Ben takes the Long view on Suns' future

Jackson Clark Published December 6, 2022 at 2.00pm (AWST)

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Photo credit: AFL.

Gold Coast recruit Ben Long is hoping to solidify a spot in the Suns' defence in 2023.

Long – who has played 79 AFL games – requested a trade from St Kilda to the Gold Coast during this off-season.

"The Gold Coast have got a role down back for me, so I am looking forward to that." Long told SEN Fridays in the Top End.

"I met with Gold Coast a few times, there are great people there and I am looking forward to the opportunity."

The tough utility spent plenty of time up forward at the Saints, but believes he produces his best football as a defender.

"Personally, I love playing in the backline and I think I get the best out of myself playing in defence.

"Growing up playing at St Marys and for the Northern Territory in the AFL Championships, I always played defence."

The Suns now have four Territorians – Malcolm Rosas, Joel Jeffrey, Sandy Brock and Long – on their list, with delisted North Melbourne player Jed Anderson and talented teenager Lloyd Johnston also a strong chance to join the club.

Ben, the nephew of AFL champion Michael Long, is looking forward to joining the other Territory players on the Suns' list and is hoping to get the opportunity to play in front of a home crowd in 2023.

"To play up in Darwin, that would be awesome to play in front of friends and family.

"That was one of the factors and something to look forward to."

Long played a career high 19 games for the St Kilda in the 2022 season.

He finished the year on a high with 27 disposals, 17 marks and a goal in his last game for the season, earning him two Brownlow Medal votes in arguably the best individual performance of his career.

He said he would love to play finals football at the Suns.

"I think something we will be pushing towards as a club," he said.

"For me personally, it is about getting down to the club and cracking into pre-season and pushing to play every week.

"But getting the club to play finals gives me a lift, it makes me want to do more, especially being at a club that hasn't played finals yet. To be a part of that would be something special."