Tom and Ed Langdon on seeing the world together and living the dream as AFL footballers

BROTHERS don’t come much closer than Tom and Ed Langdon. The Collingwood defender and Fremantle midfielder revel in the chance to spend time together despite a 3500km divide during footy season.

Collingwood's Tom Langdon and brother, Fremantle's Ed Langdon.

LAST off-season it was Indonesia and Central America.

This year it’s South America and Africa. For football’s Langdon brothers, Tom and Ed, the world is their oyster.

The very chill, very close pair takes every opportunity to roam the globe, best mates who live 3500km apart revelling in the chance to spend time together.

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Anonymous abroad, the Langdons are increasingly famous faces at home; Tom the emerging leader down back for Collingwood and Ed, 20 months his junior, ripping up the midfield for Fremantle.

This year Ed, or Edward as his brother calls him, will get a jump on his bro, leaving for South America next week while Tom gears up for his first AFL finals campaign.

A rendezvous is set for Tanzania and an assault on the 5895m heights of Kilimanjaro, but first Magpie Tom has another mountain to climb.

Fremantle’s Ed Langdon.

Collingwood's Tom Langdon. Picture: Michael Klein

The Langdon boys - older sister Olivia is an artist - talk five times a week and have plenty to discuss.

“I think we both understand how hard AFL football is and it’s something we both probably didn’t realistically think we would make and be there together,” Tom told the Herald Sun.

“We often sit back and think, I don’t know how this has happened, but it’s pretty cool.

“Growing up, my parents weren’t overly, they’re going to hate me for saying this, but they weren’t overly sporty and they weren’t passionately into football.

“My sister, she’s an artist and she doesn’t really follow football at all. She’s got two younger brothers both playing AFL football and she’s got no idea what’s going on most weeks.

“We were never the best in our teams, I think we both dreamt of it but I don’t think it was a realistic expectation.

Ed says the brothers’ situation is “pretty special”.

“We certainly don’t take it for granted how close we are,” Ed said.

“You sort of have your brother and your best mate in the same industry you are in. It helps with a lot of stuff.”

While parents Belinda and Chris might have once been dispassionate AFL observers, that is definitely not the case now.

Dad Chris, who will join his sons on the Kilimanjaro expedition, has developed a two-screen approach to viewing games; match on the TV, stats on the iPad. He is familiar with the concept of footy forums.

The latter-day Chris would have noted a correlation between Tom’s form and the injury hex that has taken hold on Collingwood’s back six.

Ed certainly has.

“He’s definitely found some form late in the year … he’s sort of really holding the fort down there,” Ed said.

Tom Langdon and Steele Sidebottom. Picture: Michael Klein

“His games the last few weeks have been really impressive. I think probably earlier in the year he played a more defensive role … the last few weeks, I’m not sure if he’s had more of a licence to jump and fly for marks but I think he’s playing his best footy when he’s doing that.”

The black and white backline injury curse has meant Langdon has had to assume more responsibility and the reserved Melbourne Grammar alumni has had to find his voice.

“I’ve always seen myself as having an element of leadership to my game but with Howey, Dunny and Shaz going down, you are forced to take more of a responsibility,” Langdon said.

“It has been a really enjoyable experience for me. A learning curve to take that next step from chiming in when I think there’s something important to say to actually being seen as a leader in the eyes of other guys and being extroverted in my nature; it doesn’t really come naturally to me.

“That has been a huge learning curve but I’ve loved it. It has been a challenge the last four or five weeks (but) the guys are standing up so it’s sort of more enjoyable.

Tom agreed that, perhaps perversely, his team’s personnel problems probably had made him a better player.

“You’re running out every week knowing you have to be on and there’s a greater reliance on you to do your job and be a leader out there,” the 75-gamer said.

”There is greater expectation internally but you sort of know that there is a bit more pressure on you and you’ve got to bring it every week.”

George Hewett tackles Ed Langdon.

Ed has made big gains in his fourth season. He managed 25 games in his first three seasons but on Saturday plays his 21st game for the year in what will be just the second time the brothers have played against each other.

While Ed’s been in super form and Tom keeps a close eye on his younger brother, the same can’t be said for Ed.

“I don’t think he watches many of my games,” Tom said, laughing.

“We’re both pretty positive towards each other and watching Edward grow this year, I’ve been incredibly proud of him.”

Ed doesn’t dispute his brother’s description of his footy viewing habits, but watching each other on the tube might be the only significant difference between the pair.

“We think we’re pretty similar, we both find the same things funny, the same movies, we’re pretty much the same person,’ Ed said.

“But you speak to Mum and she thinks we’re completely opposite.

“There’s not much we don’t agree on. We spent almost 10 weeks together in the off-season and I don’t think we clashed once, over anything.

“We’re both pretty chilled out. We don’t let a whole lot really get to us, which in the industry we’re in can be really helpful.”

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