Introduction
Will Langford is an Australian rules footballer playing for the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Langford plays a high-intensity, collision-heavy brand of football. Langford is the son of Hawthorn Team of the Century backman Chris Langford, who is currently a member of the AFL Commission.
Recruitment
Rookie
Langford was recruited to the Hawks as a part of their NSW Scholarship programme in the 2011 Rookie draft. Langford suffered chronic fatigue syndrome in his first year at the Hawks in 2011. After an impressive season in Box Hill in defense in 2012, he was shifted into the midfield and impressing early in the 2013 season, he was elevated to the senior list along with John Ceglar after Hawks players Ryan Schoenmakers and Matt Suckling were placed on the clubs long term injury list. and played one senior game against the Western Bulldogs in Round 17 at Launceston's Aurora Stadium. Langford continued his solid form with Box Hill throughout the 2013 season, culminating in playing in the clubs second VFL Premiership against Geelong.
Promoted to senior list
He was promoted to the main player list for 2014. Hawthorn used pick 71 in the 2013 AFL Draft.
In 2014 Langford started the season in the seniors showing at times the VFL form from the previous year. He lost his spot mid year and returned to Box Hill and told to work on several parts of his game. Within a month he had returned the seniors and became one of Hawthorn's best reliable midfielders after shutting out Geelong captain Joel Selwood in a round 22 clash and a best on ground performance in the Preliminary Final shutting down Port Adelaide captain Travis Boak and a dominating display in the 2014 AFL Grand Final where he kicked 3 goals and collected 21 disposals. The Hawks won by 63 points and he was listed as one of the best players. He also kicked the goal of the day.
Statistics
- Statistics are correct to the end of the 2016 season
| Legend | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | Goals | B | Behinds | K | Kicks | H | Handballs | D | Disposals | M | Marks | T | Tackles |
| Season | Team | # | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Totals | Averages (per game) | ||||||||||||||||
| 2011 | Hawthorn | 48 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2012 | Hawthorn | 48 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2013 | Hawthorn | 29 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 3 | 0.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 4.0 | 1.0 | 3.0 |
| 2014 | Hawthorn | 29 | 19 | 9 | 8 | 166 | 199 | 365 | 35 | 90 | 0.5 | 0.4 | 8.7 | 10.5 | 19.2 | 1.8 | 4.7 |
| 2015 | Hawthorn | 29 | 13 | 4 | 7 | 125 | 126 | 251 | 26 | 56 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 9.6 | 9.7 | 19.3 | 2.0 | 4.3 |
| 2016 | Hawthorn | 29 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 118 | 106 | 224 | 31 | 65 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 9.1 | 8.2 | 17.2 | 8.2 | 5.0 |
| Career | 46 | 17 | 20 | 412 | 432 | 844 | 93 | 214 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 9.0 | 9.4 | 18.4 | 2.0 | 4.7 | ||
Honours and achievements
AFL
- Team
- AFL Premiership: 2014
- 2× McClelland Trophy: 2012, 2013
VFL
- Team
- VFL Premiership: 2013
Family
He is the son of Hawthorn Team of the Century backman Chris Langford, who represented the club in 303 games, including 4 premierships, and is currently a member of the AFL Commission. Will's younger brother, Lachlan Langford was rookied by the Hawks in the 2015 AFL rookie draft. It's the first time brothers have been on the Hawthorn list since Shane and Justin Crawford in 1998. With Will's premiership in 2014, the Langfords became the second father/son premiership players at the club after Peter and Paul Hudson in 1971 and 1991 respectively.