LONG, Michael

Michael Long was one of the most exciting players to ever play at Essendon. He had incredible pace, a body so flexible he was sometimes called the rubber man, as well as remarkable skills and vision. Long came to the Club in 1989 and immediately made an impact, being named the Best First Year Player in that year. He wore number 4 originally, but asked to have number 13 to honour his father.

The highlight for Long came in the 1993 finals series. He played outstanding football throughout the finals and capped it off by winning the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in Essendon's Grand Final win over Carlton. Not long after this high came a terrible low. In pre-season the following year, Long suffered a season-ending knee injury and he failed to play any football in 1994. When he returned to League football in Round 1, 1995, all the football world stood up and took notice. He was arguably the best on ground, and showed no signs of his year-long lay-off.

His form continued throughout 1995, indicated by his 16 votes in the Brownlow, the best by an Essendon player. It included five best on ground performances, more than any other player in the competition.

During 1995 Long made headlines by accusing Collingwood's Damien Monkhorst of racially abusing him. The other Indigenous players in the AFL backed Michael, as did his Club, and it led to the introduction of the AFL's racial vilification code. Many other sporting codes have since adopted it. This was a brave move and one which must be applauded.

He was named co-vice-captain with James Hird in 1996, a just reward for his leadership on and off the field. However disaster struck again, with another serious knee injury. He had trouble early with injury, and when he returned to play in the Centenary re-enactment game against Geelong, his knee collapsed. For one of the best players in the League, this was an absolute tragedy. Everyone awaited the second coming of Michael Long in the 1997 season. Unfortunately injury hit again and he only played five games for the season.

Long won the Most Courageous Player award in 1998 after playing in only nine games in a year which started in Round 12 against Adelaide.

He was welcomed back to full time footy in 1999 deputising for James Hird as senior captain and then being appointed as co-captain late in the year. After a superb season displaying his exquisite skills he finished third in the Crichton Medal. He averaged 11.2 kicks, taking 62 marks during the year, he also scored nine Brownlow votes.

Long was a member of the 2000 Grand Final team after a very good season.

A knee injury dogged him for much of 2001 season and then he tragically tore a hamstring at training just three days before the 2001 Grand Final.

Michael Long announced his retirement on November 12, 2001, at a press conference held in the Essendon Football Club Hall of Fame.

Since his retirement he has became a spokesman for Indigenous affairs and a major advocate for his people's welfare.

He was an outspoken critic of Prime Minister John Howard's policies towards Indigenous people and, in November 2004, decided to walk to Canberra to obtain a meeting with him. His walk generated a great deal of publicity and the Prime Minister agreed to a meeting. Having achieved his aim, Long ended the walk, having completed about 325 km of the planned 650 km.

It became known as The Long Walk and has become an integral part of the Dreamtime Game at the 'G' when thousands of people walk from Federation Square to the MCG. Long remains its patron.

In 2015 he became a  board member of the newly-founded Michael Long Foundation which funds education and football programs for young Indigenous people. A year later, the Michael Long Learning and Leadership Centre opened in Darwin and was named in his honour. Inspired by The Long Walk, it is funded by the Federal Government and managed by the Australian Football League Northern Territory and aims to harness the power of football to nurture talent and improve Indigenous lives.

Michael Long was the Northern Territory State Recipient Australian of the Year in 2019, and in 2021 was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for "service to Australian rules football, and to the Indigenous community".

Essendon unveiled a statue of Michael at the Hangar, their Tullamarine headquarters, in 2018. He is portrayed with a walking stick and broad-brimmed hat, wearing an Essendon jumper with his number 13 on his back. He is depicted as "Vision" in the "Spirit to Win" mural at Windy Hill.

He is part of an extended football family. His son, Jake, played five games for the Bombers and his daughter, Michaela, was an inaugural member of Essendon's VFLW team in 2017. Three of his nephews played football: Anthony played in Essendon's VFL team and Ben Long played for St Kilda. His third nephew, Cyril Rioli, played for Hawthorn and this gave Long a family connection to the wider Rioli family, including Maurice senior and junior. His niece, Danielle Ponter, played for Adelaide's AFLW team.

Long was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2007 and named a Legend of Essendon's Hall of Fame in 2010. He was named at number 23 in the Champions of Essendon (2002). He was also named in the Australian Football Indigenous Team of The Century (2005). He was awarded AFL Life membership in 2017.