Ex-Dampier Sharks player makes strong start in WAFL

Dampier Sharks Football Club’s 2018 fairest and best player is already making his mark at the State level after making the jump to the WA Football League this season.

Guy Langdon, 25, moved to Perth early this year to hone his footy with WAFL side Perth, which four rounds into the season remain undefeated.

The versatile player has already made an impression at league level, playing every game of the season so far and kicking his first goal in round 2 against South Fremantle.

Langdon said transitioning to the WAFL had been a steep learning curve but a good challenge.

“I’ve gone from, after games, having a couple of frothies to proper recoveries,” he said.

“It’s a whole new game to get used to. The pace is really stepped up.”

Langdon said he had become more focused on football in the past few years, largely inspired by making the WA Football Commission’s State Country team last year and seeing his brothers Zac Langdon and James Rhodes succeed in the AFL and Northern Territory Football League respectively.

While he didn’t rule out making a bid for the AFL, he said he was committed to developing his football skills with the Demons in the WAFL for the time being.

“It was a move that I didn’t want to sit back and leave longer, I wanted to at least have a crack,” he said.

“I was pretty realistic about it —I’m pretty old now, AFL isn’t really the main goal.”

“We’ll see what happens, but for now I just want to play good WAFL football.”

Dampier Sharks league coach Steven Dodd, who played alongside Langdon in 2018, said he had been the team’s best player last season and could go far in the WAFL or even the AFL.

“He has great athletic and aerobic ability, “ he said.

Langdon said he was grateful for the level of support he had received from the Pilbara since joining the WAFL.

“The great thing is, as with my younger brother, you’ve got the support of everyone in the league, no matter what team you played for,” he said.