Kyle Langford is leading Essendon's goalkicking with Jake Stringer not far behind, playing a third tall forward role and exploiting matchups. It is not common for the full forward and centre half forward to not be even close to leading a team's attack, and today Nate Caddy comes in to replace Todd Goldstein to add further height in the Bomber front six. The classic knock against such structures is that you need a balance of smaller crumbers lest the opposition half backs have a field day on the rebound. Langford might have to concentrate more on ground pressure than leading today.
Kyle Langford is leading Essendon's goalkicking with Jake Stringer not far behind, playing a third tall forward role and exploiting matchups. It is not common for the full forward and centre half forward to not be even close to leading a team's attack, and today Nate Caddy comes in to replace Todd Goldstein to add further height in the Bomber front six. The classic knock against such structures is that you need a balance of smaller crumbers lest the opposition half backs have a field day on the rebound. Langford might have to concentrate more on ground pressure than leading today.
Kyle Langford is the sort of player who doesn't get headlines or decorate his stat sheet with gaudy numbers every week, but he makes his side better when he plays. He is to Essendon what Kane Lambert has been to Richmond during its flag run, playing much the same sort of role as a hard nut flanker rotating to inside mid. As a fantasy asset on his own he has too much variability to be a solid every week starter, though many coaches in draft leagues will start him hoping to catch his good days. He is probably more valuable to other premium mids at the Bombers.
Horror film from Langford
Coming off an impressive back end of 2018 where he looked to have cracked the code of how to play inside mid resting forward at senior level, Kyle Langford was picked for only three of the first eight rounds last season, then after building form through the byes was dropped again for round 16, only to be a late in followed by a poor month. His startable scores came when he lifted his disposal count above 20, though this happened only five times out of 18 appearances. It is a particularly bad sign for Langford that the club went to the draft for a search for inside midfield depth, exactly the role he was being groomed for. It would not surprise to see the likes of Jacob Townsend and Mitchell Hibberd rise above him in the pecking order in the first half of the season, even if his own form is not that bad, as it seems someone doesn't like him down there. As it is, he's nearly free agent fodder as his scoring floor and job security are both low.
Big picture for Langford
Wearing the number 4 on your back at Essendon carries a certain weight, especially if you start playing central midfield as Kyle Langford did more as last year wore on. After some VFL time working on his new role, he shifted from small forward to adding centre rotations and then playing almost permanent midfield, with four fantasy tons after the bye. He only reached 20 disposals in half of those games, but made up for it in some with goals and tackles. It was pleasing watching Langford develop before our eyes in the second half of the year. He has the prototype build for a modern inside midfielder, and an extra preseason should do him the world of good in the one area he still lacks, which is strength. Going into year five, he should be highly sought after in the middle rounds of your draft, with at least one coach in your league probably eyeing him off for a reach even earlier as he has considerable upside.
Study film on Langford
One of the younger players whose job security ended up hurt by the return of suspended stars, Kyle Langford spent most of 2017 in the VFL. However, he was shifted from a HFF to central midfield and flourished there, averaging 21 disposals and five tackles for 91 fantasy points. Langford is one of those players you should have on your watchlist for the JLT, as if it looks like he's made his way into the senior line up as a midfielder, probably as a replacement for Brent Stanton, then he could be a big sleeper candidate. If Worsfold persists with him on a flank, look elsewhere.
