Player Watch #9: Luke Davies-Uniacke [Part II] - [Herald Sun] LDU has parked contract talks with the club & is expected to command offers of more than $1m a season

[Its a Process]

I am sure none of us want our players to leave but we have no say in it. If it sets the club back in our rebuiid, then we just have to move on with those players like Larkey and Sheezel who legitimately want to get us out of this hole we are in.

Brisbane exited a heap of best 22 players throughout their re-build and it didn't hurt them long term
2016
- Pearce Hanley

2017

• Josh Schache
• Tom Rockcliff

2018

• Dayne Beams
• Sam Mayes

2019

• Tom Cutler
• Lewis Taylor

All were best 2022, some were very early draft picks, ex captains b&f winners etc.

There was stack prior to this as well. It's obvious too all that our 25 year old plus group are very average and won't be leading us to the promised lands.

 

[Val Keating]

Why do people keep repeating this like the club and the supporters don't want to?

If they leave, they leave.

I was responding to someone who basically stated that it doesn’t matter.

 

[JUST NORTH]

If its St.Kilda we would be talking Owens or Phillipou in a trade, plus their first pick.

I still don't think he leaves.

We need to match any financial offer.

it is collingwood, heard this a few weeks ago,Ldu is their number 1 target

 

[Roosurgence]

As much as it might hurt, if players are no longer committed (not saying LDU isn’t) then it’s best to let them go.

It will hurt short term, but you can’t have a playing group that aren’t 100% committed to moving this club forward.

We keep hearing reports of players that are waiting to see the direction of the club, what I want from these same players is a concerted effort to change that direction. If they are too in their own heads to do that and are waiting for someone else to make it happen, then they probably aren’t the right fit anyway.

I think the club just needs to draw a line in the sand. You are either in or you are out? None of this maybe I will or maybe I won’t.

If LDU’s performances are being impacted because he is no longer invested then, it’s best to make the move while he has currency and won’t be around to impact the overall group.

Now I hope it’s just a dip in form and confidence, but there are some worrying signs when you look at his overall work ethic. We need leaders that want to drive the club forward, not players who are more concerned with how the clubs current slump is impacting them personally.

I put good money that if that mindset shifts we will start to see improved performances. If that means a few drop out along the way, so be it. The club will always be bigger than the players, which I am not sure is the case at the moment.

 

[outwecome2play]

My biggest fear is us becoming a feeder club for other teams. Teams like GWS and Gold Coast can afford to lose players like they have because they have academies. They know that they have players coming through to top up their lists.
The AFL needs to stop worrying about the northern market and treat all teams in the competition equally.
If LDU departs we will get draft picks that again take time to develop.
Bring back the days of player swaps when it was an eye for an eye.

 

[Horace]

As much as it might hurt, if players are no longer committed (not saying LDU isn’t) then it’s best to let them go.

It will hurt short term, but you can’t have a playing group that aren’t 100% committed to moving this club forward.

We keep hearing reports of players that are waiting to see the direction of the club, what I want from these same players is a concerted effort to change that direction. If they are too in their own heads to do that and are waiting for someone else to make it happen, then they probably aren’t the right fit anyway.

I think the club just needs to draw a line in the sand. You are either in or you are out? None of this maybe I will or maybe I won’t.

If LDU’s performances are being impacted because he is no longer invested then, it’s best to make the move while he has currency and won’t be around to impact the overall group.

Now I hope it’s just a dip in form and confidence, but there are some worrying signs when you look at his overall work ethic. We need leaders that want to drive the club forward, not players who are more concerned with how the clubs current slump is impacting them personally.

I put good money that if that mindset shifts we will start to see improved performances. If that means a few drop out along the way, so be it. The club will always be bigger than the players, which I am not sure is the case at the moment.

Excellent post. Yes, it is up to the blokes who have the talent to lead the way, and what better reward would it be for LDU if he actually led the way, because then he could say, "I did it, I led these emerging young players on a journey with great reward".

He and others like him, if they are actually wanting out, should have a very good hard look at what Patrick Cripps has done at Carlton. He suffered through all the s**********, he led the way, now he is perhaps looking at a Premiership not too far away, with the bunch of mates he led on that journey.

He is actually the role model for people like LDU to follow.

 

[Sphynx]

As much as it might hurt, if players are no longer committed (not saying LDU isn’t) then it’s best to let them go.

It will hurt short term, but you can’t have a playing group that aren’t 100% committed to moving this club forward.

We keep hearing reports of players that are waiting to see the direction of the club, what I want from these same players is a concerted effort to change that direction. If they are too in their own heads to do that and are waiting for someone else to make it happen, then they probably aren’t the right fit anyway.

I think the club just needs to draw a line in the sand. You are either in or you are out? None of this maybe I will or maybe I won’t.

If LDU’s performances are being impacted because he is no longer invested then, it’s best to make the move while he has currency and won’t be around to impact the overall group.

Now I hope it’s just a dip in form and confidence, but there are some worrying signs when you look at his overall work ethic. We need leaders that want to drive the club forward, not players who are more concerned with how the clubs current slump is impacting them personally.

I put good money that if that mindset shifts we will start to see improved performances. If that means a few drop out along the way, so be it. The club will always be bigger than the players, which I am not sure is the case at the moment.

This.

There are a few benefits to holding him for 12 months though. Even if it's an NRL style handshake agreement to leave unmatched in FA.


1. Another year into Wardlaw. He will be a 4th year player in the Rnd 1 side in 2026 we first play without LDU. 4th years is typically when players explode.
2. The above applies to all of Powell, Phillips also, it's an additional almost 2 years from this point. If they aren't ready to shoulder more responsibility we have bigger problems.
3. We likely take someone like Smillie this year, again, we get a year into him with LDU there at center bounces. He's going to be LDU's replacement in reality.
4. We spread our risk between drafts. This is important. At this stage I'd prefer a top 3 pick in 2025 than another in 2024. There's no player that jumps out at me that I'd be desperate to add to Smillie in comparison to the previous 3 years with Wardlaw/Sheezel/Cadman, or Reid/McKercher/Duursma/Sanders etc.


We won't be able to replace LDU with a comparable senior player next season if we were to trade him, so just keep him for the year as THE senior player we were going to replace him with to protect Wardlaw and Smillie (hypothetically using him)

We kick the can down the line slightly, but there's no reason we have to use LDU's compo on a midfielder. We are going to have the #1 pick this season to do that and replace him.

If anything, him putting contract talks on hold and fielding offers this year, prior to the deaft, gives us much more time to plan for his depature under FA, that what JHF did as an example.


We had some reservations about drafting another mid at #1 this year, now there will be none. With the loss of Thomas and LDU in 18 months, we will need another.

 

[muttley45]

Jay Clark, can anyone remind me of any, legitimate, 100% correct scoops he has penned recently v click bait fishing, glorified opinion pieces ?

 

[Roosurgence]

Excellent post. Yes, it is up to the blokes who have the talent to lead the way, and what better reward would it be for LDU if he actually led the way, because then he could say, "I did it, I led these emerging young players on a journey with great reward".

He and others like him, if they are actually wanting out, should have a very good hard look at what Patrick Cripps has done at Carlton. He suffered through all the s**********, he led the way, now he is perhaps looking at a Premiership not too far away, with the bunch of mates he led on that journey.

He is actually the role model for people like LDU to follow.

From the outside I am just not seeing that mentality with our leaders. It may be very different behind closed doors, but the impression I get is that some of these blokes are too busy feeling sorry for themselves to be focused on lifting the club out of its current state.

We have some young players who seem very committed to driving this group forward, but I just don’t see that in the older players.

I think this is where Clarko can make a real difference. It might cause more pain, but making a statement to some of these players by sending them back to the VFL will see where their heads are at? Look at Stephenson, sent back to the VFL and gave donuts. That’s says a lot about his character. I would have expected him to go back, work his guts out and show how badly he wants back in. Instead I saw a bloke that just coasted around and didn’t give a *.

I hate using the word cancers. But from an outside view it looks like there is a few on this list who that simply need to be cut out. Cutting them out might hurt, but it’s better than what at the moment feels like a slow painful death. Sorry to any cancer survivors for the analogy, but it’s the best way I could put it.

 

[Themanbun]

This.

There are a few benefits to holding him for 12 months though. Even if it's an NRL style handshake agreement to leave unmatched in FA.


1. Another year into Wardlaw. He will be a 4th year player in the Rnd 1 side in 2026 we first play without LDU. 4th years is typically when players explode.
2. The above applies to all of Powell, Phillips also, it's an additional almost 2 years from this point. If they aren't ready to shoulder more responsibility we have bigger problems.
3. We likely take someone like Smillie this year, again, we get a year into him with LDU there at center bounces. He's going to be LDU's replacement in reality.
4. We spread our risk between drafts. This is important. At this stage I'd prefer a top 3 pick in 2025 than another in 2024. There's no player that jumps out at me that I'd be desperate to add to Smillie in comparison to the previous 3 years with Wardlaw/Sheezel/Cadman, or Reid/McKercher/Duursma/Sanders etc.


We won't be able to replace LDU with a comparable senior player next season if we were to trade him, so just keep him for the year as THE senior player we were going to replace him with to protect Wardlaw and Smillie (hypothetically using him)

We kick the can down the line slightly, but there's no reason we have to use LDU's compo on a midfielder. We are going to have the #1 pick this season to do that and replace him.

If anything, him putting contract talks on hold and fielding offers this year, prior to the deaft, gives us much more time to plan for his depature under FA, that what JHF did as an example.


We had some reservations about drafting another mid at #1 this year, now there will be none. With the loss of Thomas and LDU in 18 months, we will need another.

Fair insight all round

 

[shinboner spiggs]

As much as it might hurt, if players are no longer committed (not saying LDU isn’t) then it’s best to let them go.

It will hurt short term, but you can’t have a playing group that aren’t 100% committed to moving this club forward.

We keep hearing reports of players that are waiting to see the direction of the club, what I want from these same players is a concerted effort to change that direction. If they are too in their own heads to do that and are waiting for someone else to make it happen, then they probably aren’t the right fit anyway.

I think the club just needs to draw a line in the sand. You are either in or you are out? None of this maybe I will or maybe I won’t.

If LDU’s performances are being impacted because he is no longer invested then, it’s best to make the move while he has currency and won’t be around to impact the overall group.

Now I hope it’s just a dip in form and confidence, but there are some worrying signs when you look at his overall work ethic. We need leaders that want to drive the club forward, not players who are more concerned with how the clubs current slump is impacting them personally.

I put good money that if that mindset shifts we will start to see improved performances. If that means a few drop out along the way, so be it. The club will always be bigger than the players, which I am not sure is the case at the moment.

100%!!!!

The sky didn’t fall down when Judd left the eagles, they arguably nailed a trade that set up a premiership. Maybe we take Cadman instead of Sheezel if JHFF leaves the season after, thinking our midfield is complete?

Players who don’t want to be here are sapping the energy of those who are trying to make a difference. Thankfully for us, we see guys like Chom, Sheez, Curtis, Wardlaw and Goater/Bergman desperately lifting the standards of the place. It’s our younger brigade being the change they want to see in the club. We have lost some senior players along the way and we will lose some more, but we’ve seen that movie with them and it’s not worth viewing.

 

[Souup]

I think he's got the highest ceiling of any player at the club but if he wants to go and he's checked out mentally then we shouldn't stand in his way, provided we maximise what we get in return. If that's in a trade at the end of this year, great. If not, let him go via FA at the end of next year and bank the high end first rounder.

I've always had the perspective that regardless of how talented you are, you should be committed to the club and if not, goodbye.

Sadly we are by far the least attractive team in the competition for a number of reasons, and so I'm expecting more than just Zurhaar and LDU will be exploring their options unless something drastically changes over the next year.

 

[archerboy]

We need volunteers, not hostages

 

[Roosurgence]

I think he's got the highest ceiling of any player at the club but if he wants to go and he's checked out mentally then we shouldn't stand in his way.

I've always had the perspective that regardless of how talented you are, you should be committed to the club.

Sadly we are by far the least attractive team in the competition for a number of reasons, and so I'm expecting more than just Zurhaar and LDU will be exploring their options.

I think you are right. As painful as it might seem at the time, you can’t move forward unless everyone is on the same page, so if that’s the way it has to be, so be it.

I know as a supporter and member, I am sick of seeing the lazy half arsed efforts by players that have reportedly checked out. Give me a team of 23 goers that will have a crack week in week out, regardless of their talent levels.

 

[Roosurgence]

We need volunteers, not hostages

Couldn’t have said it any better.

 

[archerboy]

Couldn’t have said it any better.

Not my words, from Mike Tomlin the Pittsburgh Steelers

 

[The Dingrel]

Is gone. Jay Clark has followed up again saying he can expect an offer he simply cannot refuse.

Feels like seed is being planted for perhaps a trade this off season to cash in and get maximum value.

Everyone on here saying let him go etc.

Club isn’t going to improve with 18 year olds every year. McKay, TT, JHF, LDU, Zurhaar, soon to be Scott potentially all leaving

We are in this mess due to no good senior players, they are all in the bracket of 21-24 which we hoped to become senior players. The revolving door needs to stop and needs to stop now

• draft 18 year olds
• lose players every year in the 50-100 game bracket

and people wonder why things don’t improve… you do not win games of football with Kids.

Those points you make are spot on.....and its no different from the interstate teams with the "go home factor"....point is its not a factor if you're winning games! The AFL's response to that was to give them almost unlimited concessions until they start winning and players stop bailing and/or they are able to attract GOOD players to their club....eg/ Lions with Neale, Cameron, and Daniher.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

If he is actually intent on leaving, then you'd have to get on the front foot and see what's out there.

If he's going to check out next year, then he's just going to a pain in the arse and we'll be wasting vital midfield minutes on him.

I assume it's his management putting these stories out? Who else would be leaking to the media?

Sent from my SM-A908B using Tapatalk

Clark mentions "Rye" in his twitter post. If the news being reported is genuinely coming from Rye (therefore, suggesting it comes from a friend or family) then the offer would have to be officially on the table for people to know about it. If it's true of course.

His management might be dropping the story to create some buzz and push up the value of a contract extension or to genuinely create interest from other clubs, but the "Rye" comment is Clark's way of giving a clue that he's had a legitimate leak from somebody close to LDU. If it's true of course.

 

[The Dingrel]

it is collingwood, heard this a few weeks ago,Ldu is their number 1 target

Well if there is any truth to this and there probably is, we need to look at the Schwass for Shannon Grant trade which was good for both teams. Yes we were at the top of the table then, BUT if there is a trade, we need a very very good player that meets needs and a high draft pick coming our way. No bloody bunch of fringe players and draft picks. Really dunno how thats gonna happen. Early doors you'd hope the Clarko factor might drag a few across.....in fact recall LDU himself being so excited to play for Clarko as a hawks fan growing up.

 

[blackshadow]

Jay Clark be like

In the current football as a business environment it would be crazy for LDU to not put off contract talks until next year. That doesn't mean he wants to leave or is considering leaving. Football players have relatively short careers and he's approaching the time where he can rightfully demand a whopper pay cheque.
Of course other clubs will be dangling huge bucks in front of him as a very talented DFA.

 

[Epictetus]

Jay Clark be like

In the current football as a business environment it would be crazy for LDU to not put off contract talks until next year. That doesn't mean he wants to leave or is considering leaving. Football players have relatively short careers and he's approaching the time where he can rightfully demand a whopper pay cheque.
Of course other clubs will be dangling huge bucks in front of him as a very talented DFA.

That's a bad misread of what is fairly obvious.

LDU will probably get more to stay than to leave, by the way.

 

[The Dingrel]

As much as it might hurt, if players are no longer committed (not saying LDU isn’t) then it’s best to let them go.

It will hurt short term, but you can’t have a playing group that aren’t 100% committed to moving this club forward.

We keep hearing reports of players that are waiting to see the direction of the club, what I want from these same players is a concerted effort to change that direction. If they are too in their own heads to do that and are waiting for someone else to make it happen, then they probably aren’t the right fit anyway.

I think the club just needs to draw a line in the sand. You are either in or you are out? None of this maybe I will or maybe I won’t.

If LDU’s performances are being impacted because he is no longer invested then, it’s best to make the move while he has currency and won’t be around to impact the overall group.

Now I hope it’s just a dip in form and confidence, but there are some worrying signs when you look at his overall work ethic. We need leaders that want to drive the club forward, not players who are more concerned with how the clubs current slump is impacting them personally.

I put good money that if that mindset shifts we will start to see improved performances. If that means a few drop out along the way, so be it. The club will always be bigger than the players, which I am not sure is the case at the moment.

Great post, spot on....time for the players to take some ownership of their own situation and not "wait for the direction of the club".....its a football club, in the business of winning games of footy, that puts the players in the drivers seat of the direction of the club, supported by the coaches, board, admin, members and everyone else. Sack up and take some responsibility for driving the team and club forward, add your name to the rich history of the club, or fk off and be just another employee looking for the best pay cheque.

 

[DesertRoo]

Well if there is any truth to this and there probably is, we need to look at the Schwass for Shannon Grant trade which was good for both teams. Yes we were at the top of the table then, BUT if there is a trade, we need a very very good player that meets needs and a high draft pick coming our way. No bloody bunch of fringe players and draft picks. Really dunno how thats gonna happen. Early doors you'd hope the Clarko factor might drag a few across.....in fact recall LDU himself being so excited to play for Clarko as a hawks fan growing up.

Geez Collingwood would just be about the worst club we had to trade with, their pick/s won't be any chop and I doubt wed be able to convince anyway of note to part ways with them.

 

[The Dingrel]

Jay Clark be like

In the current football as a business environment it would be crazy for LDU to not put off contract talks until next year. That doesn't mean he wants to leave or is considering leaving. Football players have relatively short careers and he's approaching the time where he can rightfully demand a whopper pay cheque.
Of course other clubs will be dangling huge bucks in front of him as a very talented DFA.

Be that as it may, good players know full well you need a great team to win games of footy and challenge....hell we could have wayne carey in his prime right now and pay him a couple of million bux but it wouldn't make much difference if we only had scraps left to pay everyone else. There has to be an element of selflessness from top players.

 

[Flawed Genius]

Clark mentions "Rye" in his twitter post. If the news being reported is genuinely coming from Rye (therefore, suggesting it comes from a friend or family) then the offer would have to be officially on the table for people to know about it. If it's true of course.

His management might be dropping the story to create some buzz and push up the value of a contract extension or to genuinely create interest from other clubs, but the "Rye" comment is Clark's way of giving a clue that he's had a legitimate leak from somebody close to LDU. If it's true of course.

I think it means LDU is from Rye.