Traded Ben Long - Traded to Gold Coast with future 4th for 32

Jan 14, 2012
36,885
90,449
The River Murray
AFL Club
St Kilda
Why do the suns keep recruiting overpaid journeymen trades who wont be best 22 for them?
I think it's important to have a few mature heads around rhe club, even if thet arent world beaters.

Ellis has been quite good for them. Chol was terrific this year. Witts has had a very good career there. Even Casboult was handy at times.
 
Long will probably play HB for them, they've got no remaining deoth in that area after their best players in that spot went down with season long injuries.
He'll come cheap and can set physicality standards on the field.

Even markov has been in and out of that side and he is better than long. Same story for sharp. If you think long is going to be best 22 for them youre seeing things in his game that im not.
 

FrogDude

Team Captain
May 27, 2020
435
844
AFL Club
St Kilda
Even markov has been in and out of that side and he is better than long. Same story for sharp. If you think long is going to be best 22 for them youre seeing things in his game that im not.
I think he's a useful utility without being a world beater. He could alternatively replace Rankine's pressure as a cheap forward option. No one outside of GC's midfielders really bring that effort and attack on the ball that Long does, it just creates a different dynamic which is what they may be after.
 
We need someone to play hb whilst Weller and buderick come back from their acls

Thats a 6 month job and something you rookie list a state league player for. Its not something you spend a fair bit of cap space and good picks on a multi year deal on for someone who will spend most of it playing neafl.
 
Aug 2, 2012
7,583
5,434
Melbourne
AFL Club
Gold Coast
Other Teams
Golden State Warriors
Thats a 6 month job and something you rookie list a state league player for. Its not something you spend a fair bit of cap space and good picks on a multi year deal on for someone who will spend most of it playing neafl.
Not sure we’d be spending too much, depends on the years and contract
 

Saintscomemarchingin

Club Legend
Sep 5, 2022
1,311
2,035
AFL Club
St Kilda
Long will probably play HB for them, they've got no remaining deoth in that area after their best players in that spot went down with season long injuries.
He'll come cheap and can set physicality standards on the field.
If he regularly gets 27 disposals, like he did in his last game, I'd be pee'd off. That was his issue. But his pressure, kicking & marking for his size, was solid.
 
May 3, 2007
36,001
20,766
Parts Unknown
AFL Club
Fremantle
Other Teams
Man City, Valencia, Lazio, Panthers
I think it's important to have a few mature heads around rhe club, even if thet arent world beaters.

Ellis has been quite good for them. Chol was terrific this year. Witts has had a very good career there. Even Casboult was handy at times.
Won't hurt to get the occasional mid that has been in a winning final or 2 either, even if they played 30-40 odd games in a 4-6 year period.

Looking at freos side that beat the Bulldogs in that Elim final. 19 of those 23 blokes played in a winning final for the 1st time In their careers.

Only 4 blokes played in winning finals David Mundy and Michael Walters in that mark Harvey 2010 side and Lyons 2012-5 sides. Rory Lobb played in a finals win or 2 with GWS and James Aish played in Collingwoods 2018 finals side that won 2 finals and lost the grand final.
 

mad-saint-guy

Premiership Player
Apr 13, 2005
3,904
3,847
Toronto, ON
AFL Club
St Kilda
Can't blame him for chasing a much bigger contract than what is on offer at St Kilda, and you can't blame St Kilda for not wanting to overpay a depth utility. Long is capable of playing some decent games occasionally but he's never put more than 2 together consecutively. His skills are okay, he's quite athletic and he's very tough but he goes missing for large patches of games, or even entire games. Has never been able to consistently find enough of the footy to cement his spot in the 22.

You either play him forward and accept that he's probably not going to hit the scoreboard but will provide some fairly high level pressure, or you play him in defence and accept that he probably won't get much of the ball but could have a few nice intercept possessions. Once or twice a year he'll play a blinder but his median game is ordinary.
 

Marlo

Club Legend
Mar 30, 2017
1,264
5,398
AFL Club
St Kilda
When do we learn?
I feel like we need to offer a longer term contract for guys to actually consider us as a destination.

He's being absolutely kissed on the d*** with that contract. Hope he repays the Suns and pulls his finger out and actually commits to being a professional footballer. He can add some serious aggression. His last game was pretty epic to be honest
 
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