Essendon Coach John Worsfold says time spent with Jobe Watson has aided Kyle Langford’s development as a midfielder.

Langford has spent an increasing amount of time in the middle of the ground throughout the pre-season while also playing across half forward.

The 20 year old averaged 16 possessions during the JLT Community Series, including a 20-disposal, seven mark and three-tackle effort in the final match against Geelong.

“He’s coming along really well. He’s only a young player … he was drafted the year before Darcy Parish but his birthday is at the end of the year so he’s only six months older than Darcy,” Worsfold told Crocmedia.

“You put that into comparison and he’s tracking along really well.”

Langford has played 25 games across his first two seasons in the AFL.

After eight games in his first year, the number 17 draft pick’s output rose sharply in 2016.

Langford’s rate of improvement:

                                 2015           2016

Games                       8                 17

Goals                         3                 12

Ave disposals          8.0              15.3

Ave cont poss.         3.4              4.8

Ave metres gain      73.9            216.4

Score involvs.          3.4              4.7

Marks                        1.9              4.8

Tackles                     2.4              3.5

Inside 50’s               1.3              2.9

“He’s played mainly as a forward in the opportunities he’s got in his first couple of seasons,” Worsfold said.

“But last season we sent him back to the VFL to start playing as a midfielder. He got going pretty quickly in there and we got him some midfield time in the second half of last year.

“As a young developing mid he’s learning from Jobe [Watson] – he’s a big strong kid, Jobe has taken him under his wing and is doing a lot of work with him so we think he’s a really strong midfielder of the future.”