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

 

[Wahooti Fandango]

Not impacting the Elliot contest physically was incredibly poor.

Yep, very disappointing. Worse than the Jones miss.

 

[Ambrosia]

In fairness, if you look at the still at the point Bianco was about kick the ball inside 50, its easy to see why Langford hesitated. If he committed to Elliot, then BZT's opponent (on the point of the square) would've had open space running towards goal and a much easier shot.

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I thought his best excuse is it wasn’t clear that the ball was going to carry to Elliot. He dives and the Essendon player gets hands on it he could have given a free kick away.

 

[Ambrosia]

Looks like Mihocek's build from here, so probably a fair call to make sure he was covered. He actually made it to the Elliot v BZT contest in time just didn't impact it.

He had a poor starting position. He ran back far too deep into the 50 which as far as I know AFL players are instructed not to try and goal keep and instead to come forward to impact the contest.

 

[kelvin_sheedy]

The effort on Elliot is worse than the time he walked off the field with the ball near him.

The vision from behind is damning.

Not even a fist, just a swat that missed.

 

[MarkJohnson#1]

What was he doing anywhere near the backline. Staggering that a Heppell, Laverde or Ridley weren’t in the vicinity (not having Red Dog out there killed us in this situation).

 

[citizen-erased]

I think we're all sweating split seconds on player actions.

it was a perfect transition from the moment Pendles went quick and clean. everyone was caught out

 

[HurlsMeister18]

What was he doing anywhere near the backline. Staggering that a Heppell, Laverde or Ridley weren’t in the vicinity (not having Red Dog out there killed us in this situation).

Heppell was on the bench.

 

[Arctic fox]

Heppell was on the bench.

Why??

 

[andleanback]

What was he doing anywhere near the backline. Staggering that a Heppell, Laverde or Ridley weren’t in the vicinity (not having Red Dog out there killed us in this situation).

Laverde put in a mighty effort to nearly run down Bianco trying to cover up ham’s mess.

 

[NAB777]

Not impacting the Elliot contest physically was incredibly poor.

Tim gave him an absolute serve for this on SEN this morning.

 

[Runk]

Tim gave him an absolute serve for this on SEN this morning.

Good.

He squibbed it.

 

[srobbo]

Tim gave him an absolute serve for this on SEN this morning.

“Pathetic effort” was an apt description. Mirrored my thoughts in this thread after the game.

 

[Milanista28]

Wasn't good but he had to hesitate as Zerk lets Mihocek out, that half a second was costly, also credit for being in the right position in the 1st place, he needed some friends to be alive up the field.

In terms of mistakes in the last play, Ham running away from Moore is the worst, Ham wins us the game if he runs at Moore.

 

[owen87]

Wasn't good but he had to hesitate as Zerk lets Mihocek out, that half a second was costly, also credit for being in the right position in the 1st place, he needed some friends to be alive up the field.

In terms of mistakes in the last play, Ham running away from Moore is the worst, Ham wins us the game if he runs at Moore.

Ham running at Moore probably wouldn't have changed much, Ham leaving Bianco meant it was always going to be easy for Moore to get the ball to him.

Were it Ridley or Laverde instead of Langford, they might have effected the spoil on Elliot through better defensive work, or better reading of defensive needs in transition. Were the zone set up appropriately to defend the quick transition (not simply man-on-man) it might have meant Ham leaving Bianco wasn't the be-all-end-all possession of the game.

If you re-ran that play again, Langford isn't the guy you have sitting back as the sweeper, it's Ridley.

 

[Milanista28]

Ham running at Moore probably wouldn't have changed much, Ham leaving Bianco meant it was always going to be easy for Moore to get the ball to him.

Were it Ridley or Laverde instead of Langford, they might have effected the spoil on Elliot through better defensive work, or better reading of defensive needs in transition. Were the zone set up appropriately to defend the quick transition (not simply man-on-man) it might have meant Ham leaving Bianco wasn't the be-all-end-all possession of the game.

If you re-ran that play again, Langford isn't the guy you have sitting back as the sweeper, it's Ridley.

Disagree, Ham slows Moore if Ham goes to Moore, he can't get it to Bianco if Ham brings frontal pressure, Moore would've kicked into the middle of the ground, doesn't mean we win just that we don't lose the way we did.

 

[andleanback]

Disagree, Ham slows Moore if Ham goes to Moore, he can't get it to Bianco if Ham brings frontal pressure, Moore would've kicked into the middle of the ground, doesn't mean we win just that we don't lose the way we did.

Ham was never getting there, should’ve stayed goal side to Bianco. He makes that decision it gives everyone streaming back that extra 5-10 seconds to allow players to clog up the backline. We probably win if this happens.

 

[Milanista28]

Ham was never getting there, should’ve stayed goal side to Bianco. He makes that decision it gives everyone streaming back that extra 5-10 seconds to allow players to clog up the backline. We probably win if this happens.

Moore kicks the ball on literally the spot Ham is standing before he decided to run away from him

 

[owen87]

Disagree, Ham slows Moore if Ham goes to Moore, he can't get it to Bianco if Ham brings frontal pressure, Moore would've kicked into the middle of the ground, doesn't mean we win just that we don't lose the way we did.

Moore just kicks it earlier, or handballs.

If Ham keeps going at Moore then Bianco has even more space to collect a rushed kick or handball. Similar outcome.

 

[Milanista28]

Moore just kicks it earlier, or handballs.

If Ham keeps going at Moore then Bianco has even more space to collect a rushed kick or handball. Similar outcome.

Ham does nothing, as soon as he makes the call to leave Bianco and go to Moore he has to follow through, I don't think Moore can get to Bianco if Ham holds his initial line, Ham running away gives Moore the space to hit Bianco with as easy kick.

 

[ant555]

Good.

He squibbed it.

It was pretty bad.

 

[andleanback]

Moore kicks the ball on literally the spot Ham is standing before he decided to run away from him

It’s the wrong decision to let your man run off down the wing behind you, if you don’t kill the ball you’ve made the wrong decision. Period
Just like if you go 3rd man up in the backline and your opponent stays down and runs into open goal. If you don’t impact the contest it’s your fault and you made the wrong call.

 

[owen87]

Ham does nothing, as soon as he makes the call to leave Bianco and go to Moore he has to follow through, I don't think Moore can get to Bianco if Ham holds his initial line, Ham running away gives Moore the space to hit Bianco with as easy kick.

You don't think one of the best, most mobile KPD's in the AFL can get a disposal out to a player in an acre of space who he doesn't have to hit accurately because he can just collect it wherever it lands?

The alternative is Ham tries to tackle Moore, Moore uses his 100kg of frame on the move to smash Ham out of the way, then gets it to Bianco anyway.

The correct move for Ham was to stay with Bianco and force a contest there, make Moore decide to go corridor to a contest, or have Moore run the entire length of the ground and try to hit Elliot himself.

 

[Milanista28]

It’s the wrong decision to let your man run off down the wing behind you, if you don’t kill the ball you’ve made the wrong decision. Period
Just like if you go 3rd man up in the backline and your opponent stays down and runs into open goal. If you don’t impact the contest it’s your fault and you made the wrong call.

I agree he should've stayed on Bianco but he didn't he decided to front Moore, he is in line to run into Moore's path and then he runs away, He had 2 options...

Best option was to stay with Bianco
2nd best option was to run at Moore and apply frontal pressure

He chose run at Moore and then half way through run away from Moore allowing him all the space he needed, was horrible.

 

[Milanista28]

You don't think one of the best, most mobile KPD's in the AFL can get a disposal out to a player in an acre of space who he doesn't have to hit accurately because he can just collect it wherever it lands?

The alternative is Ham tries to tackle Moore, Moore uses his 100kg of frame on the move to smash Ham out of the way, then gets it to Bianco anyway.

The correct move for Ham was to stay with Bianco and force a contest there, make Moore decide to go corridor to a contest, or have Moore run the entire length of the ground and try to hit Elliot himself.

Ham should stay with Bianco 100% but he didn't, after he left Bianco why did he not follow through with his decision? He is in a perfect spot to get to Moore and have some sort of effect, he runs away from him.

 

[Blind Turn]

Mark Harvey needs to casually walk up to Langford and say no more than, ‘what do you think I would have done in that situation Langers?’