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Player Watch Ned Long

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It's been long enough now to definitively say that Ned is a very good AFL player. His style is Cripps like and has been exactly what we've needed in the contest. Has had a huge impact on our season, helping us to survive the rotation of our older mids and the absence of Jordy and Mitchell.

His improvement is without doubt the biggest player development of our season.
 

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Forethought said:
How many Pies players do you reckon give him the wide birth on the training track ? 😂😂😂😂😂😂
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In the week before he broke the consecutive games record, Crisp said he’d avoid Ned at training.😊
 
Cousin of Daicos said:
F*** Hawthorn but I’m very grateful their hyper focus on elite kicks led Ned Long to Collingwood
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Stepped up last night and it is great to see when all our players are back and fit I think Ned stays in the team he is earning that right. I said a few weeks ago that the contract renewal and lengthening would do wonders for his confidence and the fact that he playing every week and having a big impact on how we go says it all.

We really needed a big game from him last night and he delivered it and stuff Hawthorn they could have shown more faith in him. I understand it would be very hard for him and Newcombe to play in the same midfield but I am bloody pleased he plays for us and will till at least 2027 he was a real leader out there last night.
 

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Amazing season he is having. If anything still a bit under rated how good he has been A lot of the tackling , pressuring etc still not picked up by the commentators

And one thing he has really improved as his confidence has grown is his agility with ball in hand. Is starting to change direction and run around opposition quite a bit.
 

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Jen2310 said:
Would hate to get in the middle of a tackle from him lol
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Novel idea: Why not use one of the best tacklers in the league — Ned Long — as a teaching resource?

Is there any danger in getting someone like Ned Long, who is already emerging as one of the best tacklers in the AFL, to share his mindset and technique with teammates like Lipinski, Ed Allan, and (yes, I know he’s an old horse) WHE?

This isn’t a knock on those players. It’s a pragmatic suggestion — we all know players learn from each other. Players need to be encouraged to leverage their unique strengths across the group to help others improve their weaknesses. Long has just about dethroned Maynard as our team’s defensive enforcer. You can see it in his tackling numbers, but more importantly, in his intent, body language, and mindset.

He’s a humble, well-spoken young man — clearly intelligent — but he tackles with a ferocity and hunger that screams “will to win.” That’s not something you teach easily, but it is something teammates can absorb if they’re exposed to it up close and consistently. Long is built solidly, sure, but guys like Allan and Lipinski aren’t exactly lightweights — they’ve got the frames, they just need to switch the mindset and build the strength and confidence to use it more consistently in contests.

Even Pendles has said his tackling presence didn’t come naturally — it was built over time through leg, core, and glute work. It’s learnable, and Long is the kind of player others should be modelling in that space.

Again — this isn’t potting Allan or Lipinski. It’s actually the opposite: a vote of confidence that they can take the next step if they want to, and that Long offers the blueprint.

And it goes both ways. Long could take cues from Lipinski on polish and effective disposal by foot — which would make him even more complete. This is what a high-performance culture looks like: players learning from each other to lift the collective.

We know Collingwood’s game is built on both perceived and real pressure, and that’s why Long is already vital to our structure. The kid’s a brute. And I love it.

Mark my words: Long is on track to challenge Tom Atkins in a year or two for the tackle crown. He’s already in the top 10 for tackles, despite starting as the sub in two games. That’s outrageous.

Next week: "The coach who didn’t rate Ned Long’s pressure game."
“Stick ’em, Rex!” (Shout-out to the ’90s crew 😄)
 
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granniewolf said:
Ned is amazing, he just gets better and better with each game.
How lucky are we to have him!
He doesn't panic, very good footy IQ and seems like a really nice bloke.
Think he is also doing some sort of degree.
Definitely has his head screwed on right.
💕 💕 💕
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Comes from a family of high achievers and academically gifted.

Has brothers (I think more than one) with similar physical attributes and footy skills, but they either weren’t as good as Ned or opted not to pursue professional footy.

He’s a good modest kid, very diligent in all the club asks him to do, and is extremely happy to have landed at the Pies.
 
Vicky Park said:
Comes from a family of high achievers and academically successful.

Has brothers (I think more than one) with similar physical attributes and footy skills, but they either weren’t as good as Ned or opted not to pursue professional footy.

He’s a good modest kid, very diligent in all the club asks him to do, and is extremely happy to have landed at the Pies.
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Imagine working with one of his brothers and you're both running to the toilet, there's going to be a shirt-front coming your way
 

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