Ned Long has come into the Collingwood senior side as it transitions away from Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom as the lynchpins of its midfield. Some fantasy coaches thought Harry Perryman might be part of the engine room crew after his off-season transfer from GWS, but he along with Dan Houston have been firmly ensconced in defence leaving Long and other younger conveyances to provide the run out of stoppages that the Pies thrive on. Some days you get a ticket to the Nick Daicos show, today is more of a winter grind where plodders like Long can shine.
Ned Long has come into the Collingwood senior side as it transitions away from Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom as the lynchpins of its midfield. Some fantasy coaches thought Harry Perryman might be part of the engine room crew after his off-season transfer from GWS, but he along with Dan Houston have been firmly ensconced in defence leaving Long and other younger conveyances to provide the run out of stoppages that the Pies thrive on. Some days you get a ticket to the Nick Daicos show, today is more of a winter grind where plodders like Long can shine.
Ned Long has come into the Collingwood senior side at an interesting time, with an injury toll mounting by the match including two to first-choice talls last week. He is listed at 194cm and is the only player named in the Magpies front six above 190 for the game against teh Cats, albeit Frampton and Kreuger lurk on the bench and can both play key position in attack. With Craig McRae also choosing to omit Charlie Dean, the Pies go into this game with Long almost required to play as a target forward, a role which does not fit his roaming playstyle. How will the ex-Hawk respond?
Ned Long was picked up in last year's rookie draft and has not exactly been beating down the door in the VFL, dealing with some minor injuries including a concussion. He is the prototypical tall inside midfielder, a body shape made popular in that role in the modern game by Joel Corey and which is becoming increasingly well represented. Not all prototypes become the finished product, though, and he is probably not ready for senior action. Round 23 is when club coaches destroy potential fantasy cash cows' prices for the next season, and Long may be one of those.
