BFNL 2023: Bacchus Marsh recruit Jake Long reflects on time at Essendon

Speaking to Cobras senior coach Jason Williams on The Seinfeld Project, Long opened up about his upbringing, time in the AFL system and his life post-Essendon.

"The weight that the Long name brings, you understand it more as you grow up," Long said.

"When I was young I only understood that Dad played footy ... when you get a bit older and you understand a bit of history behind it and what he's done outside of footy you then understand the magnitude of the person."

Long was destined to follow in his father's AFL footsteps as Essendon kept a close eye on the then-Scotch College boarder in the lead-up to his draft year.

Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro reassured Long that the club would take him as a father-son selection in the 2015 AFL Rookie Draft.

He would make his AFL debut for Essendon in his first season in a six-point win against Gold Coast at Docklands.

"I remember everything about that Gold Coast game," Long said.

"I had a part where I grabbed the ball on the wing and I heard the crowd just go super loud, I kicked it and hit Joe Daniher on the chest and the crowd went even louder.

"Joey rolled over on his left and kicked the goal from 50 metres out and it is a moment I'll always remember."

Long played three games in 2016 before waiting two years to return to AFL action in a blockbuster clash with Collingwood.

He tallied a career-high 17 touches against the Magpies but would only play one more game in his five-year AFL career before being delisted at the end of 2019.

He has since played in the Aaron Davey-led Cairns City before returning to Victoria to play with Collingwood's VFL team.

He signed with Bacchus Marsh at the start of the 2023 Ballarat Football Netball League season alongside Luke Goetz, who was also taken in the 2015 AFL Rookie Draft.

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