Player Watch Ned Long

[Horaceg]

Ned's contract is only until 2027. if he's on a really low salary it would be a good idea for Collingwood to offer a new contract with a pay upgrade.
You can bet other clubs will be sniffing around before long ( no pun intended)

Carlton might be looking for an upgrade on Cripps, lock him in Eddie.

 

[Pie eyed]

If he gets that gig I'll wish him well - he's an extremely decent person with a great knowledge of the game

So long as he remembers which side his bread is buttered on regards the Pies, good luck to him

 

[Pie eyed]

He's had so much more composure the past 5 or 6 weeks with the ball in hand, less rushing has allowed his surprisingly good decision-making to shine and his game has gone to a new level.

He seems like a very hard-working, humble, practical guy and I think training with guys like Pendles and Nick each day has been especially beneficial for someone like him.

I'm dying to see "50 game" Ned Long play.
He has all the attributes of a great midfielder.
Great tank, strong bodied.
On Saturday he added high numbers to his bow.
If he can add a goal a game to his repertoire I'm buying a 44 jumper.

 

[KrispyKremePie]

I can't add much to the praise that's already been dropped in this thread, but he's fast become my favourite player. We've been dying for a genuine contested beast since Sir Scott Burns called it quits. And now we get...

...the manic, bone-crunching, try-to-hurt-them tackling. His tackles NEVER get broken.

...the hard-ball desperation. He simply refuses to lose a contest.

...the sneaky reliable goalkicking. He's on four goals from seven starts and constantly bobs up in the right places.

...and most importantly, the ability to absorb a tackle, draw a second opponent, and get the handpass out to the now-free man. That play is the lifeblood of our attacking gameplan. The sheer number of times we get an absolutely clean break from what would otherwise be a stoppage situation, which results in lightning movement to an open forwardline, all thanks to Ned bulldozing through multiple guys and using his insanely clever handpass to set a teammate free.

...and to top it all off, he's the perfect foil for Nick, allowing him to be the second possession from the contest instead of the first. We get another 10+ years of these two, and they're only gonna get better.

And all this from a 22 year old dude who's played less than a dozen games, WHO WE GOT FOR FREE.

His season stacks up favourably against Cripps, Rowell, Newcombe, any of the much more highly touted inside mids. At 22 years old. For free.

He's doing so damn well that he's gonna give our list management the freedom to explore trades and FA options which aren't inside bulls - which is a luxury we simply wouldn't have without him. 22. Free.

Anyway yeah Ned's my favourite player.

I’m confused… what did he cost us again?

 

[NMBB]

Prepared to bet he turns up to the club and does exactly what the coaches ask (and more) - he's a ripper - more so because he's thriving with us after Hawks didn't want him

 

[Pistol Night]

Prepared to bet he turns up to the club and does exactly what the coaches ask (and more) - he's ripper - more so because he's thriving with us after Hawks didn't want him

I heard the Hawks de-listed him after he said Hokball is for sissy, Gen Z wimps

 

[BillyElliott]

I heard the Hawks de-listed him after he said Hokball is for sissy, Gen Z wimps

And he's way too humble to do their over the top arrogant celebrations.

 

[thebaldfacts]

On the Couch, Bucks said that he will lead our midfield for the next decade and Jono Brown said that he is our Josh Dunkley

5

Josh Dunkley

Age

29

Ht

191cm

Wt

87kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

21.8

5star

K

10.4

4star

HB

11.3

5star

M

4.3

4star

T

5.8

5star

CL

3.2

5star

D

20.7

5star

K

7.0

3star

HB

13.7

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

5.3

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

14.2

4star

K

7.2

3star

HB

7.0

5star

M

4.8

5star

T

4.0

5star

CL

1.4

4star

.

High praise indeed.

Still early days though but very promising.

 

[Apex36]

He’s become everything I’d hoped that Sier would.

Still trying to get my head around why the club took Bytel over him in the SSP last year. Even a lot of the playing group were baffled by that from what I’ve heard.

 

[cfc19902010]

He’s become everything I’d hoped that Sier would.

Still trying to get my head around why the club too Bytel over him in the SSP last year. Even a lot of the playing group were baffled by that from what I’ve heard.

Could be watching the birth of a star ..dane swan was shaky early days and then suddenly it just all clicked for 10 plus years

 

[Jen2310]

Not before Long: Why this Pie is the AFL's most improved player

Ned Long has taken his chance at the Magpies, becoming a key part of the club's midfield

www.afl.com.au

 

[nahnah]

System player

 

[Vicky Park]

I love how our club has prospered under Fly. But our player development is off the charts.

No-one wanted Ned 12-18 months ago. We weren’t even sure about him when he trained on with us at the end of 2023. But Fly by all accounts maintained an interest and now look at him - and us. To say he is thriving in our environment is an understatement.

Another one is Frampton. Clearly a different situation to Ned, and much older, and just look at him. Reef was favoured over him, and now we rarely bemoan the absence of Murphy anymore. Frammers is no superstar but he is thriving too.

 

[manicpie]

I love how our club has prospered under Fly. But our player development is off the charts.

No-one wanted Ned 12-18 months ago. We weren’t even sure about him when he trained on with us at the end of 2023. But Fly by all accounts maintained an interest and now look at him - and us. To say he is thriving in our environment is an understatement.

Another one is Frampton. Clearly a different situation to Ned, and much older, and just look at him. Reef was favoured over him, and now we rarely bemoan the absence of Murphy anymore. Frammers is no superstar but he is thriving too.

There isn't enough words to describe what the great man has done for our club. It's been a great ride under Fly

 

[Kappa]

There isn't enough words to describe what the great man has done for our club. It's been a great ride under Fly

Crazy sliding doors moment.

if we win the 2018 flag then Bucks stays on as coach, we never get Fly.

 

[manicpie]

Crazy sliding doors moment.

if we win the 2018 flag then Bucks stays on as coach, we never get Fly.

That's true. In a strange way, it worked out really well for us.

 

[Doc1763]

Crazy sliding doors moment.

if we win the 2018 flag then Bucks stays on as coach, we never get Fly.

he might have ended up at......oh God no, just the thought of it!!

 

[Pistol Night]

With Titch and Jordys injury concerns a big bodied inside mid was required at the start of the season. I doubt anyone imagined what we've ended up with here. Prototype team first inside bull that will compliment Nick and Tommy Maguane for a decade

 

[Pistol Night]

he might have ended up at......oh God no, just the thought of it!!

Well when you run a proper process you end up with coaches like Fly, Kingsley, Yze etc that have clear plans in place and a game style that suits a list. When you're a club stuck in the 20th century that deluded enough to think everyone wants to coach you and play a contested style that would be competitive if it was 2006 you end up with spuds like Voss

 

[Harry O]

I love how our club has prospered under Fly. But our player development is off the charts.

No-one wanted Ned 12-18 months ago. We weren’t even sure about him when he trained on with us at the end of 2023. But Fly by all accounts maintained an interest and now look at him - and us. To say he is thriving in our environment is an understatement.

Another one is Frampton. Clearly a different situation to Ned, and much older, and just look at him. Reef was favoured over him, and now we rarely bemoan the absence of Murphy anymore. Frammers is no superstar but he is thriving too.

Even Fly told Ned at his exit interview last year he wasn’t sure there would be a list spot for him in 2025
Glad the club found a way to keep him! What a young man he is

 

[DopeMaster]

Pretty amazing he’s rated our best player since round 5. Higher than than Elliot and the Daicii, and he’s only player like 15 games!

Beast alert.

 

[Rorzza]

Yep!

Brain over Brawn

brain over brawn sen afl - Google Search

 

[Exambolor]

I love how our club has prospered under Fly. But our player development is off the charts.

No-one wanted Ned 12-18 months ago. We weren’t even sure about him when he trained on with us at the end of 2023. But Fly by all accounts maintained an interest and now look at him - and us. To say he is thriving in our environment is an understatement.

Another one is Frampton. Clearly a different situation to Ned, and much older, and just look at him. Reef was favoured over him, and now we rarely bemoan the absence of Murphy anymore. Frammers is no superstar but he is thriving too.

Framp was a meme in SA footy circles before he came to us, he's gone from getting fines in the SANFL for flipping the bird to becoming an elite defender

 

[WalterBlaknWhte]

Just heard on SEN that Ned won the 2025 Norm Smith

 

[Basil brush]

On the Couch, Bucks said that he will lead our midfield for the next decade and Jono Brown said that he is our Josh Dunkley.

High praise indeed.

Still early days though but very promising.

I have to admit, I didn't know how good Ned could be. I thought he may be a bit of afl journey man on his 3rd club, I believe, after hawks and saints?

However, I almost completely echo what was said on the couch, (even though that show has massivley gone downhill since Gerard, Mike and wallsy, but that is for another day).

I was a huge fan of the Tom Mitchell trade, and he was huge in 2023, but he needs to get fit and back to his best to get back in our best 23. I don't believe we can play Titch and Long together, but could be wrong.