Michael Long was 23 when he won the Norm Smith Medal in 1993.

He’d already notched 100 games and had barely missed a match since his career began in 1989.

But, on the eve of the 1994 season, Long’s career came to a sudden halt.  He was playing a practice match against West Coast when he injured his knee.

He spent the next 12 months on the sidelines.

Long returned to play 22 games in 1995 and win All-Australian selection.

But knee problems returned the next year and across the next three seasons, he played just 16 games.

“Michael was probably the best player that I ever played football with until he did his knee,” former teammate Mark Harvey told Bomber Radio.

“He just had that unique ability to bring his teammates into the game like most Aboriginal players, he was very unselfish and really had that extra gear.

“He was very dynamic.”

Harvey already had a premiership medal in his keeping and had played alongside the likes of Tim Watson, Terry Daniher and Simon Madden when Long arrived at the Bombers in the late 1980’s.

“I remember vividly Michael coming down from Melville Island and I reckon for the first couple of years he was trying to work out whether he liked the cold weather and the Melbourne lifestyle,” Harvey said.

“There were different stages where Michael always wanted to go back home.

“After about three or four years, I could see that this guy certainly had the ability to be able to expose the game in different ways that I’d never seen before.”

Harvey's friendship with Long remains strong.

“I quite often go up to Darwin and Melville Island and go hunting with the Long family, I still do that to this day,” he said.

“Michael also had a wonderful sense of humour. He used to take off Rocky Balboa in the old days and he used to put on the voice.

“The Aboriginal guys always like to have a joke or practical joke, or make you out to be a joke and have a laugh.”

Nearly 20 years after they last played together, Harvey is part of the coaching team guiding Michael Long’s son, Jake.

Harvey said he can see parts of Michael’s game in Jake.

“He’s sort of in his second year on the list and he’s still finding his way, but we’re certainly starting to see some of the traits of his dad in his game,” Harvey said.

“In his own right he is starting to evolve.  He’s actually quite a bit taller than Michael and he’s got that speed and agility.

“I look forward to young Jake playing soon.”