Player Watch Ned Long

[watt price tully]

16 centre bounce attendances last night …
Didn’t win a single one of them.

That’s his bread and butter and his contest stuff is poor

How can he be poor overhead for a player his size?

Why is he not giving first give and trying to break through every tackle?

Another low metres gained game too.

As mid …he can’t just be a “big body”

He needs to start playing like one and one that is worthy of all the minutes on ball he is getting that others aren’t.

The dominant tap ruckman played for Adelaide & was able to most of the time hit to advantage. The other aspect to consider is that Long may have had a specific role to play within the centre bounce. Stats without context can be misleading.

No one is saying he is playing well. However, in the not playing well category, Long is by long way (sadly) not the only member of this group at Collingwood, after two AFL matches in 2026.

 

[Rorzza]

Ned's stats 2025 Round 12 to Round 24

Centre Bounce Attendances/Centre clearances


Edit:
That's Guiness Book of Records poor territory!

 

[gouki88]

Serious Taylor Adam’s vibes, just tries that extra step, just dish it off first option.

Taylor Adams would be an incredible outcome for Long. He was a gun for years

 

[watt price tully]

Ned's stats 2025 Round 12 to Round 24

Centre Bounce Attendances/Centre clearances

View attachment 2551993
Edit:
That's Guiness Book of Records poor territory!

The assumption is that his role is to win centre clearances. I thought his role was to allow N Daicos and others to win the clearance by providing physical protection by blocking others and using his body etc. His role also includes stopping an opposition player or players from clearances or being effective in the centre clearance function. So if winning centre clearances is not his primary role or even his second role then the stats you supplied have little meaning. Again context and the correct set of stats are important here.

 

[Rorzza]

The assumption is that his role is to win centre clearances. I thought his role was to allow N Daicos and others to win the clearance by providing physical protection by blocking others and using his body etc. His role also includes stopping an opposition player or players from clearances or being effective in the centre clearance function. So if winning centre clearances is not his primary role or even his second role then the stats you supplied have little meaning. Again context and the correct set of stats are important here.

My assumption is Ned's role is to win games and the stats provided IMO is evidence to suggest Ned's role sucks or possibly Ned is not so good at his role!

 

[watt price tully]

My assumption is Ned's role is to win games and the stats provided IMO is evidence to suggest Ned's role sucks or possibly Ned is not so good at his role!

I can understand your opinion but your stats didn't prove the point. Ned also played played quite a few good games last year.

 

[Kappa]

Can believe the BS here - Long turned the game in the third QTR in the Adel final and was superb - and lauded by all. On that day he wasn’t slow, or a poor decision maker, or turnover merchant - he was elite in a clutch game, when it needed someone to stand up.

Now he has 2 poor games and he’s a spud.
You people need to get a grip.

WHY do we have to pretend that Long was good last year? He was absolutely rubbish for large periods and had 1 good final. The problem with long is he has poor games constantly and his poor games are very very bad

 

[No SPIN]

WHY do we have to pretend that Long was good last year? He was absolutely rubbish for large periods and had 1 good final. The problem with long is he has poor games constantly and his poor games are very very bad

The point is, people after 2 games are forgetting his good periods.

 

[ksardog]

If he is in the side, would rather see him line up at CHF then ever being in a centre square set up again, at 194cm, he can’t do much worse than what has been dished up by our current forwards, and will be more competitive against players his size when the ball hits the ground
As a starting mid, he is too slow, too reactionary, might work in heavy conditions where the ball is slippery, but not on a quick deck. I’m sure Naicos could do just as well without him. Play Perryman there as your defensive mid, clean hands and composure is something he has, Long will never have it consistently

 

[ksardog]

The point is, people after 2 games are forgetting his good periods.

We need elite mids in the centre square, not inconsistent players who have “good periods”

 

[ksardog]

Ned's stats 2025 Round 12 to Round 24

Centre Bounce Attendances/Centre clearances

View attachment 2551993
Edit:
That's Guiness Book of Records poor territory!

And we wonder why we lose centre clearances so often, that is damning. We basically starting one short in there
I’m glad the stats are backing what I am seeing each week, unfortunately

 

[Rorzza]

And we wonder why we lose centre clearances so often, that is damning. We basically starting one short in there
I’m glad the stats are backing what I am seeing each week, unfortunately

Exactly, those stats are just confirming what we're all watching.

 

[crackerss08]

Apart from a few good games early last season he has been nothing but a boiled potato.. this season he has been mashed potato,

 

[No SPIN]

We need elite mids in the centre square, not inconsistent players who have “good periods”

When Ned is surpassed by an “elite” mid then he’ll obviously be dropped.

 

[ksardog]

When Ned is surpassed by an “elite” mid then he’ll obviously be dropped.

Straight up, is Perryman a better mid option than Long?
I think any sensible person knows this to be true

Already that improves our centre square set up, but nah, let’s have faith in the guy that can’t get the job done ,he has had 5 centre clearances in his last 14 games after contesting 190 centre bounces. So he has a 2.5% strike rate
Enough is enough

 

[No SPIN]

Straight up, is Perryman a better mid option than Long?
I think any sensible person knows this to be true

Already that improves our centre square set up, but nah, let’s have faith in the guy that can’t get the job done ,he has had 5 centre clearances in his last 14 games after contesting 190 centre bounces. So he has a 2.5% strike rate
Enough is enough

Haven’t you answered your own question- he’s going to CB for other reasons eg block for mids eg Nick. That singular metric of CB clearances may not be Fly’s main KPI for Long, otherwise he’d be dropped.

 

[Kappa]

The point is, people after 2 games are forgetting his good periods.

The point is, you seem to constantly forget that for most of 2025 Long was very mediocre and had quite a few very poor games

 

[ksardog]

Haven’t you answered your own question- he’s going to CB for other reasons eg block for mids eg Nick. That singular metric of CB clearances may not be Fly’s main KPI for Long, otherwise he’d be dropped.

Clearly that ain’t working because centre clearances have been a problem
Having a guy in there running at 2.5% success rate ain’t helping anyone

Noticed you couldn’t answer the question about Perryman being a better option than Long
It would suck to be wrong

 

[No SPIN]

The point is, you seem to constantly forget that for most of 2025 Long was very mediocre and had quite a few very poor games

His best is very good, and he’s down on form. If Anderson kills it in the VFL then we’ll have a great selection problem. Until then I can’t see Long being dropped.

 

[No SPIN]

Clearly that ain’t working because centre clearances have been a problem
Having a guy in there running at 2.5% success rate ain’t helping anyone

Noticed you couldn’t answer the question about Perryman being a better option than Long
It would suck to be wrong

I actually think Long has far more KPI’s than CB clearances - so that’s why I hesitate to agree Perryman is a better option. Plus he’s thriving in his current role - so if “it ain’t broke don’t fix it”.
I’d rather Anderson prove himself and create competition for Longs position.

 

[manicpie]

It looks like he's playing a different role this year. Happy to give him a bit of time
Not our worst player

 

[nahnah]

he really shouldnt be attending CBA's given he hasnt won a single one in 30 attempts this season. He is useful in stoppages around the ground though

 

[frizzle]

Ned's stats 2025 Round 12 to Round 24

Centre Bounce Attendances/Centre clearances

View attachment 2551993
Edit:
That's Guiness Book of Records poor territory!

Wow I didn’t know his stats were that bad.

 

[Antz]

I had a man crush on Ned last year, but this year not so much. He needs to pull his finger out.

 

[VinnieB]

When Ned has a good game, we tend to win. His first half of 2025 helped us enormously.

Unfortunately, those games in the second half of the season were more average than good.

He needs to get back to his early 2025 form, otherwise we need to change that mix in the middle.