The Age says Clarko would like Ben Long at Norf

[WellardSaint]

Jake Niall n Peter Ryan of The Age,
who are trying to outdo Barrett and Caro in the Rumour-Mill championships

They write that Clarko has spoken to Ben Long.
I think they look at Clarko thinking of Hill, and they went 'Long hasn't signed, maybe Clarko wants another indigenous boy from Saints'

Nothing but gossip IMHO

[Scollop]

What is Clarkson thinking? He’s lost the plot wanting a useless fumbler like Ben Long

Surely the tossers on saintsational understand the game of aussie rules better than Clarko

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cla ... 0A4PkVD2sc

[Banger9798]

Dreadful by the club if we lose Ben Long.

Reckon Norf will try for Hill and Long for their end of first round pick

[ace]

Dreadful by the club if we lose Ben Long.

Reckon Norf will try for Hill and Long for their end of first round pick

Nah, Saints will demand Norfs No1 draft pick



Then offer it to Sydney for Paddy McCartin.

[Rubyjo]

Is clarko wanting anyone else but long and Hill in the whole Afl ....sounds like The Saints have offended Clarko and he is stirring shite ..or footy reporters are stirring shite ..why is clarko focusing on the saints .. if it's true ..rumour was he wants viney from the demons ...Is clarko just shooting off is any of it true .why would he focus in on the saints like he is . Logically you wouldn't pick Hill or Long as the only two people you want to rebuild North.. what the hell is going on.

[Teflon]

Clarko sees plenty that Long can bring
Been medi sub, thrown around by dumb and dumber saints crew can u blame him if he walked?

[Banger9798]

Clarko loved Rivoli as that X factor. Maybe sees that in Long.

[WellardSaint]

The article also says Clarko is keen on Junior Rioli from WCE (Willie, who changed his name recently)

So the 'reporters' are going with the indigenous flavour.
They're cooking up gossip using a nice convincing theme, to make it more believable.

All off a throwaway remark that 'Hill would look good in blue n white'

It's called drawin a Long bow

[mad saint guy]

If Long is after a big pay raise then I wouldn't be upset if we let him go. He had a great game in the final round but that was very much an anomaly. I'm happy to keep him on the list as cheap depth but I don't think he's a best 22 player in a finals team.

[WellardSaint]

If Long is after a big pay raise then I wouldn't be upset if we let him go. He had a great game in the final round but that was very much an anomaly. I'm happy to keep him on the list as cheap depth but I don't think he's a best 22 player in a finals team.

I'd be really cut if he moved clubs and consistently played like he did against the Swans.
And I reckon most of us would be p1ssed off as well

[Impatient Sainter]

I will be really disappointed if we lose Long. Surely the club (Ratts) rate his aggression, leadership and versatility? He seemed the only one who cared about the result at times during the season.

[Banger9798]

I will be really disappointed if we lose Long. Surely the club (Ratts) rate his aggression, leadership and versatility? He seemed the only one who cared about the result at times during the season.

Looks to me like he has , at last, got himelf fit enough and confident enough to play well at the level. His second half of the year was good, and last game excellent.

Big mistake to let him go ,IMO

[Scollop]

I will be really disappointed if we lose Long. Surely the club (Ratts) rate his aggression, leadership and versatility? He seemed the only one who cared about the result at times during the season.

Looks to me like he has , at last, got her myself fit enough and confident enough to play well at the level. His second half of the year was good, and last game excellent.

Big mistake to let him go ,IMO

Yeah but his improvement is apparently only going to be good for 1 game. He’ll lose all his skill and his fitness and his hardness next year. He’ll be a marshmallow if we play him in a final

The experts on saintsational have spoken. That last game was an ‘anomaly’.

[bakes]

North reed to start their re-build by instilling a competitive culture. There aren't too many players in the AFL that are more aggressive than Long. He'll show the other North players the standard required. That's why North would want him.

[st.byron]

Clarko sees plenty that Long can bring
Been medi sub, thrown around by dumb and dumber saints crew can u blame him if he walked?

Nope can't blame him at all. Meanwhile Ratten remains coach and we have a "review" conducted by the person whoost needs reviewing.

[B.M]

Would be a loss

[cwrcyn]

The compensation would be interesting.

Long and Hill for pick one?
Hill for next year's 2nd rounder & Long for Zurhar?

[Banger9798]

They can just march Long through the PSD if required, though

[older saint]

Lets take the emotion out of it.

Long has just come off his best half a season i think he has played- in many ways better than 2020.
He is 25 and was pick 25 in the draft (compromised if i remember correctly)

To me we need to come out and say he is a required player. It then comes down to what they want to pay for him in a trade. Remember at this stage Norf do not have a second round pick. If they were willing to offer a mid to late second round pick i say seriously consider it, anything lower no as he is of an age we are short in, perhaps still has some upside but in reality is a 16-25th player in a top 4 team.

I actually thinking it is a bit of a fishing exercise to see what bites they can get .

[D.B.Cooper]

I get that Long has been inconsistent, however is that due to not being given a role he can settle into or is it something else.

At his best he is very good and is as hard as anyone on the list. He’s not just a sniper he is unflinching & prepared to stick his head and body over the ball or in marking contests.

I would not be surprised if he left, settled at half back and became a very good player at another club.

He’s got some good traits, competitive, tough, very good over head, good foot skills.

[meher baba]

Sorry if I don't join in the Ben Long lovefest. He's got plenty of skill, but he has only been patchy in his delivery and has rightly struggled to hold down a first team spot at a mediocre club. Yes, he gave a terrific performance in a dead fixture when the pressure was off: that's not enough for mine.

If he wants to go to North Melbourne then that's fine by me: I would far rather that than have the club pay more for him than he's worth.

So many players get lambasted on SS for not delivering consistently and allegedly not trying hard enough. But Long generally gets a free pass from these critics. I don't get it: he just isn't that good. I reckon Hill plus Long for a first round pick would be a pretty good deal.

[saynta]

What is Clarkson thinking? He’s lost the plot wanting a useless fumbler like Ben Long

Surely the tossers on saintsational understand the game of aussie rules better than Clarko

https://www.theage.com.au/sport/afl/cla ... 0A4PkVD2sc

[Yorkeys]

Every club would be interested in Ben.

Media are really flogging the cult of Clarko. Are we buying? Not me.

Finals can't come soon enough so media can have something substantial to write about.

[CURLY]

Long is a butcher by foot still. He's a liablity at times on the ground with stupid mistakes.

[Teflon]

Long is a butcher by foot still. He's a liablity at times on the ground with stupid mistakes.

Hill is a liability by foot with our Russian roulette game plan ffs….3 time premiership player lauded for his footskills in a well coached team where he’s used well
Point is - Longs footskills, especially second half of season, haven’t been bad at all
His ability to generate genuine perceived pressure (cause he actually hits hard unlike Butler who just falls off in a tackle) can’t be learnt
He’s at breakout point with his footy Long
Only St Kilda could **** that up