When I get time I will go back and watch Q4 of the Swans game.
The fact is the selectors dropped from the team and didn’t bring him back.
He is unequivocally the most over-rated player on our list.
Not sure how he can be the most overrated player on our list.
There is literally about 5 people on here that believe he can be a very good player.
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Langers got dropped after Brisbane game not Swans. His last qrt against swans was solid from memory. Brisbane last qrt got 2 centre clearances.
Myers asked to go to VFLto get form and Langers was only ever going to come up for that period from what i believe and maybe told at a training session i attended.
Overrated perhaps by some supporters but importantly rated by club and coaches
So, I went back and looked at Q4 in the Swans game.
He only had 5 touches - would have had a 6th if Rohan hadn’t smothered the ball as Langford attempted to kick in a passage of play where Langford had 2-3 possessions in quick succession. There was still quite a few minutes to go and Langford didn’t get near it again.
His first couple of possessions in Q4 were lead up passes, as a high half-forward under no real pressure. The very first of these, very early in Q4 illustrates his poor work rate relative to his teammates. He received the pass from Zaharakis who passed the ball from between half back on wing. Langford then passed to Stewart at half-forward who kicked long towards Daniher deep in the forward line. The ball is spoilt forward and who should grab the crumb between half-forward and forward pocket - Zaharakis who had run past Langford and kept working (past Stewart for that matter). Zaharakis got tackled and there was a stoppage. Langford then arrives. He got overtaken to the ball by a hungrier, harder-working teammate.
Exactly what happened in our big win against the Blues late in 2016 when, late in Q3 (from memory), Kommer (in his last game) ran past Langford to tackle a Blues player running off half-back that created a spillage for Daniher to pounce on (my Blues supporting brother-in-law sitting next to me couldn’t believe how lazy Langford looked).
Langford simply does not work hard enough with enough repeat efforts for long enough - if he can rectify this he could become a very good player because the talent is there. It’s the stamina/tank/work-rate that’s lacking.
Langers ran past Zaka in this years time trial. That’s a start I guess.
Garbage - Myers had asked to go back to the VFL earlier in the season and was brought back after the Brisbane debacle to replace Langford who had been dropped unequivocally where we were run off our legs in Q4 and our midfielders could not raise a gallop.
I doubt Langford played again at senior level in 2017. You cannot carry a midfielder who only has a tank for about 50%-60% of an AFL game.
That next game was against the Pies and Myers had 30+ possessions with 72% time on the ground. Against Brisbane Langford only had 19 possessions with almost identical time on the ground on the ground (71%) on a smaller ground. It’s all about work rate. I recall Langford playing reasonably well in the first half and then disappearing out of the game after half-time.
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Of course he ran past him, he was running while langford was coming back off his mark and kicking. He also had about 6 preseasons on Langford.
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Langford had 71% game time which was the least of any Essendon player.
He also had 19 possessions which was the equal of zerrett.
Langers had 7 tackles which second to only Jobe.
You can paint the narrative in all sorts of ways.
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And Langers was drafted at what 76 kg was 90 odd last year. Changed role arguably the toughest midfield first game back. And then you want to ( BWAS) not Ivan trump up Myers game against Collingwood. Give me a spell- blind freddy would have racked up possesions that day
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Fact is 19 possessions for Zerrett is a bad day.
Yes, Langford tackled well - as I said I recall him having a reasonable-good first half. He is quite ok in the stoppage before the ball spreads so he can definitely get the tackles in. His problem is that cannot spread once the ball leaves a stoppage for stoppage after stoppage. He is quickly spent.
Mate, he has only just finished his third year and has played predominantly as a forward throughout his career. That is junior level also.
As pointed out above he has also grown a considerable amount since arriving at the club!
He has just finished fifth or sixth in our time trial. That should be applauded that he is putting in the effort on the track.
He was excellent in the VFL last season also. He is ticking all the boxes except yours.
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Ivan - that’s the point. Zaharakis started working up the ground immediately he kicked the ball. Langford actually didn’t; he actually spectated after he kicked (or ambled quite slowly however you wish to describe it).
Yes, Zaharakis would have 5-6-7 pre-seasons on Langford but watch just how hard Zaharakis works in the first 10 minutes of the Q4 in the Swans game. Langford, at that part of the game was simply playing as a high-half forward and not required to work half has hard. He should had more in reserve.
If he can translate his time trial results into a better tank at AFL level, that would be wonderful - I’ll be the first to applaud him. He should dominate at VFL level (did occasionally) as he is playing against midfields that would have about 50% part-time footballers so wouldn’t have near his fitness base.
I think he has got talent and would make a very good good tall 3rd/4th forward in the Gunston type role.
But he keeps saying he wants to be a “big-bodied midfielder” and everyone here keeps building him up as one yet he naturally lacks the ruthless ball attacking skills of one and certainly lacks the tank to work & spread from stoppage to stoppage. It doesn’t mean he can’t work towards it and build his engine and become what everyone hopes he will be.
The fact is right now he is nowhere near it and the selectors recognised this after the Brisbane game and weren’t going to jeopardise getting a spot in the Top 8 to giver him games, as a midfielder, any longer.
I would love to see play in AFLX and run up and down the ground continuously in what will be a very fast type of game. It will show me he is building the tank he needs. But he also has to show intent and a willingness to push himself from stoppage to stoppage.
The past 3 Brownlow medalists, all big bodied, all were a working progress in their third year. Being super fit by your third season is rare especially the bigger guys.
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Take the blinkers off mate.
Yep, they might still have been “building” towards their best but they were all natural ball animals from the very start (i.e. tough, uncompromising, high-contested ball types).
Langford cannot be described as a natural brute - he is laconic by nature. He needs to train himself in mind, as much as body, to be considered in the same league as elite big-bodied midfielders like Martin, Kennedy & Fyfe.
As that type of player he is nowhere near where they were in style after year 3. He reminds a lot of Jack Gunston and please take that as praise for Langford.
Langford is trying to make himself into something he naturally isn’t so he has to work twice as hard as those who have the natural style to play the big-bodied midfielder role.
Tell me, what blinkers?
This is classic essington mentality
Myers is garbage. If he’s best 22 next year we’re going nowhere
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The ones where you keep shifting the goal posts to suit your narrative.
Every argument you have made has been shot down so you just dismiss it and make another.
I actually don’t mind that people don’t rate Langers. Myself and a few others will enjoy it when he starts to make a large impression.
This time last year people were wanting Irish Cut from the list.
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I completely agree with baker. Langford lacks the attack on the ball and hunger good inside midfielders have. He needs to develop this. Surely you can see that’s something he needs to work on
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