Player Watch #11: Luke "Two Dogs" McDonald - Roo til end '26

[gokangas]

Geez we missed him last night.

 

[ferball]

I was gonna post this in another thread but it belongs here.

One thing I'm sick of is the criticism of McDonald as if he isn't a true North Melbourne player. He's an unworthy waste of a pick etc etc.

He literally tore his leg apart chasing down Cyril Rioli. He's never looked the same, even in 2017 he didn't move as well. So much of the criticism he gets has to do with how ungainly he is atm - it feeds back into his running, his kicking and his agility. Yet he still cracks in every week and as some people have noted we really missed him against *. We really missed his heart.

How much of that ungainlyness and resultant form issues are due to him literally going so hard he broke his body? Going so hard that he possibly wrecked his future career and ability to play.

How many of you people who bag him have done that for the club on field?

Just bear that in mind when you mouth off about how worthy he is to wear that jumper, that number(and yeah I've questioned it too) and whether or not he's a disgrace to them.

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

 

[North1411]

I was gonna post this in another thread but it belongs here.

One thing I'm sick of is the criticism of McDonald as if he isn't a true North Melbourne player. He's an unworthy waste of a pick etc etc.

He literally tore his leg apart chasing down Cyril Rioli. He's never looked the same, even in 2017 he didn't move as well. So much of the criticism he gets has to do with how ungainly he is atm - it feeds back into his running, his kicking and his agility. Yet he still cracks in every week and as some people have noted we really missed him against *. We really missed his heart.

How much of that ungainlyness and resultant form issues are due to him literally going so hard he broke his body? Going so hard that he possibly wrecked his future career and ability to play.

How many of you people who bag him have done that for the club on field?

Just bear that in mind when you mouth off about how worthy he is to wear that jumper, that number(and yeah I've questioned it too) and whether or not he's a disgrace to them.

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

Good point, I have to say I have been a critic of him lately, but that Cyril chase was awesome

 

[LuvtheKangas]

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

Agree that some of the criticism has bordered on personal abuse and that's unacceptable.

But picking up on the last line "when he ****s up and when he has poor form", I would suggest that those 'whens' are 2018 and 2019.

 

[groo]

I was gonna post this in another thread but it belongs here.

One thing I'm sick of is the criticism of McDonald as if he isn't a true North Melbourne player. He's an unworthy waste of a pick etc etc.

He literally tore his leg apart chasing down Cyril Rioli. He's never looked the same, even in 2017 he didn't move as well. So much of the criticism he gets has to do with how ungainly he is atm - it feeds back into his running, his kicking and his agility. Yet he still cracks in every week and as some people have noted we really missed him against *. We really missed his heart.

How much of that ungainlyness and resultant form issues are due to him literally going so hard he broke his body? Going so hard that he possibly wrecked his future career and ability to play.

How many of you people who bag him have done that for the club on field?

Just bear that in mind when you mouth off about how worthy he is to wear that jumper, that number(and yeah I've questioned it too) and whether or not he's a disgrace to them.

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

With such a broken body it sure does make sense to give him the current contract then.

 

[Johnny99]

I was gonna post this in another thread but it belongs here.

One thing I'm sick of is the criticism of McDonald as if he isn't a true North Melbourne player. He's an unworthy waste of a pick etc etc.


I

He literally tore his leg apart chasing down Cyril Rioli. He's never looked the same, even in 2017 he didn't move as well. So much of the criticism he gets has to do with how ungainly he is atm - it feeds back into his running, his kicking and his agility. Yet he still cracks in every week and as some people have noted we really missed him against *. We really missed his heart.

How much of that ungainlyness and resultant form issues are due to him literally going so hard he broke his body? Going so hard that he possibly wrecked his future career and ability to play.

How many of you people who bag him have done that for the club on field?

Just bear that in mind when you mouth off about how worthy he is to wear that jumper, that number(and yeah I've questioned it too) and whether or not he's a disgrace to them.

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

Theres a clip of the Freo game, where a Freo player marks the ball, or takes the ball, (I cant remember). Dances around Lmac and kicks it forward (may have been a goal, not sure)

Meanwhile, Lmac is doing a fantastic impression of a witches hat.

Anyone have it ? I think Ferball might enjoy it.

 

[ferball]

Agree that some of the criticism has bordered on personal abuse and that's unacceptable.

But picking up on the last line "when he ****s up and when he has poor form", I would suggest that those 'whens' are 2018 and 2019.

He's done some good jobs in defense and we looked alot softer without him last week.

I made a comment a few weeks ago questioning him wearing no 11 and in the very next game - maybe Hawks one we lost i saw him take at least 2 marks running back into packs.

 

[ferball]

Theres a clip of the Freo game, where a Freo player marks the ball, or takes the ball, (I cant remember). Dances around Lmac and kicks it forward (may have been a goal, not sure)

Meanwhile, Lmac is doing a fantastic impression of a witches hat.

Anyone have it ? I think Ferball might enjoy it.

Do you want me to post several gifs of other players doing the same thing multiple times in a game? Including members of the leadership group and some of most renowned players?

 

[ferball]

With such a broken body it sure does make sense to give him the current contract then.

He probably had earned it when we last signed him, small bit of poor form after good years and gutsy play.

You base a players contract on what he's done and at that point he was a top 5 B&F player with a demonstrated committment to putting himself on the line when playing.

Its pretty obvious something is going on with him. He looks more one sided every game. It'd be fair enough to take that into account at his next contract negotiation.

 

[groo]

He probably had earned it when we last signed him, small bit of poor form after good years and gutsy play.

You base a players contract on what he's done and at that point he was a top 5 B&F player with a demonstrated committment to putting himself on the line when playing.

Its pretty obvious something is going on with him. He looks more one sided every game. It'd be fair enough to take that into account at his next contract negotiation.

He wasn't a top 5 in b and f when he got that contract.

 

[groo]

He wasn't a top 5 in b and f when he got that contract.

I've checked and you are correct. A top 5 finish. After he tore his leg off in previous seasons. Your argument doesn't stack up. He was signed up after admitting how bad he was going and hasn't improved since. He has not had a significant injury since.

 

[Harvs29]

He wasn't a top 5 in b and f when he got that contract.

Didn't he sign during the 2018 season? If yes, he was fifth in the Syd in 2017 so technically, yes, he was top 5 when he signed.

 

[groo]

Didn't he sign during the 2018 season? If yes, he was fifth in the Syd in 2017 so technically, yes, he was top 5 when he signed.

Independently judged I guess. Nothing to do with those that pick him each week? Same people that cost greenwood is rightful finish after he said he was leaving in the previous year?

 

[ferball]

He wasn't a top 5 in b and f when he got that contract.

He got the top five result in 2017 and signed the contract during last season, 2018, so he was by definition in the top 5 of the last Syd Barker medalists.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Didn't he sign during the 2018 season? If yes, he was fifth in the Syd in 2017 so technically, yes, he was top 5 when he signed.

He signed that contract after a horrid year where he played 21 games in 2018 and didn't even come in the top 20 in our B and F.

Some of us were hoping he would test his value in the open market - I suspect he would have gotten around the same value as we got for Ryan Clarke.

But no - Brad offers him 1.2m over 3 years to help him buy his house in North Melbourne. That's money we will never see again.

 

[groo]

He got the top five result in 2017 and signed the contract during last season, 2018, so he was by definition in the top 5 of the last Syd Barker medalists.

True. Lucky we snapped him up late last year based on his stellar form of that season, albeit with a body that was ruined from an injury 3 yrs prior.

 

[ferball]

I've checked and you are correct. A top 5 finish. After he tore his leg off in previous seasons. Your argument doesn't stack up. He was signed up after admitting how bad he was going and hasn't improved since. He has not had a significant injury since.

He was playing well till he got injured, arguable if he was a bit softer he wouldn't have gone as hard at Rioli, kept his leg in place and been there when we needed him in late 2016.

He admitted he had a bad season after he signed a contract that would have been worked on/negotiated over the whole season. I think he has played better this year than people give him credit for.

Finally I am saying I think he hasn't looked right since he did his hammy. Ever since he's looked more unco and like he's favoring one side when he runs and when he kicks. Compare how much smoother he looked in 2015 and 16.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

He was playing well till he got injured, arguable if he was a bit softer he wouldn't have gone as hard at Rioli, kept his leg in place and been there when we needed him in late 2016.

He admitted he had a bad season after he signed a contract that would have been worked on/negotiated over the whole season. I think he has played better this year than people give him credit for.

Finally I am saying I think he hasn't looked right since he did his hammy. Ever since he's looked more unco and like he's favoring one side when he runs and when he kicks. Compare how much smoother he looked in 2015 and 16.

A 3 year hamstring injury that has changed a young bloke's whole running technique and ability to play football?

Wow - that is some hammy!

Time to get off the grass and call it for what it is - another 1st round draft bust by the NMFC - and an expensive one given there is 2 more years to go after this year on LMac's contract.

 

[groo]

He was playing well till he got injured, arguable if he was a bit softer he wouldn't have gone as hard at Rioli, kept his leg in place and been there when we needed him in late 2016.

He admitted he had a bad season after he signed a contract that would have been worked on/negotiated over the whole season. I think he has played better this year than people give him credit for.

Finally I am saying I think he hasn't looked right since he did his hammy. Ever since he's looked more unco and like he's favoring one side when he runs and when he kicks. Compare how much smoother he looked in 2015 and 16.

But he was top 5 in 2017. Must have done it with a limp. And that in turn was rewarded with a 3 yr contract in a year he was playing poorly. Wrong call. Good luck to him.

 

[ferball]

He signed that contract after a horrid year where he played 21 games in 2018 and didn't even come in the top 20 in our B and F.

Some of us were hoping he would test his value in the open market - I suspect he would have gotten around the same value as we got for Ryan Clarke.

But no - Brad offers him 1.2m over 3 years to help him buy his house in North Melbourne. That's money we will never see again.

So within 10% of the average wage of an AFL player? About reasonable considering his 2018 form and 3 years which means he has to wear that wage even if 2018 was an abberation and 2017 the norm. If he'd played well in 2018 he could have asked a fair bit more, maybe something similar to Mason Wood's wage, but he didn't.

 

[Kimbo]

But no - Brad offers him 1.2m over 3 years to help him buy his house in North Melbourne. That's money we will never see again.

I agree on LMac's overall shitness, but it's a list management decision, not Brad's (alone).

 

[Snake_Baker]

I was gonna post this in another thread but it belongs here.

One thing I'm sick of is the criticism of McDonald as if he isn't a true North Melbourne player. He's an unworthy waste of a pick etc etc.

He literally tore his leg apart chasing down Cyril Rioli. He's never looked the same, even in 2017 he didn't move as well. So much of the criticism he gets has to do with how ungainly he is atm - it feeds back into his running, his kicking and his agility. Yet he still cracks in every week and as some people have noted we really missed him against *. We really missed his heart.

How much of that ungainlyness and resultant form issues are due to him literally going so hard he broke his body? Going so hard that he possibly wrecked his future career and ability to play.

How many of you people who bag him have done that for the club on field?

Just bear that in mind when you mouth off about how worthy he is to wear that jumper, that number(and yeah I've questioned it too) and whether or not he's a disgrace to them.

(And by all means criticise him when he ****s up and when he has poor form. Just don't be stupid about it.)

People are too invested in the hate buddy. They can't rationalise any longer.

 

[ferball]

A 3 year hamstring injury that has changed a young bloke's whole running technique and ability to play football?

Wow - that is some hammy!

Time to get off the grass and call it for what it is - another 1st round draft bust by the NMFC - and an expensive one given there is 2 more years to go after this year on LMac's contract.

At average AFL wage. You obviously need some grass or least need to cut the stuff growing out your ears.

Pretty sure I've seen you type stuff criticising how unco he looks at times too.

 

[ferball]

But he was top 5 in 2017. Must have done it with a limp. And that in turn was rewarded with a 3 yr contract in a year he was playing poorly. Wrong call. Good luck to him.

So you would have sacked him last year instead of signing him for about average wage?

Jesus we would have been even softer this year.

 

[groo]

So you would have sacked him last year instead of signing him for about average wage?

Jesus we would have been even softer this year.

If his body is as you have stated, then yes.