Billy Longer

[Saint wagga]

Thought he was great last night - competed hard all night in the tap outs and never gave up...saw plenty of good running hard to get to contests and impact. Loved his 2nd and 3rd efforts at clearances following up the tap work...some of his stuff was actually funny to watch as he tried so hard and occassionally looked awkward or clumsy but actually was super effective ie: that bit where he handballed over the line deep in defence...Heaps excited to see him keep getting games under the belt...next on the wish list are to see some marks, strong clunks against smaller opponents first and then contested as a big bodied target...easy to want it all right now, but he's definently a goer and looks to try his heart out...keep it up big fella!!

[perfectionist]

Thought he was great last night - competed hard all night in the tap outs and never gave up...saw plenty of good running hard to get to contests and impact. Loved his 2nd and 3rd efforts at clearances following up the tap work...some of his stuff was actually funny to watch as he tried so hard and occassionally looked awkward or clumsy but actually was super effective ie: that bit where he handballed over the line deep in defence...Heaps excited to see him keep getting games under the belt...next on the wish list are to see some marks, strong clunks against smaller opponents first and then contested as a big bodied target...easy to want it all right now, but he's definently a goer and looks to try his heart out...keep it up big fella!!

Agree. The big positive from last night.

[Saints94]

Thought he was great last night - competed hard all night in the tap outs and never gave up...saw plenty of good running hard to get to contests and impact. Loved his 2nd and 3rd efforts at clearances following up the tap work...some of his stuff was actually funny to watch as he tried so hard and occassionally looked awkward or clumsy but actually was super effective ie: that bit where he handballed over the line deep in defence...Heaps excited to see him keep getting games under the belt...next on the wish list are to see some marks, strong clunks against smaller opponents first and then contested as a big bodied target...easy to want it all right now, but he's definently a goer and looks to try his heart out...keep it up big fella!!

+100, I like his ground ball play, very aggressive similar to Mumford & his tap work at times was just a delight to see especially to Lenny a few times.. I think we've found one here & even better we get to see him for a few games yet because of Hickey obviously.

[st_Trav_ofWA]

Billy did well hopefully he keeps that up

[GrumpyOne]

Doing well considering he is very young for a ruckman. Definitely a keeper.

[Spinner]

I thought he was fantastic!

[skeptic]

a very good performance considering he clearly isn't ready yet

could be a gun

[Old Mate]

Very good. Actually saw quite a lot of positives from some of our young talented players. Longer, Acres, Billings and Dunstan all showed glimpses of their potential.

[magnifisaint]

Looks rushed at the moment but I reckon he's loving playing AFL. Just needs 20 or so games before he finds his feet.

[Old Mate]

Looks rushed at the moment but I reckon he's loving playing AFL. Just needs 20 or so games before he finds his feet.

Wins a lot of his footy in the contest. He needs to work on position forward/behind the ball and impact marking contests. He's going great guns for a young ruckman though. A fair comparison is Brodie Grundy - Both look like future guns.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... 1=S&fid2=S

[Saint wagga]

Love the Brodie Grundy comparison, but I can't agree that they're at the same level at the moment IMO...Grundy is already an out and out gun!! Takes big marks, kicks goals, is heaps physical in the hit outs and also has quality disposal. He's taking on and beating the comps best ruckman in his first season and is the most complete young ruckman i've ever seen! But whether or not he keeps improving and the end product, gee it'd be good if Billy could be rated as good as Grundy, and if Hickey continues to mature into a good ruckman, it'll be great for our list as they should still be 3-5 years from coming into their prime!!!

[66 Saints]

There was one contested ball I particularly liked- Billy had the vision and naus to knock the ball to the advantage of one of our runners (think the player he hit it two might have made a mess of it though...). Not a hit out to advantage but one of those valued knock ons from a contested situation that teams like the Hawks do so well.

[dragit]

He battled on well but I can see why the Hawks were keen on McEvoy… their window will be shut by the time Longer is a really competitive ruckmen at this level.

Plenty of upside though.

[BigMart]

He is exactly what a Ruckman should be.... Physical

Upside
Size and strength
Good grab
Mobility is ok
Jump is very good
Has a real crack

He was up against one of the better tap ruckmen going around... Good test for him

[FQF]

Looks rushed at the moment but I reckon he's loving playing AFL. Just needs 20 or so games before he finds his feet.

Wins a lot of his footy in the contest. He needs to work on position forward/behind the ball and impact marking contests. He's going great guns for a young ruckman though. A fair comparison is Brodie Grundy - Both look like future guns.

http://www.footywire.com/afl/footy/ft_p ... 1=S&fid2=S

The stats are far more even than I expected.

[thejiggingsaint]

I agree with the sentiments posted on this thread. I was sorry to see Benny Mc leave us, however, Tom Hickey and Billy have the potential to set us up nicely in the ruck stocks. Billy's opponent last evening, Warnock, is HUGE and has been around a lot longer (no pun intended ) so the kid struggled manfully, and gave me one of the brighter spots of the evenings proceedings. Time for optimism as far as the dreaded ruck position is concerned! They say that "comparisons are odious" and while I can understand folk making comparisons with Grundy and Longer, in fairness to Billy, Collingwood (at present) are in a far better spot than the Saints midfield-wise so its not hard to excel in a side that are currently enjoying the form that the Pies are showing.

[Junction Oval]

I like his aggressiveness for the contest. Was against a much taller, heavier opponent last night, which showed on numerous occasions.

The good news is that he is only just getting started and has lots of development time ahead of him. This consecutive run of games will help his development enormously. His interviews show that he is very keen to do well with the Saints.

[Moods]

Love the Brodie Grundy comparison, but I can't agree that they're at the same level at the moment IMO...Grundy is already an out and out gun!! Takes big marks, kicks goals, is heaps physical in the hit outs and also has quality disposal. He's taking on and beating the comps best ruckman in his first season and is the most complete young ruckman i've ever seen! But whether or not he keeps improving and the end product, gee it'd be good if Billy could be rated as good as Grundy, and if Hickey continues to mature into a good ruckman, it'll be great for our list as they should still be 3-5 years from coming into their prime!!!

We must be watching two different ruckmen. Grundy is a good young player, but you've wrapped him up way above where he is at. So he kicked a good goal in the last quarter on Anzac Day? Big deal! He is clumsy and gives away stacks of frees. Not overly quick. The best ruckmen towel him up - but for 19, he's going very well.

[BigMart]

How can you carry two very good #1 Ruckmen on your list, invariably one leaves to get more opportunity
Warnock left Freo, Jacobs left Carlton, Hampson left Richmond, Simmonds left Melbourne and then Freo, Jolly left Melbourne and Sydney. Maric left Adelaide

I remember Hille, Ryder and Bellchambers at Essendon... Three never worked and 1 very good player ended up in the VFL...
Same when Kruzer, Warnock and Hampson.... Mumford, Pyke and Tippett

Not sure you can have a huge commodity as a back up player... They are not going to be happy and it's a wasted exercise to over capitalise in one area in the cap

Generally and ideally
I very good player
A number 2 Ruckman
A GOP Ruckman with a mature body

A developing Ruckman

Perhaps a rookie also

I think you need to balance a list...

[saint6709]

He battled hard - only took the 1 mark so needs to get to a few more of those - also needs a few more seasons to fill out physically - but is showing promise

[fugazi]

How can you carry two very good #1 Ruckmen on your list, invariably one leaves to get more opportunity
Warnock left Freo, Jacobs left Carlton, Hampson left Richmond, Simmonds left Melbourne and then Freo, Jolly left Melbourne and Sydney. Maric left Adelaide

I remember Hille, Ryder and Bellchambers at Essendon... Three never worked and 1 very good player ended up in the VFL...
Same when Kruzer, Warnock and Hampson.... Mumford, Pyke and Tippett

Not sure you can have a huge commodity as a back up player... They are not going to be happy and it's a wasted exercise to over capitalise in one area in the cap

Generally and ideally
I very good player
A number 2 Ruckman
A GOP Ruckman with a mature body

A developing Ruckman

Perhaps a rookie also

I think you need to balance a list...

Are you suggesting we'll have to get rid of either Longer or Hickey, or they'll have to develop into a forward role like Tippet?
I still think you can play two ruckmen if they have some flexibility...Cox and Nic Nat for example

[BigMart]

Cox has flexibility, because he's a freak.... Not many ruckmen as followers can gather 25 possessions like him, or go forward and be as dangerous. Neither of our boys are or will be Dean Cox. Best Ruckman since Simon Madden.

I believe Stanley should develop into a #2
We need a power mid/size fwd IMO.... Hamill type player, not tall, but a powerful mark and can play out of the goal square or across HF....
And of course a power fwd

One of either Hickey and Longer in the VFL

[whiskers3614]

[quote="BigMart"]Cox has flexibility, because he's a freak.... Not many ruckmen as followers can gather 25 possessions like him, or go forward and be as dangerous. Neither of our boys are or will be Dean Cox. Best Ruckman since Simon Madden.

I believe Stanley should develop into a #2
We need a power mid/size fwd IMO.... Hamill type player, not tall, but a powerful mark and can play out of the goal square or across HF....
And of course a power fwd

One of either Hickey and Longer in the VFL[/quote]

Or swap one for a decent key forward?

[Toy Saint]

Bruce likes Big Cox, not sure how he feels about Longer, Willy.........

[dragit]

How can you carry two very good #1 Ruckmen on your list,

Generally and ideally
I very good player
A number 2 Ruckman
A GOP Ruckman with a mature body

I could think of worse problems to have, if they both become A grade (unlikely) and one wants to leave then we would get a first round pick…
Chances are one of them isn't quite as good and they become the #2… or injuries give both plenty of opportunity to play as the #1