Traded Ben Long

[Brains Trust66]

Ben Long
15 disposals, eight kicks, four tackles

“I liked Longy’s game, inside. He contributed really well for us, his aggression was there, his hunt was there, his speed, his tackling, his pressure and his ball use and decision-making was also very good. Played his part strongly.”


Don’t Panic !!

 

[Brains Trust66]

Good to see he is starting to get his groove back playing for Sandy . Hopefully he will be back in line for promotion soon .


Don’t Panic !!

 

[Kilroy]

Ben was a surprise inclusion against the Blues although some had him our best player in the reserves last week.

14 disposals was an improvement as was 232 metres gained, but he faded in the last quarter again. No goals once more as a forward is becoming a glaring weakness.

Equal 6th in pressure points (39), 3 tackles and 3 intercepts shows he's at least applying constant pressure and is likely why he manages to keep getting games.

Ben needs a breakout game to secure his spot, otherwise players returning from injury will overtake him. If he can stay injury-free too that will help as the season progresses.

 

[CursingFijian]

Ben was a surprise inclusion against the Blues although some had him our best player in the reserves last week.

14 disposals was an improvement as was 232 metres gained, but he faded in the last quarter again. No goals once more as a forward is becoming a glaring weakness.

Equal 6th in pressure points (39), 3 tackles and 3 intercepts shows he's at least applying constant pressure and is likely why he manages to keep getting games.

Ben needs a breakout game to secure his spot, otherwise players returning from injury will overtake him. If he can stay injury-free too that will help as the season progresses.

His radar around goal was way off on the weekend but at least he is getting a few looks at goal. If he can just kick a goal or two then he becomes a very valuable player because of his forward defensive pressure.

That hit he put in Casboult was super impressive for such a slender framed player. But the sinewy ones always hurt the most when they hit.

 

[Kilroy]

The China game was a disaster but Ben made some improvements in that he kicked a goal and didn't fade out in the second half.

30 pressure points (5th), 3 tackles, 3 intercepts, 3 score involvements, 5 contested possessions and a 63 DT score.

That's a small step forward in a world of embarrassment.

Amen.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Ben Long
14 disposals, 11 kicks, six marks, two tackles
“I thought Longy showed some really good signs there as a half-back. His positioning was good, he gave us some good run and drive and he’s a really good decision-maker there, so we were rapt with his performance. [Ben’s speed] gave us a little bit of rebound and little of bounce out of there.”

 

[Kilroy]

Longy played as a defender in the loss to Werribee and 3 frees against isn't great. But he was named as our second best player with 2 rebound 50s and 2 inside 50s so he added some distance to his disposals this week.

Only 58 dreamteam points so obviously there was plenty of pressure and one-percenters, which is his strength. Perhaps most pleasing is how he's adapting to team needs and how he's responding to being dropped - not lowering his endeavour but cracking in wherever he is assigned to play in whatever role.

Consistently in the bests at VFL level and staying injury-free.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Ben Long
16 disposals, five marks, four tackles
“I liked Longy’s game off half-back on the whole. His good aggression carried over and it’s good to let him run through the midfield and see how hard you’ve got to work in there with your transition.”

 

[Kilroy]

Against Richmond Longy had one of his best games of the year. Looked fairly composed with a 71%DE for his 14 disposals. Made 289 metres distance and provided good outside run.

34 pressure points, 8 marks, 2 assists and 8 score involvements show he was making an impact. 3 tackles again and he kicked a goal for 82 fantasy points on the day.

Pleasing signs?

 

[Kilroy]

The Roos made us look pedestrian and Longy was part of the roadkill in Tassie.

Still got his usual 3 tackles but was down on pressure points (20). Disposals were down (9) and inaccurate (33%DE) even though he made good distance (249 metres).

No goals (or highlights). No injuries is a plus on the development side but after last week's progress this week was disappointing.

Kent's injury probably keeps Ben in but Youngy stepped up in the twos so Longy needs to stay sharp.

 

[Kilroy]

The Round 17 game against Geelong was a mixed bag. Whilst he kicked 2 goals for the first time this year, it was another week where Longy drifted out of the game late.

4 tackles and the usual defensive pressure but only 6 disposals.

Time for a breather and a new coach to breathe life into the game plan and provide some added motivation for the last few weeks of the season.

Ben asked for leave for personal reasons to attend his grandfather's funeral so he missed Ratt's first game as caretaker coach in Round 18.

 

[Kilroy]

Straight back in the side for Round 19 and Ben played one of his best games for the year I thought, even if his pressure points were down (18).

He always seemed poised to strike and hit some nice passes with a 73%DE for his 11 disposals. Made good space getting 8 uncontested possessions.

6 score involvements and 2 goals show his attacking flair was on and he gained 245 metres in general play.

3 tackles and 78 fantasy points overall playing on a forward flank or linking up on a wing.

 

[Kilroy]

Round 20 was a frustrating one for all Saints fans as we let our last chance for finals slip and the gloss came off the Ratten upswing. Longy was among the most frustrating.

4 disposals, 3 in the first quarter tells the tale. Ben went walkabout. Was he injured? No, thankfully, but his pressure was down (1 tackle, 22 pressure points).

Kicked a nice goal tho' and had 5 score involvements, but not attacking enough - only gaining 92 metres.

Missing some magic but he sure looks dangerous at times. May well end up a slow burn but you'd hope in a positive way.

 

[Kilroy]

Was Round 21's exciting win against Freo Longy's long-awaited breakout game?

Ben was in everything yesterday. He provided exceptional heat in the forward-line even though his pressure points were down (18). He had 7 score involvements but none himself.

Did a shutdown job on Michael Walters in a spell in the midfield and gained 303 metres over the game.

9 contested possessions and 18 disposals at 72%DE, so he found the ball and used it pretty well. 92 Fantasy points might be his highest for the year.

 

[Brains Trust66]

i would say thats been his best overall game at the Saints . His work effort and his shutting down of Walters was fantastic.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Long works some magic - saints.com.au https://www.saints.com.au/video/2019-08-17/long-works-some-magic

 

[Kilroy]

This was the game that killed any spark left in the season. Longy put in his usual cameo kicking a ripping dribbler running towards the boundary.

He was involved in 7 scoring chains and had 6 contested possessions so his attacking game was ok. Only 195 metres gained though.

22 pressure points and just the one tackle so only average on the defensive side.

Only 9 disposals but an 89% efficiency is an improvement. Only one disposal in the last is a worrying trend.

No injury reported.

 

[Kilroy]

Chalk another game up to experience and building a base. Round 23 we lost to Sydney and Longy spent quite a bit of time in defense.

41 pressure points was second only to Jack Steele (53). Kicked a nice goal too but they were the only highlights.

Only 6 disposals (83% efficiency) and all other indications were he (like his team-mates) had checked out.

Averaged 52 fantasy points per game and played 16 games. This year he kicked the ball more, kicked more goals (14) and gave less frees away. Still only averaging 9 disposals and 2.9 tackles but even that's an improvement.

Fittest and strongest he's ever been and he did us, his family and himself proud.

Well done Ben. Enjoy your holiday mate cos you've earned it!

 

[Brains Trust66]

A strange year for Ben , he had some good games and did some great stuff kicking great goals but too often wasnt sighted for long periods of the game . I know its hard for smaller forwards to get heaps of the ball but with his pace and skill you still fill he should be doing more . When Lonie got injured he had the chance to nail down a spot in the team but is still more a fringe player at this stage.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Nick Hind and Ben Long will spend time on the sidelines after wrist surgeries.
The pair are due to return to full training three to four months post-surgery, with Long requiring a screw to stabilise his wrist.

 

[Brains Trust66]

Ben Long
Career
Games: 30
Goals: 21
2019
Games: 16
Goals: 14

Season 2019 saw career-high numbers for Ben Long, who overcame his injury issues to take the next step into becoming a potent weapon of St Kilda’s attack.
The 22-year-old bagged 14 goals for the year in impressive style, doing it from long-range, on the run or on the tightest of angles.
Long was also experimented off the half-back line at times, using his dash and thumping boot to carry the Saints into attack.
Should the No. 21 make his presence felt more consistently, the Saints’ small forward fleet will begin to look particularly dangerous.

AFL

✔@AFL
https://twitter.com/AFL/status/1119514037820071937

BEN LONG!

5 in a row for the Saints! #AFLDeesSaints



40
6:12 PM - Apr 20, 2019
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BEST GAME:
Two crucial goals against the Hawks gifted the red, white and black the Blue Ribbon Cup, with the five-point triumph among the best performances of Long’s short career.

 

[Brains Trust66]

This was too good not to be up here . Thanks to the Saints web site for this story.

Bigger than footy: Ben Long's homecoming to the Top End
Chris Nice, Photography: Corey Scicluna
Nov 14, 2019 3:56PM

Ben Long's journey up north is about far more than football.
Down south is where Ben Long has made a name for himself as a rising Saint. But his heart is up north, in his ancestral home of the Tiwi Islands.

When he escapes from the hustle and bustle of city life in the off-season, he reignites his passion for fishing and hunting. He’ll get out a few times a week, always with family by his side.

And it’s when Long is surrounded by those closest to him that he feels most connected to his Anmatyere, Kerinaiua and Maranuggu ancestry.

 

[Brains Trust66]

There’s a responsibility to do his people proud given his status in the community – the Long surname alone is steeped in football royalty and carries its own hefty expectation.

But representing his mob isn’t solely determined by his on-field performances.

2020 will mark the third straight year that the 22-year-old has been tasked with leading a contingent of young Saints teammates up to Darwin for a training camp like no other.

It’s physically and mentally draining work in scorching, unyielding conditions, but the eye-opening cultural lessons learnt make it all worth it.

 

[Brains Trust66]

And it’s this passing on of knowledge and understanding where Long truly shines.

He feels privileged to be handed the responsibility by the club. He remembers being “freaked out” the first time he’d been tasked with leading his teammates up north, but now, the experience has become a pre-season staple.

Even with the mercury tipping over 34 degrees, there’s no reprieve for Long and the emerging Saints.

Gruelling running sessions in the sweltering heat, unrelenting boxing sessions and punishing swims in sticky, warm water engrain the reality of getting out what you put in.

 

[Brains Trust66]

But Long’s homecoming to the Top End is always and the most valuable lesson of them all.

The experience of seeing these kids meet their very own superheroes is priceless. Getting to kick the footy with them is even better.

But the real eye-opener is that footy is much more than that.

Regardless of colour or creed…

…race or religion.

From the beaches of the Melville Island…

…to the outdoor basketball court at Tiwi College...

Footy is for everyone.