Vic Country gun who bases his game on Bontempelli selects his favoured No.1 draft pick

Draft hopeful Harvey Langford has put forward the name of the player he believes should be taken with Pick 1 in the 2024 AFL Draft.

Vic Country gun Langford won the Larke Medal (joint winner with Gold Coast product Leonardo Lombard) for a stellar National Championships, but he believes a certain teammate will go ahead of him in November.

Finn O’Sullivan hails from Koroit in western Victoria so plays for Vic Country, but plays his Coates Talent League footy for the Oakleigh Chargers as he is boarding at Xavier College in Melbourne.

The cousin of Carlton star Sam Walsh is Langford’s pick for the coveted No.1 draft position.

“I think Finn O’Sullivan should be Pick 1,” Harvey mentioned on SEN Breakfast.

“His skills are on a different level. His speed and footy IQ are pretty special. He’s a great person also.

“You want a great person around the club and he’s a great leader. He was a great leader for Vic Country.

“On and off the field he’s a just a really good person and really good player.”

As for his own game, the left-footed Langford, who stands at around 190cm, says he has been taking plenty of inspiration from Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli.

“The last few years I’ve been basing my game on Bontempelli,” he added.

“Just how he’s able to use his frame inside, and then able to impact down forward by hand and impact on the scoreboard.

“Then Tom Green as well, just how he’s able to hunt the ball and use his power.

“It’s those two I guess, but mainly Bontempelli. I’ve been looking at him the last few years.”

However, the Dandenong Stingrays and Mount Martha product does have one specific area of his game that he is keen to work on.

“I think it’s that sort of speed out of stoppage,” he said.

“The first few steps of drive, to break away from my opponent with ball in hand or even if it’s chasing my opponent, so mainly my speed.”

Langford averaged 25 disposals and six clearances for Vic Country in the National Championships.

He is currently forecast at Pick 4 in AFL Media draft guru Cal Twomey’s latest phantom draft.