The seven Long brothers only played together once, a losing preliminary final to fierce rivals the Buffaloes 32 years ago
REMEMBER WHEN: The 1988-89 NTFL preliminary final will forever be remembered as the only time all seven Long brothers played together at St Mary’s.
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AN Australian football record was set at Gardens Oval on March 11, 1989 when all seven Long brothers ran on to the ground in the league preliminary final.
Brian, Noel, Chris, Steven, John, Michael and Patrick Long formed a third of the St Mary’s side that played Darwin in that grand final qualifier 32 years ago.
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St Mary’s were desperate to prevent a straight-sets exit from the finals after falling to Wanderers by 23 points in the second semi-final.
But that was exactly what happened when a big last quarter by the Buffaloes lifted them to a 10-point win and a grand final appointment with Wanderers they went on to win by 14 points.
Brian Long remembers the preliminary final colliding with a boat accident near the Vernon Islands that could have short-circuited Essendon recruit Michael Long’s AFL career.
“Mick and a few of us boys got into trouble at sea when Jack McCormick’s boat caught fire from a spark from the battery igniting fuel and we all jumped in the water,” he said.
“There were a few blokes in the dinghy we had with us that came back to rescue us, but it was too small for all of us.
“We hung on to the side of the dinghy after we decided not to throw the eskies out.
“Mick was about to head to Essendon and a Channel 9 helicopter came down to Buffalo Creek to see us arrive back on land safely, it was pretty intense.”
Brian Long said the loss to the Buffaloes and a messy exit from the finals was more a case of Saints losing the game than the Buffaloes winning.
“It was a mental thing. We blew up because winning too much is not good for you, especially when you are celebrating all the time,” he grinned. “But for the family that game is etched in our memory. Our dad (Jack) was there to watch us, though, unfortunately, Mum had passed away in 1983.”
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MICHAEL Long recalls March 11, 1989 as “pretty special’’ with his six brothers already household names before he joined them in the St Mary’s Premier League team.
“Collectively, we won close to 50 premierships (44) and played over 1000 games for St Mary’s, so the legacy Mum and Dad left for us was also pretty special.
“And it’s moved on to the future with Ben at St Kilda, Cyril playing brilliant footy at Hawthorn for a long time, Danielle Ponter, our sister Suzie’s daughter in the AFLW with Adelaide, and me getting a few kicks at Essendon.’’
A two-time premiership player at Essendon and St Mary’s, Michael said the Saints weren’t just a footy club, they were family.
“Dad flew himself into Darwin to play for St Mary’s and we followed him as a family, moving from oval No.1 and oval No.2 and back again from morning to night,” he said.
“Playing alongside your brothers in two premiership sides gave me the platform to go on to the SANFL and later the AFL, so it was a big stepping stone for me.’’
1988-89 NTFL Prelim Final
Buffaloes 2.2 4.5 8.12 12.16 (88) d St Mary’s 1.3 7.6 10.7 11.12 (78). Goals – Buffs: K Quall 4 J Sing 3 R Anderson 2 D Ross T Lawler F Maguire. St Mary’s: S Long 4 D Dunn 2 B Stanislaus 2 N Long M Long C Rioli Jr. Best – Buffs: F Maguire G Adams K Quall K Bruce J Sing. St Mary’s: C Rioli Jr D Berto J Long T Liddy C Long.
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