No interchange leaves Dons tired, but ready to face next challenge

ESSENDON youngster Kyle Langford was “the most tired I’ve ever been in my life” after Friday night’s taxing win against St Kilda, but he says the Dons’ ability to grind it out without a bench showed they can win under duress.

ESSENDON youngster Kyle Langford was “the most tired I’ve ever been in my life” after Friday night’s taxing win against St Kilda.

The Bombers were left with no interchange bench from midway through the third quarter with Cale Hooker, Orazio Fantasia, Brendon Goddard and Adam Saad injured.

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Kyle Langford says he was among a number of Dons left physically spent after playing out the final term without an interchange bench. Picture: Michael Klein

But despite making 51-90 interchange rotations, the Bombers cruised to a 43-point win as their fit players pushed themselves to exhaustion at Etihad Stadium.

“I’m a bit sore and sorry. I re-pinched the nerve that I did a couple of weeks ago, but I played out the game and I’m OK — just a bit sore,” Langford told the Herald Sun.

“That’s the most tired I’ve ever been in my life. Having zero rotations in the last quarter and a half, the boys were out on their legs — but we got the job done.

“Your legs are just full of lactic (acid) and to go that next gear with that spread, it’s hard work. It was like pre-season running almost, the last quarter was a tough quarter.

“We know we can now do it when we’re under a bit of duress, so hopefully the boys are OK and we get up for next week.

“We just need to recover really, really well now.”

Langford tweaked a nerve injury that has been bothering him this season, but played out the match. Picture: Getty Images

The Bombers face Richmond on Friday night and are still a slim mathematical chance of playing finals.

Langford, 21, inherited Jobe Watson’s No.4 jumper this year and has become a regular in a season where he re-signed until 2020.

“I’m just proud to wear it. It’s a very prestigious number and it’s an honour to wear it,” Langford said.

“It happened during the pre-season. Jobe had retired and Woosha called me up one day and asked if I wanted the No.4.

“I didn’t feel comfortable and so I called Jobe up, who was overseas with his girlfriend, and said what do you think?

“He said I’d love for you to take it, you’ve worked hard so once I got his acknowledgment I went back to Woosha and yeah, done deal.”

No, that’s Jobe Watson, not Kyle Langford, but the young gun has inherited the famous number. Picture: AFL Media/Getty Images

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