For Echuca’s AFL hopeful Noah Long, his dream of making it to the top level could soon become reality as the draft approaches in late November.
After a strong NAB AFL National Championships campaign for Victoria Country and last weekend’s AFL Draft Combine under his belt, the Echuca Football Netball Club product is shaping up as valuable small forward/midfield prospect.
Long has been touted as a second-round or early third-round selection at the draft, but that’s not on his mind right now — his focus is centred on enjoying the process.
“It’s been a dream since I was a kid (to be drafted), and it only turned into a goal in the last couple of years,” Long said.
“It always seemed so far away but to have it now only a month away still seems ridiculous.
“It’s more exciting now because the season’s done and there’s nothing else to it — there’s just the wait.
“I’m hoping to end up on a list next year but I’m just taking it all in at the moment and trying to enjoy it as much as possible.
"It’s something you dream about for ages and it’s just around the corner. It’s definitely nerve-wracking but it’s an exciting time.”
Draft hopefuls descended on Margaret Court Arena last weekend, participating in a range of tests before interviewing with AFL clubs.
“It’s a bit daunting at the start but you get pretty used to it after you have a few (interviews),” Long said.
“They were only 20-minute talks so not massive, once you get a few under your belt you get pretty comfortable and get to show them who you actually are.”
Long’s best performance came in the agility test, where his 8.34-second run saw him finish in the top 10.
He catapulted himself into draft calculations after a strong NAB AFL National Championships campaign, including a three-goal haul against Western Australia, but his road to the draft hasn’t been an easy one.
A broken collarbone in his first Bendigo Pioneers game for the campaign presented an early-season setback but, as Long explained, that setback proved to be a blessing in disguise as the midfielder added another element to his game.
“At the beginning, the first emotions I felt were anger and disappointment, because it’s your draft year and you want to put your best foot forward,” Long said.
“A couple of days after surgery my focus shifted to ‘how can I make this better for myself.’
“I turned to the coaching staff and kept helping out at training and getting myself in better condition.
“Once I returned, I started adapting to a new role down forward, something that I haven’t played a whole heap of in the past.
“It was a bit of a blessing in disguise; I ended up being able to showcase my forward ability which then gives me another string to my bow in the future.”
Long balances preparing for football life with his Year 12 studies at Geelong Grammar, and the born-and-bred local conceded it was initially an intimidating prospect shifting three hours down the highway.
“It was quite daunting as a boy in Year 9 that lived at home his whole life to face the reality of living independently in Geelong, three hours away from home,” Long said.
“There are great mentors at the school and great resources that made my move seamless in a sense.
“It’s something I haven’t really looked back on. It’s held me in perfect stead, no matter what happens next year I’ll be moving out of home.
“Moving down in Year 10, I sort of saw that as ‘yeah, this is my opportunity to have a really big crack.’
"Coming into Year 11 and playing for Vic Country under-17s as well as playing a few school games just made me feel like I’m up to it and that I’m good enough.“
As a smaller option, Long said Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale was a player he strived to model his game on.
“For me, he’s a wonderful role model because a smaller midfielder, a smaller player,” Long said.
“He builds his game off his clean hands, and I feel like that’s an area I was naturally gifted, that clean approach at ground level. I’ve seen that as an area to make my weapon.
“When you’re a smaller type you need to give a bit more to keep up with the rest of the pack.
“He’s someone that gives the smaller kids a bit of hope into how good you can be at the next level.”
With Echuca nominated as his community club, Long has been keeping close tabs on the Murray Bombers in season 2022, and despite not donning the Bottle Green this season said he was thrilled to see the club attain premiership success.
“It was great seeing the amount of (Echcua) teams in grand final day this year and finally seeing the seniors getting some reward for effort,” he said.
“I’ve been in Echuca long enough and supported them through the journey and it was great to see the end result.”
The NAB AFL Draft will take place from November 28-29.