Ben Long is our best player and should be made captain

[groupie1]

As per the title: kid has class, aggro, skills to burn, strength, and a massive future.

Make him captain and watch him soar and demand the same of the team.

Disagree if you like.

[Crossy66]

Shows glimpses but too inconsistent, fringe best 22 on exposed form. Needs a few more games under the belt.

[skeptic]

Leadership qualities seem important in that role. Any comment on those?

[PADDLEPOP1001]

Not near it at this stage!

[whiskers3614]

Sandy?

[Rubyjo]

Interesting player.. Needs a few more years experience under his belt before he comes into consideration.

[fugazi]

I have him closer to trade bait than captain.

[spert]

VFL player with a few tricks, but needs to go up a lot of rungs on the ladder to be an effective player for us.

[elizabethr]

Maybe by 2023

[ace]

Sandy?

Yeah, captain of Sandy would teach him to play responsibly, but would happen to Sandy on those occasions when he is required by St Kilda.
He definitely needs to learn to play responsibly
- no more flying for a mark against a key position team mate
- no more leading into a hole created for the benefit of a real marking target
- drawing his opponent away from contesting marking duels
- If his opponent zones off then becoming a marking target himself
- getting to the drop of marking duels
- he already chases aggressively when the opposition has the ball

He just needs to do what Lonie tries to do but who often lacks sufficient physical presence.

[Toy Saint]

Long was quite serviceable against Freo, his uncle was quite good at football

[SaintPav]

As per the title: kid has class, aggro, skills to burn, strength, and a massive future.

Make him captain and watch him soar and demand the same of the team.

Disagree if you like.

Not sure which is more realistic: this thread or your sig...

[Spinner]

Easily best 22.

His marking one on one is class. So is his pressure in the forward line.

Looking forward to more consistency!

[B.M]

Doesn’t find the ball enough.

Last three games he struggled to get 10 touches

In the side because Kent is not.

[Zed]

His best is a class above anything else we have . But only brings his best maybe once or twice a game at most, and then goes missing for extended periods.
If he can get his hands on the ball an extra 6 - 10 times per game he will easily be our most dangerous and exciting forward.

[ausfatcat]

troll

[saintsRrising]

As per the title: kid has class, aggro, skills to burn, strength, and a massive future.

Make him captain and watch him soar and demand the same of the team.

Disagree if you like.

So how many bottles did you consume prior to posting?

[desertsaint]

hold on, is it off season already?

[groupie1]

As per the title: kid has class, aggro, skills to burn, strength, and a massive future.

Make him captain and watch him soar and demand the same of the team.

Disagree if you like.

So how many bottles did you consume prior to posting?

A few... but not so much that. I was throwin' it out there to get considered debate. Most people took the post on pure face value, sadly.

[groupie1]

His best is a class above anything else we have . But only brings his best maybe once or twice a game at most, and then goes missing for extended periods.
If he can get his hands on the ball an extra 6 - 10 times per game he will easily be our most dangerous and exciting forward.

I agree with what you say, and I just get the feeling being captain could help him improve his consistency. It's a risk, but in the end a small risk. If it doesn't work, fix it the next year.

[groupie1]

Leadership qualities seem important in that role. Any comment on those?

He's pretty vocal onfield but I think not as vocal as he would be as a captain.
Family designed the jumper - it's a great emotional link to the club and I reckon he cares.

There are different kinds of leaders. I think Ben would make one in the mold of Viv Richards. He was probably a better player than a captain (Clive being the opposite). But he was a great captain at the time, because his arrogance and individual brilliance made others around him better.

[freely]

I just get the feeling being captain could help him improve his consistency. It's a risk, but in the end a small risk. If it doesn't work, fix it the next year.

Ah, the famous rotating captaincy, how we miss it!

[saintspremiers]

hold on, is it off season already?

Yes, Sam Rowe will be selected in the ones

[Spinner]

Doesn’t find the ball enough.

Last three games he struggled to get 10 touches

In the side because Kent is not.

18 touches and 6 marks against Fremantle last week.

Miss that game did you?

That or just deliberately making up lies now...

[Crossy66]

Doesn’t find the ball enough.

Last three games he struggled to get 10 touches

In the side because Kent is not.

18 touches and 6 marks against Fremantle last week.

Miss that game did you?

That or just deliberately making up lies now...

And therein lies the paradox. That game against Freo was good, but the game before he had 4 touches and last week 9. one of his main weapons, his tackling has dropped off with 1, 2 and 1 in the last 3 weeks.
Dont get me wrong, he is 21 years old, and has some talent, but needs consistency to lock down a place in our best 22 next year. I think he will do that, but if as predicted, we pick up Hill and one other mid plus King is a third tall and Bytel kicks on, spots will become competitive, particularly for that smallish forward spot.