Player Watch Ned Long

[WanderingDude]

Bailey Smith

3

Bailey Smith

Age

24

Ht

185cm

Wt

86kg

Pos.

M/F

Career

Season

Last 5

D

18.3

5star

K

8.5

3star

HB

9.8

5star

M

2.3

2star

T

3.8

5star

CL

2.7

4star

D

19.8

5star

K

9.6

4star

HB

10.2

5star

M

1.8

2star

T

3.2

4star

CL

3.2

4star

D

14.8

4star

K

7.6

3star

HB

7.2

5star

M

2.0

3star

T

3.4

5star

CL

1.6

4star

could be much better with skilled delivery and more football awareness. His turnovers, even with time and space, can be magnificent match highlights. I don’t think he plays within his limitations. I did yell at Long multiple times in the PF.

 

[sr36]

I place HH and Long at the head of the pack. I hope HHs knee is 100%. I would have Allan and Parker very good. I have lingering Allan issues with limits, position and approach but getting the games is the right way. Parker has to change his cricket body and this preseason should see him cement his place. Steele is edge of best 23. I expect a jump. Reef waiting and wanting. West has that swagger and may surprise early. I fear HDM, McCrae and Ryan may just be where they should be. A potential huge loss of draft capital but there is a chance. 0/3 maybe the outcome. The focus on experienced talent at the draft may lead to young talent leaving. The journey is a joy.

I try to avoid mentioning Allan. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't like what I've seen. I'm hoping that a West Aust team is keen and offers something with some value in a trade.

 

[WanderingDude]

I try to avoid mentioning Allan. I hope I'm wrong, but I don't like what I've seen. I'm hoping that a West Aust team is keen and offers something with some value in a trade.

He is a project player requiring time. The games this year is a good sign, the times dropped indicate it ain’t going smoothly. His build gives him a bit more time. I want him to kept and to succeed, just like I wanted Krueger to.

 

[Kirby]

I see the board geniuses have Ned Long as the blame for our loss.

 

[granniewolf]

He is a project player requiring time. The games this year is a good sign, the times dropped indicate it ain’t going smoothly. His build gives him a bit more time. I want him to kept and to succeed, just like I wanted Krueger to.

He has to start tackling more for starters.

 

[granniewolf]

I see the board geniuses have Ned Long as the blame for our loss.

Love Ned he always tries his best.

 

[Markfs]

He's on the list for next year. We need to replace others before we replace him

 

[granniewolf]

He's on the list for next year. We need to replace others before we replace him

Ned's not going anywhere, he's going to be a Collingwood lifer. We won't count his 5 games at Hawthorn.

 

[WanderingDude]

Ned's not going anywhere, he's going to be a Collingwood lifer. We won't count his 5 games at Hawthorn.

I know why they delisted him. A total lack of pee, poo and knob. Just didn’t fit the culture. His core is right, the rough edges will smooth.

 

[Bianconeri]

5 kicks 5 turnovers last night. Taylor Adams would be proud.

You realise that those turnovers could have come from his 8 handballs as well?

 

[yeah man]

You realise that those turnovers could have come from his 8 handballs as well?

Don't bother trying to discuss nuance with them. They pop up here to torture themselves with cynicism, and torture us with stupidity

 

[Peters_Nuts]

Ben Johnson & Alan Toovey improved their disposal to become handy players. Hopefully Ned can do the same. Would be fantastic if he can, cos he has some top attributes already.

Maynard too. Was an absolute butcher early days.

 

[TW Sherrin]

Long is young, big, tackles and loves it tough. All in short supply atm.

He isn't going anywhere but that doesn't mean he has got plenty of improvement left.

 

[Cousin of Daicos]

I don't think he'll be a run with tagger. He hasn't got the pace for those who do damage on the outside. There's two blokes playing in the Granny who are crucial to their teams who I think we're trying to develop him towards - Atkins and Dunkley. Tackling machines who can put the clamps on opposition beasts around stoppage, but also win it themselves.

I had posted yesterday that I would be developing Beau's tagging side too for those kinds of players

Long for the Cripps/Green/Danger types and then Beau for your more outside mids

 

[Roverjg]

5 kicks 5 turnovers last night. Taylor Adams would be proud.

Yet you make no mention of Jaicos's 11 direct turnovers, several of which led to goals

 

[granniewolf]

Long is young, big, tackles and loves it tough. All in short supply atm.

He isn't going anywhere but that doesn't mean he has got plenty of improvement left.

Doesn't mean he hasn't either.

 

[eddiesmith]

Yet you make no mention of Jaicos's 11 direct turnovers, several of which led to goals

Josh is an interesting one, I’m a little surprised by the talk of his good game as he definitely butchered it a bit and was off the boil. Was also a couple of examples of Nick doing the no look hand pass to him and Josh had gone the opposite way.

But in reference to Ned, Josh has about 150 more credits in the bank.

 

[Markfs]

Ned's not going anywhere, he's going to be a Collingwood lifer. We won't count his 5 games at Hawthorn.

hopefully it will be short life and his spot on the list will be taken by a tall strong bloke with good disposal....but he is in front of a few who are currently on this list so its pointless to complain about him.

 

[Johno9911]

We're piling in on a kid who's played 30-40 odd games for having a poor prelim final? Yes his disposal is lacking at times and certainly an area to improve on - better decision making will come once he has another 20-30 games in to him and as Pendles often says with younger players the game starts to "slow down" for them and they begin to make better and calmer decisions.

In terms of development he's had massive growth and taken a big step this year - only Nick, DC14 and Pendles had more clearances than him, and only the Daicos boys, Pendles, Sidey and Crispy had the pill more than him over the course of the season. He has also popped up and kicked important goals for us throughout the season

For Ned his 2025 season needs to become the base he builds off - if he stays at this level he'll be out the system, but on the rapid improvement this year I can't see why we shouldn't expect him climbing another 1-2 levels in 2026, and for that reason I'm not throwing him out with the bath water for sub-par prelim, particularly when a lot of our senior leaders should be taking more of the heat for lowering their colors

 

[BillyElliott]

We're piling in on a kid who's played 30-40 odd games for having a poor prelim final? Yes his disposal is lacking at times and certainly an area to improve on - better decision making will come once he has another 20-30 games in to him and as Pendles often says with younger players the game starts to "slow down" for them and they begin to make better and calmer decisions.

In terms of development he's had massive growth and taken a big step this year - only Nick, DC14 and Pendles had more clearances than him, and only the Daicos boys, Pendles, Sidey and Crispy had the pill more than him over the course of the season. He has also popped up and kicked important goals for us throughout the season

For Ned his 2025 season needs to become the base he builds off - if he stays at this level he'll be out the system, but on the rapid improvement this year I can't see why we shouldn't expect him climbing another 1-2 levels in 2026, and for that reason I'm not throwing him out with the bath water for sub-par prelim, particularly when a lot of our senior leaders should be taking more of the heat for lowering their colors

There's really only the 2 same posters piling on Ned.

 

[Johno9911]

There's really only the 2 same posters piling on Ned.

Squeakiest wheel draws the attention I guess?

TBF I do see what those posters are complaining about - his disposal and decision does need to improve, whether or not that happens in 2026 is a guess for any of us and is only up to Ned to improve and work on

 

[granniewolf]

I think Ned was missing Pendles, they usually work well together.
I think pretty much everyone was off for awhile after Pendles went off so early.
There went part of the system.
When push comes to shove, Brissy just played better than us.
We'll get them next year.

 

[Bianconeri]

Squeakiest wheel draws the attention I guess?

TBF I do see what those posters are complaining about - his disposal and decision does need to improve, whether or not that happens in 2026 is a guess for any of us and is only up to Ned to improve and work on

I think his disposal is relatively fine for the role he plays, my issue is he needs to win more of the ball against the good midfields.

It something I think he can improve over the off season though.

 

[WakeUpPies]

Ned has some elite AFL traits. He also has VFL-standard disposal skills. Not sure why that’s controversial. He’s young and inexperienced so there’s hope he can improve, but it’s also easy to see why a team like Hawthorn that values disposal skills let him go. Challenge will be for Long to improve and the coaches to put him in positions to succeed. Regardless he’s going to be a mainstay in our midfield unless we somehow land a Rowell or Butters.

 

[Leigh aka Frogs]

Another pre-season will do him really well. Hold the faith