AFL Player 4: Kyle Langford

[Beerfish]

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

 

[boncer34]

It's not the whole game by any means but the fact he was able to stop him at the CB has to be viewed as a positive, positive for Langford and a positive for the coaches, it's worth mentioning at the very least.

I guess. Fyfe averages less than 2 CC a game though, it's not a massive strength of his or Fremantles it seems.

 

[Lore]

RSN interview transcript.

How are you seeing the Bombers' performance this season?

“I still don’t think we played our best footy. We haven’t played a four-quarter game since our St Kilda game, but each week we’re improving our system and the way we want to play and I think we're seeing glimpses, on the weekend it was pretty gritty and we didn't play our best footy at all but we're definitely seeing improvements, we've got a young backline and I think that's a massive part of our game that we're still improving, but I'm seeing improvement each week and I'm really excited for the second half of the year”

What did Ben Rutten say on the weekend, it was a bit of a game that was all over the shop, you had your moments, Freo had their moments, how did the coach summarise it?

"Yeah it's a little bit of what we just touched on, it's a little bit of an ugly win, but we've had a number of close games. He (Rutten) was really happy with the maturity we showed as a group to close out a game and not cough it up. He’s more happy with that growth instead of losing another game by under a goal.”

What was different in the last ten minutes that saw you hold on rather than giving up late leads like has been the case the last few weeks?

“We did more of a kick-mark thing (in the dying stages). In the past we’ve gone a bit fast and haven’t tried to isolate the game too much, which has led to turnovers which led to goals against us. We took the pace off it, took some time off the clock, and I think a lot of the players whenever they had the ball, had more awareness, apart from Will Snelling in that last 30 seconds that crossed to Zaka... but everyone else was pretty aware of the game."

Pretty different place this year compared to last year, players leaving, Rutten taking over. You've been there a few years now, what are the noticeable shifts you've seen?

"I think Truck has definitely been a massive driver kind of taking us back to school on a lot of the history of the club, which has been a little bit interesting obviously with Truck coming from Adelaide and South Australia. But he really invested himself and really made us learn about the Essendon culture and what the jumper means to past players and what it should mean to current players. To really create a kind of DNA where we want to be known as kind of a disciplined hard working team. So I think we've kind of done a lot of work on that throughout the whole of pre-season. As well as working on the game plan that Truck took over last year from Woosha which he's just improving, but I think it's probably just grounding us a little bit more and bringing the culture a lot more tighter."

Who did you barrack for growing up?

"I was the Doggies, so having Stringer at the club is pretty good I used to watch him growing up so I give him a little bit of stick now and then. Yeah I was a Doggies supporter."

So what did you learn about Essendon that you didn't know that may help you be a better footballer?

"Um, not not sure about a better footballer but probably a bit more of an understanding and it makes me want to be an Essendon person and be an Essendon player, and that goes all the way back to the McCracken family that actually started the Essendon Football Club back in the 1800s, so I think just learning the history and of course we've done a lot with past players, and I'm lucky enough to have Jobe on phone calls that I can talk to whenever I want. But yeah, Gavin Wanganeen and the other forwards, we have an opportunity to talk to them and get their experience of the club and what the club really meant to them. So obviously with a rich history and 16 premierships there are a lot of past players who speak very highly of the club and we try to get what we can out fo them and give us a little bit more authority when we put on the jumper."

That number legacy is really cool at footy clubs with Jobe and the great Gavin Wanganeen – Do you get in contact with them outside of those little moments? Would you touch base with them and seek counsel throughout the year or is it just those sort of little moments that give you the opportunity?

"No, I've done a little bit with Jobe over the last couple of years, I've done a little bit with Hirdy as well which kind of came out a couple of years ago. But I think Truck is kind of really opening it up for all players, you know players won't necessarily do it but he's creating opportunities where players can mix and mingle, we've got Simon Madden who comes down all the time, the Danihers come down, so it just gives players an opportunity to get out their comfort zone and talk to past players and yeah, it really just creates a bit of a connection and a relationship with them."

I'm sure if Ben has mentioned, or if he hasn't he will, Essendon and North Melbourne they don't like each other. Might that be a theme this week?

"I don't know if it'll be a theme, historically it's always been a pretty close game, obviously with North Melbourne and Essendon being in pretty close proximity, but yeah, we knock around with players every now and then, and I think it's going to be a pretty exciting game, we're both coming off wins, so I reckon it's going to be a great contest."

Parish, he's exploded, why has he exploded this year?

"I'm super stoked for Darce as well. Well, I think over the past couple of years he's been really working on his fitness, he's the kind of player who is really looking for the ball wants to get the ball, I think he's developed a lot of his game where he can sit back and get the second possession, third possession. But I think unfortunately with Shiely and Caldwell going down he's had that opportunity to play a bit more mid. You know he's born and bred mid, so I think we're seeing his talent come through and he's only getting better, he's only 23."

Langford: Growing maturity in gritty win

Kyle Langford praises the Bombers' growing maturity and discipline in tight win over Fremantle.

www.essendonfc.com.au

 

[VelvetSledge]

I'm sure if Ben has mentioned, or if he hasn't he will, Essendon and North Melbourne they don't like each other. Might that be a theme this week?

"I don't know if it'll be a theme, historically it's always been a pretty close game, obviously with North Melbourne and Essendon being in pretty close proximity, but yeah, we knock around with players every now and then, and I think it's going to be a pretty exciting game, we're both coming off wins, so I reckon it's going to be a great contest."

Langford: Growing maturity in gritty win

Kyle Langford praises the Bombers' growing maturity and discipline in tight win over Fremantle.

www.essendonfc.com.au

Doesn't even acknowledge "They don't like each other" lmao

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Delicious pair of hands and deadeye kick up forward as usual.

Almost like it’s his natural position.

 

[eth-dog]

Oh good, all the "Langford can only ever play as a forward" crew are out in force.

It's almost as if they only see what they want to see.

 

[ghostdog]

Oh good, all the "Langford can only ever play as a forward" crew are out in force.

It's almost as if they only see what they want to see.

It is his natural position.

 

[eth-dog]

It is his natural position.

He's naturally fit, a very good field kick and works both ways hard.

Sounds like a natural winger to me.

 

[Hak94]

Has Kyle ever actually come out and said where he WANTS to play or where he feels he is most natural? Aside from a few years ago where I'm fairly sure there was an interview about him wanting to step up as his body felt right to play in the middle, I don't think I've ever heard or seen anything about him saying where he wants to play.

 

[Milanista28]

I think we missed him and Cox on both wings vs Freo, Ham and Zaka can't take contested marks, Langford and Cox size on the wings is really important.

 

[JayJ20]

What was different in the last ten minutes that saw you hold on rather than giving up late leads like has been the case the last few weeks?

“We did more of a kick-mark thing (in the dying stages). In the past we’ve gone a bit fast and haven’t tried to isolate the game too much, which has led to turnovers which led to goals against us. We took the pace off it, took some time off the clock, and I think a lot of the players whenever they had the ball, had more awareness, apart from Will Snelling in that last 30 seconds that crossed to Zaka... but everyone else was pretty aware of the game."

Lmao

 

[ghostdog]

He's naturally fit, a very good field kick and works both ways hard.

Sounds like a natural winger to me.

Semantics.
He came to us more in tune with a forward role. Hence his natural position.
He has learned his midfield role with us, thus, it has not been as natural for him. You know this.

 

[eth-dog]

Semantics.
He came to us more in tune with a forward role. Hence his natural position.
He has learned his midfield role with us, thus, it has not been as natural for him. You know this.

Not really. The "Langford must always play as a forward" crew never want to acknowledge the fact that he's good playing up the ground as well. FMD, there were people in here who said his 4th placed finish in the BnF was off the back of his two games playing the majority of time as a forward rather than a wing.

 

[Lore]

Per the poll at the top of this thread, those people who think Langford should be a pure forward only account for about 1 in 10 of the posts here.

 

[Bunk Moreland]

Not really. The "Langford must always play as a forward" crew never want to acknowledge the fact that he's good playing up the ground as well. FMD, there were people in here who said his 4th placed finish in the BnF was off the back of his two games playing the majority of time as a forward rather than a wing.

He’s good playing up the ground.

But he’s a natural forward.

 

[ghostdog]

Not really. The "Langford must always play as a forward" crew never want to acknowledge the fact that he's good playing up the ground as well. FMD, there were people in here who said his 4th placed finish in the BnF was off the back of his two games playing the majority of time as a forward rather than a wing.

He is a natural forward.

 

[BombersDave]

For me the natural forward part is due to that being where he looks comfortable, hence, that's his natural position. That's not saying he can't play elsewhere but when he's not forward I would argue that those are the times he looks indecisive with his decision making.

 

[eth-dog]

He is a natural forward.

It's like you have one concept in your head and can't see what's actually there.

 

[ghostdog]

It's like you have one concept in your head and can't see what's actually there.

He has other abilities now, even if he seems to have plateaued. But he is a natural forward. It's amusing that you can't admit that.

 

[eth-dog]

He has other abilities now, even if he seems to have plateaued. But he is a natural forward. It's amusing that you can't admit that.

I've never denied that he's a good forward.

What's amusing is that the "Langford must play forward crew" are the ones who conveniently ignore everything else.

 

[boncer34]

Oh good, all the "Langford can only ever play as a forward" crew are out in force.

It's almost as if they only see what they want to see.

Who are you referring to here?

 

[fairbump_playon]

Hi hair might be died wing but he has forward pubes

Looks good as a wing. But... you know.

 

[doug85]

I love these arguments

 

[yodellinhank]

He's naturally fit, a very good field kick and works both ways hard.

Sounds like a natural winger to me.

Some people only hear what they want to hear.

 

[Vindicater]

Needs to stay forward.

 

[fairbump_playon]

Needs to stay forward.

Some say he’s a natural forward