STARTING at a new club couldn’t be easy, but for Melbourne’s new recruit Ed Langdon, things are looking good.
The former Docker has got two weeks under his belt at his new home and is thoroughly enjoying the ride.
“I think I’ve settled in quite well,” Langdon told Melbourne Media.
“It’s been a bit of a whirlwind first week, but the boys have been really inclusive and supportive, so it’s been really fun.”
The 23-year-old hasn’t been too overawed by the move across from Perth, embracing the culture he’s entered at the Dees.
“Now experiencing two AFL clubs, they’re all pretty similar,” Langdon said.
“There’s a lot of subtle variations in everything they do, but essentially at the end of the day, it’s pretty similar to Freo, where I was.”
Langdon is enjoying the company of his new teammates, but admits he’s keeping a low profile throughout the early stages of his time at Melbourne.
“There’s certainly a few characters and there are a few of the quieter people, like myself,” he said.
“It’s quite an eclectic mix of people but they’ve all been super friendly and really inclusive, so it’s been great so far.
“I’ve sort of kept to myself probably as much as possible and I’m sure that’ll naturally occur with time.”
The softly spoken wingman is known for his elite endurance and has been put to the test at the beginning of the pre-season.
“It has been pretty solid,” Langdon said.
“They’re certainly not easing us into pre-season which is definitely good in the long run I’m sure, but I think there’s a few sore bodies floating around at the moment.”
The Demons are working harder than ever under new performance manager Darren Burgess, with the hunger to bounce back strongly in 2020.
“Clearly, chatting to a few of the boys, they were pretty hurt with last year, and clearly it didn’t go to plan coming off such a good year the year before,” Langdon said.
“There’s absolutely that drive and you can tell by the way the boys have been training.
“It’s high intensity and highly motivating.”
While Langdon is looking forward to getting to work on the wings of the MCG, his interests in life extend far beyond the football field.
The Victorian spent his off-season break travelling the world – a passion he has developed in recent years.
“I spent pretty much the whole 10 weeks overseas,” he said.
“I ended up doing a lot of flying which I regretted when I came back because I almost needed a holiday from my holiday.
“I spent a few weeks in Japan just hiking around on my own, then a bit of time in New Zealand and then Europe for about five weeks.
“It’s something I do every year, which obviously the lifestyle of an AFL footballer allows you to have 10 weeks off a year to do that, so I certainly try to make the most of it.”
Langdon is a mature character who is a great fit at the club, and over time, will prove to be a valuable addition to the red and blue.
