When the Brisbane Lions drafted Billy Longer with their first selection (Pick No.8 overall) at last year’s AFL National Draft, they probably weren’t expecting the 18 year-old ruckman to develop as quickly as he has.

It’s no secret that teenage ruckmen generally spend the first year or two of their AFL careers learning the ropes of senior football and developing their bodies.

You only need to look as far as some of the recent Lions ruckmen as a basis for comparison.

Matthew Leuenberger averaged just over seven matches per season across his first three years at the Club before blossoming into one of the competition’s best big men.
Current Ruck Coach Jamie Charman managed only two senior matches in his debut year of 2001, while two-time Premiership ruckman Beau McDonald played just six senior matches in total across his first two seasons.

So regardless of how his debut season pans out, for Longer to earn a senior call-up so early in his AFL career is a phenomenal achievement.

But it comes as no surprise after the Northern Knights recruit showed off his obvious abilities during the NAB Cup pre-season competition.

Instead of looking like one of those familiar spindly teenage ruckmen, Longer cut a strong and imposing figure that seemed more befitting for a seasoned veteran. It was the direct benefit of a lot of time spent in the gym, which helped him add around 10kg to his frame over summer.

On the field, he not only worked in tandem alongside Leuenberger in the ruck, but also proved that he could play up forward and kick goals. In fact, Longer was the Club’s equal leading goal-kicker throughout the pre-season period.

Now, after playing just two matches with the Lions Reserves, he will line up for his senior AFL debut against Fremantle on Saturday afternoon.

The young man from Macleod will be faced with one of the biggest tasks in football - both literally and figuratively. Longer will, at some stage during the match, be pitted against 211cm Dockers giant Aaron Sandilands - a three-time AFL All-Australian ruckman widely recognised as one of the AFL’s elite.

This steep learning curve should only further speed up his already rapid AFL development.

Longer’s first AFL appearance will also continue the rich tradition of the Club’s famous number 5 guernsey - which has previously been worn by former champions such as five-time Fitzroy Best & Fairest winner John Murphy, ‘Superboot’ Bernie Quinlan, and two-time Lions Premiership player Brad Scott.

Among the other celebrated names that appear on the young ruckman’s locker room door are Tony Ongarello - the master of the old place-kick - and former Bears forward Brad Hardie.

A complete list of every player to have worn the number 5 guernsey in a senior match for the Club has been listed below:

214 - John Murphy (Fitzroy)
189 - Bernie Quinlan (Fitzroy)
146 - Brad Scott (Lions)
112 - Tony Ongarello (Fitzroy)
101 - Brad Hardie (Bears)
79 - Horrie Jenkin (Fitzroy)
69 - Jack Cooper (Fitzroy)
67 - Mick Hughson (Fitzroy)
63 - Frank Gibson (Fitzroy)
60 - Nathan Chapman (Bears/Lions)
57 - Stan Dawson (Fitzroy)
45 - Colin Bond (Fitzroy)
38 - Andrew Brockhurst (Fitzroy)
37 - Ron Simpson (Fitzroy)
34 - Scott Harding (Lions)
25 - Brendan McCormack (Fitzroy)
20 - Les Watt (Fitzroy)
18 - Keith Williams (Fitzroy)
17 - Brendan Fevola (Lions)
15 - Les Hughson (Fitzroy)
9 - Rod Owen (Bears)
8 - Jim Kettle (Fitzroy)
5 - Bob Fitzimmons (Fitzroy)
3 - Tom Ledwidge (Fitzroy)
3 - Brian Wicks (Fitzroy)
3 - Keith Wiegard (Fitzroy)
1 - Ted Griffin (Fitzroy)
1 - Stan Jones (Fitzroy)
1 - Billy Longer (Lions)