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Traded Ben Long

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Write-up by don patch sword:

Pick 51 - Melbourne - Ben Long
Team: Footscray VFL
Height: 181 Weight: 73
DOB: 21/8/97

VFL Games: 7
AVG Disposals: 10.3
Goals: 13

Player Traits: Charlie Cameron, Jarman Impey
Position: Forward/Defender

Bio: Ben is a 19 year old who missed selection in the draft last year but was given a chance to play some VFL with Footscray and got to play in the Championships with the Allies team with one game getting the job on Ainsworth and beating him.

Ben played forward for Footscray and showed his tricks with his standout game coming in the preliminary final kicking 6 goals. His speed, agility and skill where on show and certainly moved up draft boards with his finals series as a forward.

In the championships he played defense where in my opinion he looked better, His speed, class and decision making was elite and was able to stop his opponent while also rebounding not only winning intercept possessions in a contest but also zoning off dangerous opponents.

Ben is a professional who works hard on his game and is always looking to improve, he needs to win more of the footy and develop more of a contested game but that will come with more size and development. Ben's draft range is unclear but looks set to go somewhere in the top 50.
 
It's going to be fascinating season purely from the angle of watching the *battle for the best 22.

I predict plenty of angst and argument from the BF posters when their favored players don't get in the side. There was plenty of noise when we were all barracking for Acres to get a consistent go, and that was when most of us agreed! When last did we have such depth?

Bring. It. On. ( and soon :D)

* unintentional pun!
 
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Write-up by don patch sword:

Pick 51 - Melbourne - Ben Long
Team: Footscray VFL
Height: 181 Weight: 73
DOB: 21/8/97

VFL Games: 7
AVG Disposals: 10.3
Goals: 13

Player Traits: Charlie Cameron, Jarman Impey
Position: Forward/Defender

Bio: Ben is a 19 year old who missed selection in the draft last year but was given a chance to play some VFL with Footscray and got to play in the Championships with the Allies team with one game getting the job on Ainsworth and beating him.

Ben played forward for Footscray and showed his tricks with his standout game coming in the preliminary final kicking 6 goals. His speed, agility and skill where on show and certainly moved up draft boards with his finals series as a forward.

In the championships he played defense where in my opinion he looked better, His speed, class and decision making was elite and was able to stop his opponent while also rebounding not only winning intercept possessions in a contest but also zoning off dangerous opponents.

Ben is a professional who works hard on his game and is always looking to improve, he needs to win more of the footy and develop more of a contested game but that will come with more size and development. Ben's draft range is unclear but looks set to go somewhere in the top 50.
Sounds like an outstanding write up for someone he expected to be taken at 51.
Just doesn't match does it.
Probs Lloyd putting people off ;)

Draft pick number means nothing now.
He's a Saint so onward and upward.
 
Write-up by don patch sword:

Pick 51 - Melbourne - Ben Long
Team: Footscray VFL
Height: 181 Weight: 73
DOB: 21/8/97

VFL Games: 7
AVG Disposals: 10.3
Goals: 13

Player Traits: Charlie Cameron, Jarman Impey
Position: Forward/Defender

Bio: Ben is a 19 year old who missed selection in the draft last year but was given a chance to play some VFL with Footscray and got to play in the Championships with the Allies team with one game getting the job on Ainsworth and beating him.

Ben played forward for Footscray and showed his tricks with his standout game coming in the preliminary final kicking 6 goals. His speed, agility and skill where on show and certainly moved up draft boards with his finals series as a forward.

In the championships he played defense where in my opinion he looked better, His speed, class and decision making was elite and was able to stop his opponent while also rebounding not only winning intercept possessions in a contest but also zoning off dangerous opponents.

Ben is a professional who works hard on his game and is always looking to improve, he needs to win more of the footy and develop more of a contested game but that will come with more size and development. Ben's draft range is unclear but looks set to go somewhere in the top 50.
I'm really looking forward to watching this kid develop. Just loving what I'm hearing about him.
 

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Write-up by don patch sword:

Pick 51 - Melbourne - Ben Long
Team: Footscray VFL
Height: 181 Weight: 73
DOB: 21/8/97

VFL Games: 7
AVG Disposals: 10.3
Goals: 13

Player Traits: Charlie Cameron, Jarman Impey
Position: Forward/Defender

Bio: Ben is a 19 year old who missed selection in the draft last year but was given a chance to play some VFL with Footscray and got to play in the Championships with the Allies team with one game getting the job on Ainsworth and beating him.

Ben played forward for Footscray and showed his tricks with his standout game coming in the preliminary final kicking 6 goals. His speed, agility and skill where on show and certainly moved up draft boards with his finals series as a forward.

In the championships he played defense where in my opinion he looked better, His speed, class and decision making was elite and was able to stop his opponent while also rebounding not only winning intercept possessions in a contest but also zoning off dangerous opponents.

Ben is a professional who works hard on his game and is always looking to improve, he needs to win more of the footy and develop more of a contested game but that will come with more size and development. Ben's draft range is unclear but looks set to go somewhere in the top 50.

Missing out on the draft last year means it's going to mean so much more to him now...much like Mav getting a second go with us. Sounds like he had the maturity to work even harder after missing out. Very happy that we are going to be the beneficiaries of this. I'm really excited about what he's going to bring to our team.
 
So I've heard two write-ups now with conflicted opinions; both say he's good forward and back. One says they prefer his forward work, the other says they like him better in defence. Either way I think we've got a very handy player. Clearly versatile, strong, quick, and skillful.
 
So I've heard two write-ups now with conflicted opinions; both say he's good forward and back. One says they prefer his forward work, the other says they like him better in defence. Either way I think we've got a very handy player. Clearly versatile, strong, quick, and skillful.

Might as well compromise and stick him in the middle :D
 
Think MG said we were tweeking the gameplan to be more attacking.
Wonder if the selection was influenced by the tweek or the change was influenced by the fact we wanted a Cox/Long type attacking player?
 
I think if we were going to do something like that it would be D-Mac to half forward instead of Webster. We played him there in the defensive forward role for a game or two this year.

We've got some nice options whatever way we look at it now


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More from don patch sword:

"Just re-watched Vic Country vs Allies ill go through the best players from each team

Allies

Ben Long - Had the role of stopping Ainsworth and was fantastic not only spoiling him and keeping up with him but beating him with great bodywork. when he had the footy he looked dangerous and composed. is he a defender or forward though?"

I have this game on the IQ, so I'm looking forward to having a look over the coming days/weeks, to see both Battle and Long in action, plus a few from next year's crop.
 
More from don patch sword:

Ben Long - Had the role of stopping Ainsworth and was fantastic not only spoiling him and keeping up with him but beating him with great bodywork. when he had the footy he looked dangerous and composed. is he a defender or forward though?"

I have this game on the IQ, so I'm looking forward to having a look over the coming days/weeks.

Why not both? :D
 
Why not both? :D
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Remember when you could just play anywhere anytime?

Used to be blokes called a 'utility'. Pigeonholing shits me.
 
Richo demanded a Cyril...he's now got Cyril light.
Long will not push Billings out of the side but Wright's position he played this year is Long's for the taking.
The coach wanted a player who can put on immense pressure on opposition defenses but also win some footy and be a genuine scoreboard threat. Skills, pace and some of that indigenous magic will fit our side nicely.
Wright, Minchington, Gresham and maybe Lonie will all be under immense pressure this year.
I said in here I got the impression we may select a surprise player at 23 but I didn't suspect Long. By all reports Trout rated him highly this year, and he shot up our board late.
Here's hoping Long is more Neil Winmar than Terrence Milera.
 

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Richo demanded a Cyril...he's now got Cyril light.
Long will not push Billings out of the side but Wright's position he played this year is Long's for the taking.

Here's hoping Long is more Neil Winmar than Terrence Milera.

Amen!
 
Another player to add to the bull pen, looking like we are going to be fielding tough hard competitors, watch the opposition squib when we start to hit them very hard.
 
Think MG said we were tweeking the gameplan to be more attacking.
Wonder if the selection was influenced by the tweek or the change was influenced by the fact we wanted a Cox/Long type attacking player?
I think the additions of Carlisle and Brown to the first 22, plus greater midfield depth, Steele, Stevens and improvement in Acres, Billings and Sinclair change the dynamics all over the field that allow us to more effective defending whether that be down back, in the midfield, or defensive forwards.

Defensive pressure, effort and ability plus an improvement in foot skills all over the field will allow us to use more attacking gameplan. I expect big years from Jimmy Webster, D.Mac, Newnes, White plus Gresham and the above mentioned players. Sadly I also expect enormous pressure on Gilbert, Gears, Dempster and Monty. Which is of course how it should be.

Premiums on foot speed, foot skills, marking and tackling pressure. No single player is perfect but those with glaring faults will be under the pump, even more so if we draft O'Shea.

Edit: drafting Long is a reflection of a game plan and list progression: where we started under Richo, and where he wants us to be. As an over-ager with his particular skill sets in my view implies the club believes we are closer to contention than the media and the most of the football public think.

With Steele, Stevens, Brown, Carlisle, Goddard and Long we have potentially 6 best 22 players, maybe they won't all be in by first round but by year's end?
 
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Ben Long had the difficult task of containing dangerous Victorian small forward and potential top-five selection Ben Ainsworth and did an admirable job. Long kept Ainsworth to just the five disposals, one mark and one cheap goal. Long won the matchup with 12 disposals, three marks (one contested) and five tackles. Also impressive from Long was an athletic intercept mark taken down back. He also on a few occasions took on the game with his run with his shrug of Joseph Atley's tackle particularly impressive, with Atley one of the stronger tacklers in the under-18s.

http://www.espn.com.au/afl/story/_/id/16816418/knightmare-afl-draft-wrap-18-championships
 

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