Mr Fix-it Lin Jong has been in and out of the team for as long as he's been on the list, providing his best record in the flag-winning year of 2016 though he missed the big one through injury. The depth midfielder was first hindered in 2018 by a hamstring strain in February before appendix surgery in April then stepping away from football to focus on mental health in July. Jong is still sidelined indefinitely and will need to regain fitness in the VFL if and when he returns to football. A fit Jong probably sits behind Rhylee West in midfield depth these days anyway, and the club probably needs to prioritise youth with higher upside in any case. Avoid in the draft, though he might be a free agent pick up during the season if a big injury toll hits the club.
Lin focuses on sanity
Mr Fix-it Lin Jong has been in and out of the team for as long as he's been on the list, providing his best record in the flag-winning year of 2016 though he missed the big one through injury. The depth midfielder was first hindered in 2018 by a hamstring strain in February before appendix surgery in April then stepping away from football to focus on mental health in July. Jong is still sidelined indefinitely and will need to regain fitness in the VFL if and when he returns to football. A fit Jong probably sits behind Rhylee West in midfield depth these days anyway, and the club probably needs to prioritise youth with higher upside in any case. Avoid in the draft, though he might be a free agent pick up during the season if a big injury toll hits the club.
Things go wrong for Jong
The 2018 season provided another luckless run with injury for Lin Jong. On the comeback from an ACL rupture, he was dropped to the VFL for May and June, then on his round 15 recall he broke his collarbone. Subsequently, his average disposal and tackle counts decreased markedly. The midfield/forward has missed 39 of a possible 88 home and away matches over the prior four years. Signing a two-year contract in the off-season, the club has signalled their belief in Jong. Lack of continuity has stalled his progression, depite flashes of brilliance. Splitting his time between the engine room and forward line, it will be important for Jong to have greater scoreboard impact. He is unlikely to warrant selection through the draft, although he may present as value in-season off the free agent pool.
Lin Jong lacks xingyun
Missing out on the 2016 flag gave Lin Jong enough motivation in preseason to cement himself in the inside midfield for every game of 2017, until round 13 when he wrecked his knee. His fantasy scoring dropped, though, as even though he got more footy his ratio swung further inside and he lost most of the goals he had kicked resting forward. Rehab from that ACL injury is likely to last the regulation 12 months, meaning Jong will not return to footy until midseason and would probably resume in the VFL. Unlike teammate Mitch Wallis, who was in a similar position the previous year, his ceiling is not high enough to consider burning a late pick on him so he can wait it out on your bench.
