Ben Long

[The Billings Method]

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/ ... dba0a58ec2

Interesting read. Ben Long not in their best 22.

[Vazelos]

It may come as a huge shock to Long's fans, but Sinclair's stat's are superior for 2017-20. JWeb as well is slightly better than Long 2017-19. Shock horror, so are DMaC's for 2017-19. The latter two didn't get a go in 2020 because of injury and for the coach's tin ear for his pet's faults and dislike for DMaC's kicking. Even if it goes at 74% efficiency.

There's nothing worse than some inconvenient facts that contradict the opinions presented as fact by self appointed itks. I just can't take that sort of post seriously.

I think this is a really good, fun and interesting but I’m struggling with your reference to ITKs here. Looks to me like we’re all just stating our opinions hence am not sure what you’re getting at there.

With regards to the topic... I’m somewhat miffed at your point of comparison.

What’s the connection here between Long as more of a run with HBF that goes hard at the contest to SInclair who played as a midfielder that spent a lot of time on either flank at times as a play maker? They don’t look to me like they’re in direct competition

Likewise the most overrated player on the list IMO in Webster.
He’s been on the list for nearly 10 years at this point and all I hear is what a great player he’ll be if he’s injury free but I don’t think he’s even had one solid good year yet. Jimmy is not great in minding his opponent, frequently falls over... has the most erratic disposal and decision making we’ve seen since Raph Clarke but unlike Raph... he’s not one for prioritise the team stuff first.

That criticism aside... again, what’s the comparison here? Webster is a medium sized, intercept mark, put the ball in his hand and let him boom the ball out of defence type. He’s in competition with guys like Coffield and Wilkie as opposed to Long, Clarke and Paton.

Dmac is a much more apt comparison but how you’ve ended up with him as an almost starting 22 ahead of Long when most of us have him waiting out his contract to be cut is lost on me.
You point to possessions and DE... I point to the fact he gets burned by the faster, creative types, I don’t want the ball in his hands, and he doesn’t impact the play enough.
Paton and Geary are far preferred as stoppers
Clarke and Long you’d rather have around the contest.

100% agree with others that Long has a lot of room for improvement still with the most obvious area being the line between attacking the contest / flair and keeping the structure. Couldn’t help but feel that the back 6 of Coffield, Clark, Carlisle, Wilkie, Howard and Paton excelled at working together as a unit... knowing which plays go up in the contest, how to cover the spaces etc... Long to both positive and negative effect broke the structure and worked hard to get to the ball/contest, went for the speccy or tackle and lived and died by the results.

As has been pointed out... he needs to get a lot better at picking and choosing when to go as he periodically leaves his man open to get to a contest he can’t positively influence. The flip side of that though is his manic pressure, intensity and X-factor.

Anyway that’s my 2 cents on the question

Again on the money with Webster.
Erratic disposal, loses his feet too often in crucial moments and not the tightest marker...

[perfectionist]

Half back line is our major weakness. Neither Long nor Webster are good enough - making too many errors.

I think I preferred the shorter game.

And a question for people. Why do we have practice matches? It seems a whole lot of wasted effort for no points.

[shanegrambeau]

Half back line is our major weakness. Neither Long nor Webster are good enough - making too many errors.

I think I preferred the shorter game.

And a question for people. Why do we have practice matches? It seems a whole lot of wasted effort for no points.

It’s an attacking game. Practise match. So half backs gonna be under a ton of pressure as forwards won’t drop back as much?

[roskilde]

Half back line is our major weakness. Neither Long nor Webster are good enough - making too many errors.

I think I preferred the shorter game.

And a question for people. Why do we have practice matches? It seems a whole lot of wasted effort for no points.

It's massively needed for fitness for one. There's no comparison between training and actual matches in terms of getting players prepared.

Great players train like they're in a match situation but ultimately there really is no substitute for actual competitive matches when it comes to fitness.

[The Billings Method]

Another typical Long gem gives away a goal. Hasn't he been so impressive again?

[The Fireman]

Long will be a regular in our side. despite the thoughts of some ....individuals on here.

[bangaulegend]

Long will be a regular in our side. despite the thoughts of some ....individuals on here.

I'm with you brother he made some mistakes but he takes the game on & his defensive pressure & run is exactly what we need IMO

[Impatient Sainter]

Im usually a Ben Long fan but he played like Raph Clarke tonight!

[bigred]

He needs to be much cleaner than that.

[The Billings Method]

Gives away goals like Santa Claus gives away presents.

[bangaulegend]

Im usually a Ben Long fan but he played like Raph Clarke tonight!

Wow that's harsh. Definitely not his best performance by any stretch but Kosi has more awareness that Raph IMO

[shanegrambeau]

How long has Long been deemed a 'defender'?

[Scollop]

I get it that some don’t think he deserves a spot in the team or that he doesn't get enough of the footy, but you need to ask yourself why. Why do the coaches select him? What do they see that you don’t? What do they understand about the game of footy that you don’t

The problem with some of the posters who are criticising Long’s efforts last night is that they were looking for mistakes.

Every player will make mistakes. Clark and Gresh and King and Howard and Wilkie all do. Jack Steele does. Jack Higgins does. Lenny Hayes did. Nick Riewoldt did. Clint Jones did. Jason Blake did etc..

I could easily post every single possession of Ben’s and highlight each ball that hits its target and all the positives

Have another look at the game and watch every single possession and every single action from Ben Long

I guarantee you that the positives far outweigh the occasional lapse in concentration or occasional clanger or free against

[Moods]

Holds on to the ball too long. Decision making is average. Skills slightly above average. Running ability is good. Intensity is excellent. Physicality is very good.
Overall, just treading water imo

[Scollop]

Holds on to the ball too long. Decision making is average. Skills slightly above average. Running ability is good. Intensity is excellent. Physicality is very good.
Overall, just treading water imo

So what’s your take on the other 60-70 % of his possessions

[aaron82]

Long is a frustrating player for mine, he has brain fades and is prone to giving very silly free kicks up. But I agree with Scollop in that his good outweighs his bad. People only look for the negative things he does. When he runs and carry's the ball he can kick with both feet and be more challenging to defend than say a Webster who either needs to go on the left or run around the opposition and get back on his left foot.

Losing Paton right now is our biggest issue as we have lost a really good lock down defender. Webster isn't as strong in this space, Long isn't as good defensively, Geary is injured. I'm hoping we can find a solution for this area otherwise players better than Zac Fisher will take us to the cleaners.

[older saint]

Long is a frustrating player for mine, he has brain fades and is prone to giving very silly free kicks up. But I agree with Scollop in that his good outweighs his bad. People only look for the negative things he does. When he runs and carry's the ball he can kick with both feet and be more challenging to defend than say a Webster who either needs to go on the left or run around the opposition and get back on his left foot.

Losing Paton right now is our biggest issue as we have lost a really good lock down defender. Webster isn't as strong in this space, Long isn't as good defensively, Geary is injured. I'm hoping we can find a solution for this area otherwise players better than Zac Fisher will take us to the cleaners.

Not sure about kicks both feet, running on the boundry could had have an easy left foot entry and used a checkside when was no upside to that choice
Overall attack on the ball is hard my worry is targeted by opposiiton as a player to attack, much like we did with Saad last night. Best case scenario is either he keeps his spot - which means improvement , or someone else goes past him (SInclair?) which from a club perspective is a good thing also

[saint6709]

i thought he was about to explode as player going into last season - he has showed signs but last night was very underwhelming i thought

i would say he needs to lift

[saintsRrising]

I think that Long has ability. I am just not convinced that he can play the back pocket role well enough and at present it seems they are testing to see if he can fill in for Paton/Geary there.

[perfectionist]

He wants to play a game that he is simply not built for, that is, where he can take them on and burst through. He's not strong enough, which is part of the reason that he is caught so often. These days, you need height and strength from all back line players, especially when they don't have pace.

[ace]

Leave Wrecking Ball alone you racists.

[B.M]

Wrecking ball - hardly

Comes off the line at centre bounce and tries to take players out.... I’d prefer he either stays on his man or gets the footy.

That sort of stuff is not really that brave

[SaintPav]

Leave Wrecking Ball alone you racists.

STFU

[The Billings Method]

I didn't know Miley Cyrus was playing for us.