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

[Devil Fish]

If we lose LDU, then its time to shut the club down. He has shown he is capable of sustained A Grade football. One of only 2-3 on our list who you could say that about. No player would seriously "want to be at NMFC" at the moment. Those in charge need to do EVERYTHING they can to change that.

For example, orchestrating a loss in round 24 last year (which should've been VERY VERY easy to do) to ensure we got Harley Reid....That would've been a good start. Put Reid in a NM jumper & suddenly there's some hope. The guys just need to see some hope. At the moment, there is none. Zero. LDU would be looking around and seeing Fisher, Sleevo, Stephens, Tucker, Phillips, Lazzarro, Scott etc and thinking "I'm playing alongside C Grader's...what's f*n the point? What hope do we have?"
Who could blame him for wanting out????? Same applies to Zurhaar.

Don't forget, the club is these guys workplace. They don't barrack for the club like we do. If I worked in a totally f*d up workplace and got offered more money to go elsewhere, would I go? Of course I would. And anyone who begrudged me for doing that, is a moron.

A club with possibly the worst ever AFL list, can't be so flippant re allowing talent to walk out the door. It just can't.

 

[Marstermind]

Says a lot about him that despite being one of our senior players and (supposedly) most talented players, his team-mates have never voted him into the leadership group.

Given who they did vote into the leadership group, I'd say the players know jackshit and nothing can be read into it.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

Given who they did vote into the leadership group, I'd say the players know jackshit and nothing can be read into it.

Bingo.

 

[Chadwiko]

Given who they did vote into the leadership group, I'd say the players know jackshit and nothing can be read into it.

Hahahaha fair point.

 

[Slamming Sam]

We have been given priority picks for the end of this year already, peanut.

They have already been used, peanut.

Traded so we could pick up Hardeman, Will Dawson and Goad, peanut

We're not getting any more, peanut..

We did recieve pp's at the end of 2023. When were the PP's for 2024 handed out? A third of the way through the 2024 season and that's all be worked through by the AFL, has it? Peanut.

 

[gokangas]

Given who they did vote into the leadership group, I'd say the players know jackshit and nothing can be read into it.

I'm thinking it was 'vote for the good bloke'.

 

[Gasometer]

I don’t see him reaching those sorts of heights mate. He isn’t consistent enough, he isn’t damaging enough with his disposal and he doesn’t impact the scoreboard.

Players like Neale, Dangerfield, Cripps ect put the team on their back and win games off their own boot. When Carlton were s**t, Cripps single handedly won them games and kept them competitive. I just done think LDU quite has that level in him.

Maybe he’d really shine if he had better players around him, but the absolute best of the best don’t need elite support players.

This is what I said on March 29th

This pedestal of tearing games apart is a fantasy

 

[Gasometer]

If we lose LDU, then its time to shut the club down. He has shown he is capable of sustained A Grade football. One of only 2-3 on our list who you could say that about. No player would seriously "want to be at NMFC" at the moment. Those in charge need to do EVERYTHING they can to change that.

For example, orchestrating a loss in round 24 last year (which should've been VERY VERY easy to do) to ensure we got Harley Reid....That would've been a good start. Put Reid in a NM jumper & suddenly there's some hope. The guys just need to see some hope. At the moment, there is none. Zero. LDU would be looking around and seeing Fisher, Sleevo, Stephens, Tucker, Phillips, Lazzarro, Scott etc and thinking "I'm playing alongside C Grader's...what's f*n the point? What hope do we have?"
Who could blame him for wanting out????? Same applies to Zurhaar.

Don't forget, the club is these guys workplace. They don't barrack for the club like we do. If I worked in a totally f*d up workplace and got offered more money to go elsewhere, would I go? Of course I would. And anyone who begrudged me for doing that, is a moron.

A club with possibly the worst ever AFL list, can't be so flippant re allowing talent to walk out the door. It just can't.

The other reality is they have a decade to capitalise their income…and then 50 years to manage it

 

[Gasometer]

Given who they did vote into the leadership group, I'd say the players know jackshit and nothing can be read into it.

Does Jack live in the same street as Dumb?

 

[Ruckle]

We did recieve pp's at the end of 2023. When were the PP's for 2024 handed out? A third of the way through the 2024 season and that's all be worked through by the AFL, has it? Peanut.

I thought we were given them for this year, but they were conditional on us remaining cr@p. We are going overboard to support that scenario atm. At least thats what I recall, maybe the other poster is referring to that?

 

[gokangas]

Does Jack live in the same street as Dumb?

Cousins.

 

[SpiderBurton22]

We did recieve pp's at the end of 2023. When were the PP's for 2024 handed out? A third of the way through the 2024 season and that's all be worked through by the AFL, has it? Peanut.

You're not very bright are you?

At the end of 2023 the AFL gave us a 2 year priority pick package. In it included a priority pick for 2023, an extra 2 spots on the rookie list and also 2 priority picks for 2024 at the end of the 1st round of the draft.

So by giving us picks in 2024 already, it looks to me like they have had made their decision. Peanut.

The AFL has also since come out and said there will be no more picks given out.

Maybe do some reading and get informed.

 

[Marstermind]

I'm thinking it was 'vote for the good bloke'.

Given that most of them have never experienced strong onfield leadership and wouldn't know what it looks like, I'd guess that's exactly what it was.

 

[DuckYeah]

You're not very bright are you?

At the end of 2023 the AFL gave us a 2 year priority pick package. In it included a priority pick for 2023, an extra 2 spots on the rookie list and also 2 priority picks for 2024 at the end of the 1st round of the draft.

So by giving us picks in 2024 already, it looks to me like they have had made their decision. Peanut.

The AFL has also since come out and said there will be no more picks given out.

Maybe do some reading and get informed.

Yes but they might, just might give priorities in state players. Mid season they might give us pick 1 and 2.

We wont be getting s**t from the AFL re top end draft talent, especially with Tassie coming in which will compromise the draft for 2 years. It is unfair on the rest of the comp. Also, since when has this competition ever been “fair”?

The only equalisation is distribution of monies.

 

[muttley45]

Decision making seems to have the handbrake stuck on, way too slow for today's game, a quick 1st option is practically last on the list

 

[Slamming Sam]

You're not very bright are you?

At the end of 2023 the AFL gave us a 2 year priority pick package. In it included a priority pick for 2023, an extra 2 spots on the rookie list and also 2 priority picks for 2024 at the end of the 1st round of the draft.

So by giving us picks in 2024 already, it looks to me like they have had made their decision. Peanut.

The AFL has also since come out and said there will be no more picks given out.

Maybe do some reading and get informed.

2 extra end of 1st round picks. How generous!! Considering GC, have been given multiple high end PP's, have access to their academy and were able to take players from outside their academy from the NT (Joel Jeffery) and Cairns (Alex Davies). Yeah NM should be completely grateful for the leg up they have been given. Let's just be satisfied with that bounty of picks. Dumbo

 

[pupstar]

If we lose LDU, then its time to shut the club down. He has shown he is capable of sustained A Grade football. One of only 2-3 on our list who you could say that about. No player would seriously "want to be at NMFC" at the moment. Those in charge need to do EVERYTHING they can to change that.

For example, orchestrating a loss in round 24 last year (which should've been VERY VERY easy to do) to ensure we got Harley Reid....That would've been a good start. Put Reid in a NM jumper & suddenly there's some hope. The guys just need to see some hope. At the moment, there is none. Zero. LDU would be looking around and seeing Fisher, Sleevo, Stephens, Tucker, Phillips, Lazzarro, Scott etc and thinking "I'm playing alongside C Grader's...what's f*n the point? What hope do we have?"
Who could blame him for wanting out????? Same applies to Zurhaar.

Don't forget, the club is these guys workplace. They don't barrack for the club like we do. If I worked in a totally f*d up workplace and got offered more money to go elsewhere, would I go? Of course I would. And anyone who begrudged me for doing that, is a moron.

A club with possibly the worst ever AFL list, can't be so flippant re allowing talent to walk out the door. It just can't.

Harry signed for a few extra years as did George Do you think they is regretting it at the moment. I doubt it very much.

 

[Elroo]

Decision making seems to have the handbrake stuck on, way too slow for today's game, a quick 1st option is practically last on the list

Yep, I've lost count of the times our players have marked a ball, turning their back on the play and slowly walking back to kick the ball. Shock horror when they turn around to look downfield, the opposition has flooded into our 50 m arc, which then results in the decision to either bomb it long and be turned over, or chip it around resulting inevitably a turnover.

 

[My Left Foote]

Says a lot about him that despite being one of our senior players and (supposedly) most talented players, his team-mates have never voted him into the leadership group.

Says a lot about you that despite being one of our more senior members (supposedly) most frequent posters, that you’re not aware of the fact that LDU says he doesn’t feel ready for a leadership role yet.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

If we lose LDU, then its time to shut the club down. He has shown he is capable of sustained A Grade football. One of only 2-3 on our list who you could say that about. No player would seriously "want to be at NMFC" at the moment. Those in charge need to do EVERYTHING they can to change that.

For example, orchestrating a loss in round 24 last year (which should've been VERY VERY easy to do) to ensure we got Harley Reid....That would've been a good start. Put Reid in a NM jumper & suddenly there's some hope. The guys just need to see some hope. At the moment, there is none. Zero. LDU would be looking around and seeing Fisher, Sleevo, Stephens, Tucker, Phillips, Lazzarro, Scott etc and thinking "I'm playing alongside C Grader's...what's f*n the point? What hope do we have?"
Who could blame him for wanting out????? Same applies to Zurhaar.

Don't forget, the club is these guys workplace. They don't barrack for the club like we do. If I worked in a totally f*d up workplace and got offered more money to go elsewhere, would I go? Of course I would. And anyone who begrudged me for doing that, is a moron.

A club with possibly the worst ever AFL list, can't be so flippant re allowing talent to walk out the door. It just can't.

DF, the problem with always being a witty scamp on here is that people will never know when you’re not taking this piss.

This is one of those instances. Thank you for the laugh.

 

[Possession]

Yep, I've lost count of the times our players have marked a ball, turning their back on the play and slowly walking back to kick the ball. Shock horror when they turn around to look downfield, the opposition has flooded into our 50 m arc, which then results in the decision to either bomb it long and be turned over, or chip it around resulting inevitably a turnover.

They're all trying to avoid being the one who inevitably ends up being responsible for turning it over. Whether it's quick, panicked passes or delayed long bombs after all options have dried up, they're playing hot potato as a bunch of individuals rather than advancing the ball as a team. It's the source of most of our turnovers and a symptom of a lack of proper leadership.

 

[Roosurgence]

Can’t understand why people would be happy to lose him.

No one is happy to lose players of this calibre, but if they don’t want to be there what do you do?

The culture at the joint is a dumpster fire. At the end of the day I have never seen a premiership side that has anything but all players fully invested.

From the outside he doesn’t look invested, so what do you do?

Force him to stay and let that attitude seep through the list or move him on knowing he has the talent to be in the top 10 if the comp but won’t likely achieve it at North?

It’s a s**t decision either way, but this club can’t afford to have players that don’t want to drive the club forward. At this stage of where we are at players that want to drive the club trump the talented but apathetic.

 

[Roosurgence]

Still got huge stats

Can you imagine what they would be if he gave maximum effort.

We have a star of the comp that is going at 50% rat power because he doesn’t want to be here.

 

[Karanicolas]

I don't know whether LDU is invested or not, but if he is not, we move him on.

We moved on Carey and NMFC survived, so I look at any player moves in that context.

 

[Hearts to hearts]

2 extra end of 1st round picks. How generous!! Considering GC, have been given multiple high end PP's, have access to their academy and were able to take players from outside their academy from the NT (Joel Jeffery) and Cairns (Alex Davies). Yeah NM should be completely greatful for the leg up they have been given. Let's just be satisfied with that bounty of picks. Dumbo

No-one said it was generous. Just that it’s a fact North was already given 2024 draft priority picks which - because, if we held them, they were conditional on poor performance this year - we traded out before the 2023 draft. If we’d known how bad this season would be going maybe we’d have kept them and not used them last year to get players and other picks, but that’s the kind of dice rolling no-one would have encouraged. Bottom line, the AFL has already provided 2024 extra picks as assistance and that’s all they will be giving on that front.