Harvey Langford might only be nine games into his AFL career, but Champion Data believes the Melbourne teenager has jumped ahead of the pack in this year’s Rising Star race.
Selected with Pick 6 in the 2024 National Draft, the 19-year-old backed up a strong debut month with a dominant Round 9 display against Hawthorn, slotting three goals and collecting 22 disposals in what Champion Data’s Daniel Hoyne described as the most influential performance on the ground.
“A 2025 footballer that you want in your team”
“This guy has size about him and he’s clearly really good in the air, (but) then what stands out is just how he actually uses the footy,” Hoyne said on SEN’s Sportsday.
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“On that game on the weekend, no one had greater impact of the 46 players on the ground than what he did through ball use.
“He is a 2025 footballer that you want in your team… it was a great pick, (to get him with) Pick 6.”
Langford is averaging nearly 19 disposals and just under a goal a game across his eight appearances so far, but it’s not just raw numbers doing the talking. Champion Data’s relative ratings, which compare players based on age and position, suggest Langford is producing output well beyond his years.
“He’s performing 46 per cent above expectation this year,” Hoyne said. “So, he is absolutely flying… I think this guy is probably in front (of the Rising Star race).”
Langford is priced at $6 with Sportsbet, sitting equal second alongside Geelong’s Connor O’Sullivan and just behind Brisbane’s Levi Ashcroft, who looms as a mouthwatering direct opponent when the Demons take on the Lions at the Gabba this Sunday.