Ben Long has travelled further than most to realise his dream. He moved from his home in Darwin to board at Melbourne Grammar for the last three years of his schooling. Once there, he played for a handful of different teams before St Kilda read out his name last November. On Sunday, he will become the 1586th player to represent the Saints.
Across a long winter in 2016, Long captained the Northern Territory in the under-18 national championships, before playing for the Allies in division one of the same tournament. When his school football commitments finished in August, Long accepted an invitation to play with Footscray in the VFL. From there, he never looked back, entrenching himself inside a forward line that marched all the way through September and to a premiership.
“I guess looking back at it now, coming all the way from Darwin and moving to Melbourne was a big step for me. Along the way, I played a lot of different footy levels in the VFL where I was happy to win a flag at Footscray. I guess it got me drafted to St Kilda and here I am now debuting for the Saints, so I’m rapt and very happy,” Long told saints.com.au on Thursday night.
Football flows through Long’s veins. His uncle is former Essendon champion wingman Michael Long and his first cousin is four-time premiership Hawthorn forward Cyril Rioli.
And given that Rioli blazed an almost identical path before him, albeit at Melbourne Grammar's arch nemesis Scotch College, it’s no surprise the excitement machine has played a pivotal role in Long’s development thus far.
“Growing up I had a role model in my older cousin Cyril Rioli. He’s had a big impact on me and been a big role model for me. I guess I sort of went along a similar pathway as him,” Long said.
“As a forward as well I try and mould my game around him; he brings the pressure and he’s really good on offence and with the footy. He’s a role model for me; I look up to him.
“(So has) my father and my uncle Michael Long who also played AFL. So there’s a mix of role models for me and they’ve always been there for me and are good to speak to for advice.”
In a small glimpse of what might lurk around the corner, Long produced a captivating half against Carlton in the JLT Community Series – his first game at the level. He finished with seven tackles and 34.4 pressure points in just 42 per cent game-time in an eye-catching display at Princes Park.
“It was a step up for me and I found a bit of confidence up there with by ‘Brucey’ and Mav [Weller] and the boys I play with in the forward line who give me a lot of confidence to play my own game and play off instinct and just give 100 per cent all day,” he said.
“It’s a role down forward that I’ve really been focusing on. As a team and as a whole in our forward line we really focus on our pressure and I think I can bring that to the team; I’ll be giving it me all on Sunday.”
Under the roof at Etihad Stadium on Sunday, Long will take the next step along a path that began when he packed up his life in Darwin and moved Melbourne at the start of 2014. The long wait is over.
