I can’t see the midfield experiment continuing once we are fully fit and the likes of Cox/Perkins take charge the wings (if they haven’t done so already).

Put him in the Cransberg role; floating around half forward taking marks, kicking goals and running messages.

 

[ghostdog]

Langford is so hot and cold. Very frustrating. He's a preseason king; smashes training, always touted as having turned a corner, shows glimpses of brilliance, then meh. Maybe he helps us secure Dunkley. I don't see how else he helps us move forward.

 

[bombadeer]

Not sure why he’s copping criticism for his performances so far this year - he’s been ok, not exactly setting the world on fire, but playing a role. Was a bit clumsy with some of his tackling in round 4, but otherwise...

Not pushing forward and kicking as many goals so far, but has probably been instructed to stay out of the f50.

 

[BrunoV]

I wonder if a nack for the insipid makes his games look worse than they are.

My impression is that he's been going like a busted arse but his laconic style has really been grating since back to 2019.

For every nice mark and great attacking kick it feels like there is 1-2 occasion when he fails to impact the contest in the way you'd expect of a 7th year player.

 

[ghostdog]

Not sure why he’s copping criticism for his performances so far this year - he’s been ok, not exactly setting the world on fire, but playing a role. Was a bit clumsy with some of his tackling in round 4, but otherwise...

Not pushing forward and kicking as many goals so far, but has probably been instructed to stay out of the f50.

I like the things he does well when he does them. At times his ability to find a player is awesome. As you've said though, he's just okay. Not exactly setting the world on fire. Could we do better? If Langford were part of a trade for Dunkley that meant we could keep our first round pick, at this stage I'd probably take it.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

Not sure why he’s copping criticism for his performances so far this year - he’s been ok, not exactly setting the world on fire, but playing a role. Was a bit clumsy with some of his tackling in round 4, but otherwise...

Not pushing forward and kicking as many goals so far, but has probably been instructed to stay out of the f50.

He’s too soft at the pill and has next to no ability to evade or break a tackle (or even get his hands clear to dispose of it correctly). Lead up forward role would be his best option from here.

 

[Howard Moon]

Those who we expect the most of are the ones most harshly marked when they can't live up to the expectations set.

Perhaps we just need to temper where his ceiling is placed by us - expect that he might just be a player who sits in the 10-20 ranked players of the group and be happy with that.

 

[Megabattimus]

I like the things he does well when he does them. At times his ability to find a player is awesome. As you've said though, he's just okay. Not exactly setting the world on fire. Could we do better? If Langford were part of a trade for Dunkley that meant we could keep our first round pick, at this stage I'd probably take it.

Bulldogs would never in a million years trade Dunkley for Langford.

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[ghostdog]

Bulldogs would never in a million years trade Dunkley for Langford.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Not a straight swap, no. Part of a deal, maybe.

 

[Megabattimus]

Not a straight swap, no. Part of a deal, maybe.

They still wouldn't. They straight up don't need him.

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[ghostdog]

They still wouldn't. They straight up don't need him.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Premise of my post remains; I think we can do better. Langers has reached his ceiling IMHO.

 

[Megabattimus]

Premise of my post remains; I think we can do better. Langers has reached his ceiling IMHO.

No he hasn't. He's playing a role and doing fine at it.

Trading players like Langford is how you end up like Melbourne in the late 2000's-mid 2010's. Where you have no decent-good senior players to usher the kids through a rebuild.

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[boncer34]

No he hasn't. He's playing a role and doing fine at it.

Trading players like Langford is how you end up like Melbourne in the late 2000's-mid 2010's. Where you have no decent-good senior players to usher the kids through a rebuild.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

Even if he has he's still a good player. Not every player in the league can be a top 10 star.

 

[ghostdog]

No he hasn't. He's playing a role and doing fine at it.

Trading players like Langford is how you end up like Melbourne in the late 2000's-mid 2010's. Where you have no decent-good senior players to usher the kids through a rebuild.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

My suggestion is that if there is a better decent-good player available, you try to orchestrate a trade.

I've already said that Langford is going okay.

 

[Megabattimus]

My suggestion is that if there is a better decent-good player available, you try to orchestrate a trade.

I've already said that Langford is going okay.

And guess what? There isn't!

Langford's fine, leave him alone.

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[ghostdog]

And guess what? There isn't!

Langford's fine, leave him alone.

On Pixel 3 using BigFooty.com mobile app

In Round 5? Fancy that.

 

[TheFrenchCut]

He's a preseason king; smashes training, always touted as having turned a corner, shows glimpses of brilliance, then meh.

That's because in preseason he gets to train against our mids.

EDIT: Langford's never going to be the inside ball winner we hoped for post-Jobe. It's a bummer, but that's ok. He's a reasonable wing, who hasn't started the season awesome, but he's been fine. Worth noting that three games into the season, the AFL player ratings had him down as the fifth-ranked wing across the comp.

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Not looking good.

 

[Highly Evolved]

He's my whipping boy, and I'll freely admit it, but he just frustrates me more than any other player.
He's so soft mentally and physically. He has the build and he has the talent but he just can't put it all together.
He can't really be dropped because his body-size fills a need, but far out, he can turn in some crappy performances.
Also, the handballs over the shoulder to noone. FMD.

 

[citizen-erased]

Role seems to have changed with Cox, Perkins, Jones & Waterman in.

Looked excellent as a wing/HF last year.
Seems to have inside and pushes back more.

 

[yaco55]

He was good tonight and one of the few who handled the conditions - He can improve his disposal.

 

[Zach Package]

Would suggest the bloke doing exactly what the coaches tell him to do is low on the problem list.

I just want him to kick it more and back himself more, he should be one of the guys looking to pick off the more difficult kicks off the line to open it up

 

[Highly Evolved]

I just want more physicality in his game. He's more than capable of it and when he is playing confidently he incorporates it into his game. He was ok tonight, he could be have been much better. Some passages really let him down.

 

[ghostdog]

Was our main marking link through the middle but lacks urgency when the heat is on. I find Kyle frustrating. We know his ceiling.