longer

[MC Gusto]

had his best game for mine. finally clunked a few marks and rucked well against maric winning the hitouts.

needs a much bigger tank but a preseason and continued games should help.

Was great to see him clunking some marks!!

[Saint wagga]

+1...yelled at the tele when he finally clunked a mark played well, developing!! Will be a good player IMO

[SemperFidelis]

+1 here as well.

For me, it wasn't so much the marks (which were obviously a huge upside), but the fact that he seemed more mobile and able to get down to the ground to contest the ball when it spilled. He looked way more flexible that Maric on that score.

[Saints94]

I rate Longer. Wasn't top 10 draft pick by chance. I think Hickey/Longer combo can work if they rotate down forward etc. Hickey has shown signs with his 3 goals in round 2 but a lot of water to go under the bridge obviously.

[Con Gorozidis]

I definitely think hes a player.

[saintbrat]

He is still onky 21

At one point during the game he was the leading tackler on the ground

[Toy Saint]

Like Longer and like Hickey. Have never seen Pierce, but word is he's already a good tap ruckman and an athlete with potential to keep improving.

So, I wont be surprised if Longer or Hickey are traded - especially if we get another deal like McEvoy

[bergholt]

Led the team in "pressure acts" according to the Hun today. Not sure what that means but it sounds like a good thing to get from a ruckman.

[Winmar]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

[Bluthy]

He seems to be inching his away along in development developing the stamina to get his arms up properly in marking contests now. I think he's probably in the category of "not quite believing in themselves" that Richo spoke of which is natural for a 21 y.o. We need depth and competition in the ruck and its looking good so far. If all 4 rucks come on well we should have a hunger games type competition to see who wants it more.

[plugger66]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

[gringo]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

Pierce and Holmes are not far off either. It will be interesting to watch how it all plays out. So far we were lucky we had Longer. Hickey and Pierce were both out most of the year and Holmes isn't ready but next year....

[dragit]

What if we played 4 ruckmen? They could all start in the middle… instead of taking possession they could form a conga line performing tap after tap to one another. It would revolutionise the game.

[Bluthy]

What if we played 4 ruckmen? They could all start in the middle… instead of taking possession they could form a conga line performing tap after tap to one another. It would revolutionise the game.

Now this is the outside-the-box thinking this club needs. We'll call it a Longer-line (need to workshop that gag)

[Winmar]

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

Yeah fair point. Gardiner could at least push forward and have an impact for periods e.g. v Geelong at Etihad in 2009. So far Longer and Hickey have just been straight out ruckmen. The club traded for the two of them though - were they just punting on one of them working out?

[plugger66]

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

Yeah fair point. Gardiner could at least push forward and have an impact for periods e.g. v Geelong at Etihad in 2009. So far Longer and Hickey have just been straight out ruckmen. The club traded for the two of them though - were they just punting on one of them working out?

Id say so and hopefully it happens.

[PJ]

From all reports in the vfl Pierce is more likely to kick goals than Longer. The coaching panel may take a punt on him if Stanley has done a hammy. Longer will certainly need back up against Jacobs but they may opt for Spencer taking a few short stints in the ruck..He took a few hit outs against Richmond.

Debut after debut.

[Con Gorozidis]

If Lewis plays that means Danny is the only guy on both lists without a game.
unlucky dude so far.

[Old Mate]

Toss up between Longer and Dunstan for future captain. Leadership written all over him. Competitive beast, wants to win and hurt his opponents.

[lloyd21]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

with respect that is a load of "something " because the "sub " is getting the bullet shortly and there will be 4 on bench.
AFL met with coaches and that is going to happen so 2 Ruckman in one team will be important going forward.

[plugger66]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

with respect that is a load of "something " because the "sub " is getting the bullet shortly and there will be 4 on bench.
AFL met with coaches and that is going to happen so 2 Ruckman in one team will be important going forward.

I wouldnt think so but if it does then there will be many less interchange than there is now. Happy to show me anything that suggests that will happen. If anything it will be 2 and 2 but thanks in advance for proving your comment.

[Saint wagga]

I'd be disappointed to see either traded, unless we had someone else who could potentially be as good. Ideally they'd be our Gardiner and King of 2017.

I'm not sure what Longer ended up with, but he had 6 tackles at one point. Not bad at all for a big man!

These days though not many if any clubs play their ruckman off the bench. The only way the 2 can really ever play together is if at least one of them can play forward 50% of the time. At the moment there is no proof of that. Hopefully it will come but it will interesting what happens next year if both are fit because i cant see them playing in the same side.

with respect that is a load of "something " because the "sub " is getting the bullet shortly and there will be 4 on bench.
AFL met with coaches and that is going to happen so 2 Ruckman in one team will be important going forward.

I wouldnt think so but if it does then there will be many less interchange than there is now. Happy to show me anything that suggests that will happen. If anything it will be 2 and 2 but thanks in advance for proving your comment.

Gil Mac was asked last night on Talking Footy if the sub would be scrapped for next year and a straight up 4 man interchange bench and 80 rotation cap would be introduced...he sort of denied it using a political type spin, but not categorically...It may still be in the pipeline for 2016...either way, I don't htink any team will carry two lumberjack ruckmen around. As discussed in previous threads, how effective our young rucks can become as effective Forward foils is still debatable.

[SAAD]

I don't think Longer has leadership qualities. Maybe I'm being a bit harsh...watched that interview that Schneider did with him on the Saints website...he is a strange cat...I know they were having fun and maybe I'm being too critical but I didn't think he came across as a leader but more of a joker/larrikin. Also in today's game you gotta have a ruckman that can go forward and kick goals and play well around the ground. Hope I'm proven wrong but I think he'll be gone in a few seasons.

[Sainternist]

The problem is that when all three rucks are healthy one of them has to go. Hickey is by far the superior ruckman. Then Stanley gets the nod because he doubles as a tall forward.

I'm skeptical Longer has what it takes to still be around when we've developed our new team in a couple of years.

[Zed]

Yep , seen some gradual improvement in Longer over the past month - and it was great to see him take some marks. Still a long way to go but I'm feeling a lot more bullish about him now than I was a month ago.

One of the 4 specialist ruckmen on the list has to develop another attribute to their game because its going to be hard to get 2 of them in the team at once, and if they can't get a game they have very limited trade value. No club is going to give us a 2nd round pick for Lewis Pearce for example if he spends the next 2 years at Sandy - but they might if he plays 40 AFL games in the next 2 years.

Personally I'd like to see Holmes developed to also play at FF over the summer. Fast, tall and can jump, I would think having played gridiron in his younger days he'd have no problem with the physicality required to bust open a pack.