The energetic small forward’s 2025 season centred on his return from a significant knee injury sustained in 2024, with the year providing a crucial platform to rebuild match fitness and confidence as he worked back toward his best football. A draft slider in 2022 who the Eagles were delighted to recruit with pick 58, Long exceeded expectations in his debut season, playing 19 games and booting seven goals to ultimately finish top-10 (tenth overall) in the Club Champion award. The diminutive Bendigo product was highly rated as a junior before suffering a broken collarbone which impacted his draft year and has the football nous and work ethic to enjoy a long career at the top level. At a Glance: Junior clubs: Echuca (VIC)/Geelong Grammar (VIC). Debut: Round 1, 2023. Recruited from: Bendigo Pioneers (VIC). Brownlow votes: 0.
