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

[shniko11]

Haven't been in this thread for a while but boy oh boy what a game by LMac, probably his best for North.

Someone else said and i agree that he looked like he was going to be a solid 150-200 game player. But what he showed on Saturday was more than just a solid player.
Playing up the field his running and long kick was a beautiful thing. And turning out of packs and giving out a handball also a highlight.

 

[KillaKanga]

Did not want to be tackled. Would not let himself get tackled.

Great game Two Dogs!

 

[czero]

Its not "an agenda" then is it. Unless reasonable human behaviour is an agenda.

Anyway in 2015 he had real injury issues with his back then did his hammy last year - half a season of games missed. So specifically how do the stats over those years tell us his back half playing stymied his career development when he missed so much in the way of games and training due to injury?

Further more given he said what he said and you don't believe him what would it take to change your mind.

Frankly his defensive side needs development. If he could defend around a contest better we would have beaten Freo.

Firstly, whether Luke actually believes he should of been down back for three years or not, he certainly wouldn't tell us that now would he. In fact, the young man wouldn't have a bad word to say about anyone or anything at the club, and that is 100% the right thing for him to do.

So as to answer you as to what would change my mind? Not a lot, recent history is fact and not opinion. We all have access to every match, every statistic, and I had a very high opinion of his attributes when he arrived on the scene. Did anyone say, oh this guys is going to be an above average medium defender when he came through the draft? No... No no no. We all just accepted brads personnel decisions, and that the back-line was the only place we could fit him.

As for putting the loss against Fremantle on Luke's shoulders - that is a laugh. No offence, but throwing him under the bus to try and prove a point is just a dick move.

 

[The Dingrel]

Starting to really come into his own. The number 11 on his back? The older guys moving on, been in the system a few years, he's stepping up and accepting responsibility.

 

[ferball]

Firstly, whether Luke actually believes he should of been down back for three years or not, he certainly wouldn't tell us that now would he. In fact, the young man wouldn't have a bad word to say about anyone or anything at the club, and that is 100% the right thing for him to do.

So as to answer you as to what would change my mind? Not a lot, recent history is fact and not opinion. We all have access to every match, every statistic, and I had a very high opinion of his attributes when he arrived on the scene. Did anyone say, oh this guys is going to be an above average medium defender when he came through the draft? No... No no no. We all just accepted brads personnel decisions, and that the back-line was the only place we could fit him.

As for putting the loss against Fremantle on Luke's shoulders - that is a laugh. No offence, but throwing him under the bus to try and prove a point is just a dick move.

Are you saying in the last 3 years he could have put out any of the players we had in the middle by doing a better job? I dunno about that.

I know there were plenty of other mistakes that cost us the Freo game.

But he went to ground twice when it mattered - once at the last stoppage on our hff where Fyfe won the clearance, ran past him on the ground and sent it long into their forward line where a contest ensured and the ball spilled wide to the pocket where he lost his feet again as whoever it was goaled to win the match under no pressure at all. If he hadn't done that twice we might have won. You would hope he knows that and it hurts him. Footballs a team game that goes for hours, its not lost just because of mistakes at the end of a game. There were plenty of other mistakes too - i'm not throwing him under a bus. Or laying the loss on him but i'll bet he is if he has any fight in him. I know I would be in his position. It wasn't that he lost us the game but that he went to ground and so missed opportunities to help us win the game.

Obviously that was the other week so the last 3 years on the backline didn't help that aspect of his defensive game but it clearly needs work, which is what he said. Its good that he's self critical enough to identify his weaknesses and motivated to work on them because that will make him a much better player. He has leadership qualities so the people who follow him will copy his example.

Given that, if he says its helped his game perhaps we should take him at his word.

 

[Aberration]

Watched the replay last night, purely for LMac.gif watch. Think the avatar might need an update (still love you Garns!)

giantroo any chance you could gif/tweet any of these LMac magic moments?

- 2:00 left in the 2nd quarter, takes on four Crows tacklers, spins and fires off the handball
- 8:32 left in the 4th quarter, wins an unbelievable contested ball, breaks two tackles and fires off the handball

Also showed great strength and evasion skills with 4:40 and 1:25 left in the 3rd quarter.

This was in addition to some wonderful foot-skills all day. Truly was a spectacular game from LMac. I think the #11 is sitting very comfortably with him.

 

[ozzyoslo]

Personally, Love Luke, but don't see him being anymore than a heart and soul role playing type. Don't think he has the tools to be an A-grader at this stage. However, I'll happily be proven wrong.

Have really enjoyed his last three weeks or so playing up the ground. More involved, and his kicking inside 50 to a leading target is fantastic!

I hope they start to play him in the centre square a bit more though. Would be a fantastic clearance player sending those left foot bombs out of the centre square.

How many A graders we got in your eyes?

On EVA-L19 using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[giantroo]

Watched the replay last night, purely for LMac.gif watch. Think the avatar might need an update (still love you Garns!)

giantroo any chance you could gif/tweet any of these LMac magic moments?

- 2:00 left in the 2nd quarter, takes on four Crows tacklers, spins and fires off the handball
- 8:32 left in the 4th quarter, wins an unbelievable contested ball, breaks two tackles and fires off the handball

Also showed great strength and evasion skills with 4:40 and 1:25 left in the 3rd quarter.

This was in addition to some wonderful foot-skills all day. Truly was a spectacular game from LMac. I think the #11 is sitting very comfortably with him.

Here they are:

 

[GarnerSmash]

Here they are:

I shouldn't have watched that on the train

 

[Kcrack]

Here they are:

Playing like some kind of Dangerfield/Ablett hybrid.

 

[COOL-A-ROO]

Whenever I see Two Dogs, he just reminds me of a big kid playing backyard footy with his mates. That swoop in / ball pick up was ridiculous.

He is seriously just living the dream and it shows on his face.

 

[hellas_johnny]

game vs adelaide was incredible. The way he was weaving in and out of tackles was amazing. definate born leader of the club

 

[tazaa]

Here they are:

Who is this campaigner?

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

I shouldn't have watched that on the train

I heard you from the back carriage.

 

[Passmore]

Whenever I see Two Dogs, he just reminds me of a big kid playing backyard footy with his mates. That swoop in / ball pick up was ridiculous.

He is seriously just living the dream and it shows on his face.

Nice selling point for his mate Josh too. Look how much fun this is and you'll be earning twice as much coin......

Sent from my SM-G900I using Tapatalk

 

[shintemaster]

I heard you from the back carriage.

Me too. And I'm on a different line.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Playing with the confidence an 88kg frame will give him.

He'll end up gaining another 3-4 kgs and then we will have fair dinkum cannonball on our hands.

 

[DesertRoo]

Playing with the confidence an 88kg frame will give him.

He'll end up gaining another 3-4 kgs and then we will have fair dinkum cannonball on our hands.

Now we just need dusty to mentor him...

 

[shintemaster]

Big build. His dad was the same - that real broad shouldered utility size. Going to hurt people.

 

[GarnerSmash]

Geez, that congestion really is his bag, isn't it?

 

[king of the road]

If he really is the leader he wants to be, then has to back it up this week.

 

[the big lebowski]

Geez, that congestion really is his bag, isn't it?

I think there were another 2 or 3 instances in the game where he took on tackles and got handballs out as well.

 

[Twinkletoes]

Big build. His dad was the same - that real broad shouldered utility size. Going to hurt people.

Speaking of The (ex) Chief, he turned 55 this week.

 

[shintemaster]

Speaking of The (ex) Chief, he turned 55 this week.

Speaking (again) of the ex Chief. My almost 7 year old was going through the record the other day and asked who #11 was. I said his name was Luke McDonald which got a funny grin.

I then explained how his dad's name was Donald McDonald which was met with a suitably appropriate amount of laughter and incredulity. Some things are timeless - I remember laughing at the same thing at the same age.

 

[Dirty_11]

Full page article on Two Dogs in the Hun today. The following extract is why I love the bloke: