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Player Watch Ned Long

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Gaspard said:
I think the adulation for Long is a bit overdone. I thought last year he was unfairly criticized, when he was just trying to find his feet. Now, with one excellent game he is the new great midfield hope. We need a little more evidence before we see him as the new Dane Swan. Keep the expectations moderate and give him a chance to work his way in.
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I can only speak for myself and my observations, but I think many here were mostly hopeful he could become the Mitchell replacement going forward.

I know I was very hopeful at the prospect of us having our own version of Patrick Cripps (obviously not as good). That really tall, strong big bodied inside mid.

Obviously many of us are now hoping that what we saw on Friday is closer to Ned's new norm as opposed to a one off. Because if that's Ned arriving as the inside mid that we need, then it's massive for our Premiership chances.
 
Anzacday said:
He’s been criticised for his kicking a little unfairly imo.
We are a territory team and he plays the way he’s been asked.
As with any inexperienced player he will get better with time.
His positives outweigh his negatives and I’m glad we have him.
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This.

There was also instances where Nick had a player on his tail, so he chose the right option to not sell him into trouble but to gain territory.
 
Rarely caught with the ball. If that’s his baseline and he continues to use his hands in close to dish out to other, busts tackles to keep moving the ball forward and hopefully steadying when he does get a bit of time, I think that will come with experience, then he will be a great asset to us.

That’ll do pig, that’ll do.
 

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OniAu said:
Think the most impressive thing is he can shake a tackle. Multiple times last week he got away and got free. Very Cripps like in that sense
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Don’t know if he is Cripps like, but boy he is a strong thick set bull, who can stand up in tackles (which he showed he could do last year), which allows him to dish off effectively.

He has a clumsy look, but who cares, if he is effective. We have had a few of highly effective clumsy lookers, gaffer, Manson, Toovey, to name a few.

His kicking has come in for much critisism, which is fair enough - I do have hope here, because he is a reasonable long kick and I think this can be worked on
 
OniAu said:
Think the most impressive thing is he can shake a tackle. Multiple times last week he got away and got free. Very Cripps like in that sense
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The really big bonus is that he's getting his arms free and and hitting handball targets doing it it rather than just breaking through to just dump it forward. He'll have to do that a bit, but the primary thought is give off.
 

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sr36 said:
The really big bonus is that he's getting his arms free and and hitting handball targets doing it it rather than just breaking through to just dump it forward. He'll have to do that a bit, but the primary thought is give off.
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His performances this year would have all the other coaches salivating. He's not just a young player who's come of age but a vital play maker. His contested possessions and clearance and score involvement numbers are elite
 
manicpie said:
His performances this year would have all the other coaches salivating. He's not just a young player who's come of age but a vital play maker. His contested possessions and clearance and score involvement numbers are elite
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He's making rapid advances up the "Love you Longy Ladder"
 
manicpie said:
You had the perfect chance to quote " Love you Long time " either way, we love long
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Is their a promising mid coming through called Time that we can pair with Long.
 

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sr36 said:
The really big bonus is that he's getting his arms free and and hitting handball targets doing it it rather than just breaking through to just dump it forward. He'll have to do that a bit, but the primary thought is give off.
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Absolutely spot on. Love the mindset and you can see it play out. Naicos will be loving the rise of Ned
 
Granit1962 said:
Don’t know if he is Cripps like, but boy he is a strong thick set bull, who can stand up in tackles (which he showed he could do last year), which allows him to dish off effectively.

He has a clumsy look, but who cares, if he is effective. We have had a few of highly effective clumsy lookers, gaffer, Manson, Toovey, to name a few.

His kicking has come in for much critisism, which is fair enough - I do have hope here, because he is a reasonable long kick and I think this can be worked on
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I'll remind you of Ben Johnson, whose teammates had to learn to mark helicopters.

The helicopter kicks became very effective over time.

Ned has very likely been instructed to move the ball forward quickly. It will take him time to find that extra fraction of a second.
 
Last edited:
Long's KE is 52.8% based on 55% TOG in 2025 (Champion Data). Which is poor, and it gets worse the longer Long is in the game. When Long plays regular mid field time, not as the Sub, Long's KE drops further to 48% which is as bad as it gets! 48% of the time Ned kicks it too a contest, according to Champion Data!

IMO, for the sake of Long's long-term fate, he'll need to get better! For example, career stats, Tom Mitchell kick's at 62% KE, Jordy 59%, Nick 65%, Pendles 66% and SideBottom 64%.

From memory Watson's son, Jobe, got a lot of stick because he was a 'one trick pony' when he entered the game. Jobe was big and strong at the contest, didn't kick a lot. Remarkably, IMO, Jobe was a very good field kick when he retired.

Ps, I'm not saying Ned is at Jobe's talent level, not even close, I'm saying it's possible to improve.

Pss, Crisp's 2025 KE is 52.7%, his career average is 62%.

Long is also top five at the club for total turn overs in 2025, with restricted 55% TOG, two games as sub, 26% or less TOG. Long can't afford to turn it over against Brisbane.

So, It a nut shell, Ned is a shite kick who turns the ball over a lot!

I still hope he has a good game this weekend!

KE (Champion Data)
Screenshot_20250415-200425.png
 
Rorzza said:
Long's KE is 52.8% based on 55% TOG in 2025 (Champion Data). Which is poor, and it gets worse the longer Long is in the game. When Long plays regular mid field time, not as the Sub, Long's KE drops further to 48% which is as bad as it gets! 48% of the time Ned kicks it too a contest, according to Champion Data!

IMO, for the sake of Long's long-term fate, he'll need to get better! For example, career stats, Tom Mitchell kick's at 62% KE, Jordy 59%, Nick 65%, Pendles 66% and SideBottom 64%.

From memory Watson's son, Jobe, got a lot of stick because he was a 'one trick pony' when he entered the game. Jobe was big and strong at the contest, didn't kick a lot. Remarkably, IMO, Jobe was a very good field kick when he retired.

Ps, I'm not saying Ned is at Jobe's talent level, not even close, I'm saying it's possible to improve.

Pss, Crisp's 2025 KE is 52.7%, his career average is 62%.

Long is also top five at the club for total turn overs in 2025, with restricted 55% TOG, two games as sub, 26% or less TOG. Long can't afford to turn it over against Brisbane.

So, It a nut shell, Ned is a shite kick who turns the ball over a lot!

I still hope he has a good game this weekend!

KE (Champion Data)
View attachment 2284500
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I got two possible solutions.
1. More handballs
2. More game time so he can get use to the intensity of AFL footy.
 

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