Ben Long said all the things football players are taught to say after all but winning the game for the Suns against Collingwood on Saturday – not taking credit for the goal that put his team back in front, crediting his teammates, the opposition, anybody but himself.
That is fair enough. But Long’s split-watermelon grin told a bigger truth. After a year in and out of the side, looking lost in defence under Stuart Dew, Long’s return to a pressure forward role has reaped deep dividends both for Long and his club.Long’s two goals, and a final assist to Ben Ainsworth that sealed the result, were critical to
Had coach Damian Hardwick warned them what was to come? “We knew in that second half they were being more aggressive with the footy,” Long said. “So we just had that in the back of our mind, of being more defensive, but still playing our way, which got us over the line. “Our backs were awesome all day, and especially our mids – giving us forwards good service. It was good to get a sneaky sausage to win the game, and give another one away.”Long is one of several players to have had a career rebirth under Hardwick; Tom Berry, Alex Sexton and even original Suns signing Sam Day are others. They are role players, but Hardwick saw strengths where others saw fatal flaws.Long has seized what might have been his last chance.
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