Billy Longer Biography

St Kilda delist ruckmen Lewis Pierce and Billy Longer as well as pre-season signing Sam Rowe.

"Billy and Lewis were both unfortunately sidelined for most of the year with injury, but we thank them for their commitment to St Kilda over their time at the club," Saints head of football Simon Lethlean said.

"While Sam was only here for one season, he has had a great impact on our group."

Billy Longer takes leave from St Kilda for the rest of the 2019 season to focus on his health and wellbeing.

"We have been working with Billy as he deals with some physical symptoms that have prevented him from getting back to full training," Saints general manager of football Simon Lethlean said.

"After working with our medicos, the club and Billy have decided that the best approach is for Billy to step away from football for the remainder of the season and concentrate on his health and wellbeing."

Billy Longer signs a new one-year deal to remain at St Kilda in 2019.

"I'm really looking forward to another year with the Saints," Longer said.

"It's already been a great off-season for me, as I've been able to address a few lingering injuries. Now I feel better than I have in a long time and I'm just excited to get on the track with the boys and get to work."

Billy Longer will miss the rest of the 2018 season after having ankle surgery.

"He's gone in for a routine posterior clearance and stabilisation of the lateral ligaments," St Kilda head physio Andrew Wallis said.

"It gives him a really, really good opportunity moving forward to have a solid pre-season, so we're actually quite excited about putting him in early."

Melbourne has received an explanation from the AFL's umpiring department about the five free kicks paid against Max Gawn for ruck infringements against St Kilda.

Gawn was left mystified after conceding the free kicks to Saints opponent Billy Longer and even cheekily tweeted a picture of the AFL's Laws of the Game booklet, with the caption "some light reading this week".

"If there is a straight arm by one of the players, when the other player is contesting the footy, that's when it becomes a free kick," AFL umpires coach Hayden Kennedy said.

"There hasn't been any particular focus on it. It just so happened that in this particular game there was a little bit more evidence for the umpire."

Max Gawn says he was perplexed at the number of free kicks he was giving away to Billy Longer in the Bulldogs' clash against the Saints.

"I gave away free kicks that I've never given away in my life. I don't know why they were free kicks but they kept on blowing the whistle, so I was getting a bit frustrated," Gawn told ABC radio after the game.

"I ended up having to let Billy Longer just win them in the end, because I didn't know what to do."

A leaner and harder-working Billy Longer says he is ready to deliver as St Kilda's No. 1 ruckman.

Longer returned to the Saints' senior side in round five against Geelong for his first AFL game since 2015.

The big man held the ruck mantle in 2015 and played 18 matches, but had his season ended early by a right shoulder injury that eventually required a reconstruction.

"It was sore for a long time (after the operation) and to be honest, I wasn't really sure if it had healed properly," he said.

"I was getting a lot of feedback that I was going slower than I should be, but it wasn't until probably three-plus months after the surgery that I ended up getting a cortisone mix with something else, which made it feel almost brand-new again.

"For the first time in three-plus months of rehab, I was finally able to get it to move properly. From then on, strength training was so much easier."

St Kilda says it is committed to retaining ruckman Billy Longer despite the 23-year-old falling behind Tom Hickey in the pecking order.

"We're not looking to trade Billy, we signed him for two years earlier this year," Saints chief operating officer Ameet Bains said.

"He was outstanding in 2015 … (but) had a pretty disjointed season this year and Tom Hickey had a breakout year and emerged like Billy did the previous year.

"We're in a really fortunate position where we've got ruckmen who are at similar parts of their career that are quite competitive against each other.

"That's driving the guys in a really productive way."

Brisbane captain Tom Rockliff says the Lions failed as a club when they let five first-round draft picks go at the end of 2013.

Jared Polec (Port Adelaide), Elliot Yeo (West Coast), Patrick Karnezis (Collingwood), Billy Longer (St Kilda) and Sam Docherty (Carlton) all asked to leave the club and were traded following the 2013 season.

"Obviously we lost a lot of high draft picks, which is probably our own fault looking back," Rockliff said.

"They all left for different reasons, but if you're a good organisation, a good club, you keep players like that."

St Kilda has re-signed ruckmen Billy Longer and Lewis Pierce on two-year deals, tying the pair to the club until the end of 2018.

Billy Longer will be sidelined for at least a month after suffering some concussion related symptoms.

The 23-year-old copped a knock to the head late in a VFL game for Sandringham on May 7, but passed all the concussion tests and played the following week.

The former Lion recently experienced some headaches from a bump at training, and was having trouble with his memory.

After consultation with specialists, the Saints have decided to take no risks and have ruled the big man out of competition and contact drills for four weeks.

"Billy reported some concussion related symptoms following a head knock in the VFL that have required further investigation," general manager of performance Jamie Cox said.

"Club doctors, in consultation with specialists, have recommended he spends the next four weeks on a modified program, out of playing and contact drills.

"With any concussion related incidents, player welfare is paramount. We will take a conservative approach with Billy and he will be monitored closely over the next month"

Billy Longer says his St Kilda teammates helped deliver the wake-up call he needed after arriving unfit for pre-season training late last year.

"It was a bit of a wake-up call when everyone else was coming back and running personal bests and I was behind," Longer said.

"The club's been good. They've been behind me and put a lot of work into getting me into as good shape as they can.

"When someone comes back a little bit behind, everyone jumps on board to try and help – players and staff.

"They want you to be the best you can and if they think there's any way they can help, they'll definitely let you know.

"That meant a couple of extra sessions but I'm really thankful because I guess I needed it.

"You've got to learn from your mistakes and that's something I'll definitely take on board.

"I'm feeling a lot fitter now and it's good."

The Lions 20-year-old ruckman Billy Longer and pick No.48 to the Saints in exchange for picks No.25 and 41.

"I'm very relieved," Longer said.

"It's been a stressful few weeks for everyone involved. I'm elated with what the result is. I'm pretty excited to move on and get stuck into it with St Kilda."

Brisbane are hopeful young ruckman Billy Longer will stay at the club following Hawthorn's decision to acquire Ben McEvoy from the Saints.

"Our preferred option has always been to retain Billy," Lions talent manager Rob Kerr said.

"The McEvoy trade will hopefully convince Billy that the best option for his football is to stay in Brisbane.

"We're prepared to continue working with Billy and his family to convince them that he can be successful in Brisbane."

Billy Longer nominates Hawthorn as his club of choice after expressing a desire to return home to Victoria after eight games in two seasons for the Lions.

Billy Longer says being aggressive is part of his role as his team's ruckman.

"A week ago I was bruised and battered on one side of my face, but that comes in the unwritten terms of being a ruckman, it's a part of the contract you get into a couple of scuffles and you just work through it," Longer said.

"You embrace it, love it and it's part of the game. I do enjoy the aggressive side of football. If ruckmen do take on the tone of the team, I'm more than happy to set the atmosphere for the midfielders to work with."

Billy Longer makes his AFL debut for Brisbane with 8 disposals (8 kicks), 2 marks, 3 tackles and 19 hitouts in a 29-point loss to Fremantle.

Brisbane Lions debutant Billy Longer is set to face dominant Freo ruckman Aaron Sandilands on Saturday.

"Billy's not a beanpole 18-year-old ruckman, he's put a lot of time and work in the gym and he's got a big frame about him," Lions midfield coach Shane Woewodin said.

"We've just got to get him to use it and compete against him (Sandilands) and make sure our midfielders are a chance. It's a good challenge - an All Australian ruckman against a first gamer."

Young Lions ruckman Billy Longer is learning plenty from fellow talls Matthew Leuenberger and Ben Hudson and ruck coach Jamie Charman.

"Charmo is great, him here with the other two ruckmen, they're a great bunch and they're making it easy for me to accelerate the learning," Longer said.

"It's great to have that variety at training when you're competing against them. You've got big Hudson, and Leuey, who is much quicker and agile, so it's teaching you to play against the extremes in the AFL."

A knee injury could prevent exciting North Melbourne rookie Majak Daw from playing in the NAB Cup series.

"My knee was playing up a bit late last year and there was a lot of swelling in it," Daw said.

"So I just went in for an arthroscope and they cleaned all the gunk out of it.

"I am coming through all the rehab well, but I don't think I will be in contention for NAB Cup just yet. Personally I'd love to be able to play, but I still have some work to do to catch up on my fitness."