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

[pupstar]

It's about getting the senior at the same time.

LDU is the only one of his stature at that age and that's the problem. He will be too old when the next batch come of age.

Our 2022 recruit will be the core that we are building so in some ways, ldu is surplus. Let him go, we get another top 4 pick for whatever purposes, perhaps if all our cards are aligned, we could trade that for a A grader.

How old is this A grader going to be that we are trading in for the pick that we get for Luke.

 

[ChairmanZia]

How old is this A grader going to be that we are trading in for the pick that we get for Luke.

Usually when we say A grader, they are in their prime.

We won't get any in normally of course, but if there those on their last chances...then perhaps we may snatch one.

 

[hotchilli]

It's about getting the senior at the same time.

LDU is the only one of his stature at that age and that's the problem. He will be too old when the next batch come of age.

Our 2022 recruit will be the core that we are building so in some ways, ldu is surplus. Let him go, we get another top 4 pick for whatever purposes, perhaps if all our cards are aligned, we could trade that for a A grader.

We need high quality players in the 25-30 age bracket to help bring those talented players in bridging the gap while they develop.

Of the current 23-27 age bracket it's really only LDU & Larkey we have in terms of top end talent and then a supporting cast of Logue, Simpkin, Xerri, Zurhaar, Scott, Fisher, Stevo, CCJ, Taylor, Stephens, Tucker & Pink. There are plenty of doubters in a number of these players if they will be either moving onto another club or purely out of the system over the next couple few years.

We've seen first hand when your top senior players are at best good honest battlers and I'd rather not continue on that path.

 

[pupstar]

Usually when we say A grader, they are in their prime.

We won't get any in normally of course, but if there those on their last chances...then perhaps we may snatch one.

So you are going to trade pick 4 for someone one their last chance.

 

[ChairmanZia]

So you are going to trade pick 4 for someone one their last chance.

If they are of good enough quality.

Best case scenario is a lachie neale type trade to brisbane (during their bad years).

 

[ChairmanZia]

I’ve read some baffling stuff (some of it posted by me in reflection) but LDU being surplus is complete batshit insanity.

It's not, it's the reality, as funny as it sounds, he is in no-man's land.

He is too old by the time we contend, he currently has no support, he is an age & experience to lead but he doesn't want to.

He is a middle of nowhere player, he is alone. The only logical solution is for him to leave.

 

[pupstar]

It's not, it's the reality, as funny as it sounds, he is in no-man's land.

He is too old by the time we contend, he currently has no support, he is an age & experience to lead but he doesn't want to.

He is a middle of nowhere player, he is alone. The only logical solution is for him to leave.

How long before we contend in your opinion though.

 

[King Corey]

I’ve read some baffling stuff (some of it posted by me in reflection) but LDU being surplus is complete batshit insanity.

Players over 22yo opposition coaches would give more than 2 seconds thought to:

Larkey
Zurhaar
LDU
Simpkin a small % of time

That's it. Yeh surplus my Uranus.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Players over 22yo opposition coaches would give more than 2 seconds thought to:

Larkey
Zurhaar
LDU
Simpkin a small % of time

That's it. Yeh surplus my Uranus.

Coaches aren't putting any time into Zurhaar and Simpkin.

 

[pupstar]

Coaches aren't putting any time into Zurhaar and Simpkin.

Good coaches and clubs put time into every player on the field. The one player you don't is the one that will beat you.

 

[ChairmanZia]

How long before we contend in your opinion though.

2030

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[7577969923]

2030

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Cooked!

 

[pupstar]

2030

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So am i right with this your thoughts we won't be contending until 20-30 6 years away. So LDU wont be around then but you are happy to get pick 4 for him and trade it out for an A grader in his peak but he also l also wont be around by 20-30 if that's the case. Maybe we should just keep the A grader in LDU in that case. And if you say he is not an A grader then we will not be getting pick 4 for him in that case.

 

[ChairmanZia]

So am i right with this your thoughts we won't be contending until 20-30 6 years away. So LDU wont be around then but you are happy to get pick 4 for him and trade it out for an A grader in his peak but he also l also wont be around by 20-30 if that's the case. Maybe we should just keep the A grader in LDU in that case. And if you say he is not an A grader then we will not be getting pick 4 for him in that case.

Here's the thing, ldu is not performing at an A grade level even though his market value is that if an A grader. We need the 24 to 30 y.o to lead, he isn't leading, he isn't taking charge, he isn't demanding high levels from those around him as a player of his stature should.

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[Elite Master]

I was banging on in the game day thread last week about wanting to see him leave because of his, at times, select efforts, as well as his shockingly poor disposal, but overall the truth is that unless the compensation is too good to be true - we really cannot afford to lose him. We all know and LDU himself probably knows that the very best version won't ever be at North, but without him the present and the future goes from hell to something not even conceivable.

 

[ChairmanZia]

I was banging on in the game day thread last week about wanting to see him leave because of his, at times, select efforts, as well as his shockingly poor disposal, but overall the truth is that unless the compensation is too good to be true - we really cannot afford to lose him. We all know and LDU himself probably knows that the very best version won't ever be at North, but without him the present and the future goes from bad to worse.

Nope, him leaving would be like ryan griffen leaving bulldogs, it paved way for the others to step up.

 

[hotchilli]

Nope, him leaving would be like ryan griffen leaving bulldogs, it paved way for the others to step up.

There are plenty of opportunities available for players to step up already and they aren't.

 

[Passmore]

I was banging on in the game day thread last week about wanting to see him leave because of his, at times, select efforts, as well as his shockingly poor disposal, but overall the truth is that unless the compensation is too good to be true - we really cannot afford to lose him. We all know and LDU himself probably knows that the very best version won't ever be at North, but without him the present and the future goes from hell to something not even conceivable.

Where are we going if we’re paying top dollar for “select efforts” ?

 

[ChairmanZia]

There are plenty of opportunities available for players to step up already and they aren't.

No there isn't because those who can step up right now are not due to the fact that they are watching the lead play but the lead act is not playing to his standard hence demoralising the rest.

When ldu is gone then sheezal wardlaw and co will definitely be the lead act and get the run of the place and have the team built around them. When that happens, the team will gel with a new core and become more integrated instead of the generational gap as we have atm.

By then, there will be a far more cohesive whole team buy in.

 

[hotchilli]

No there isn't because those who can step up right now are not due to the fact that they are watching the lead play but the lead act is not playing to his standard hence demoralising the rest.

When ldu is gone then sheezal wardlaw and co will definitely be the lead act and get the run of the place and have the team built around them. When that happens, the team will gel with a new core and become more integrated instead of the generational gap as we have atm.

By then, there will be a far more cohesive whole team buy in.

If LDU goes then all of the defensive focus from opposition coaches shifts elsewhere.

Sheez, Wardlaw and co are only going to benefit to having someone else there as the true #1 midfielder so they can go about developing as AFL footballers without the added pressure of having to be the best player on the team with under 50 games of experience.

 

[Passmore]

He’s not being traded, nor is he extending this year. There’s 12 months for this to play out.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

What's scary is every side in the league will consider him.

Any top 8 side can find a place for him where he suddenly enjoys genuine ballwinners feeding him, defensive mids covering him and cohesive forward lines presenting to him.

Brisbane, Collingwood, Geelong, Sydney etc.

World is his oyster. I doubt very much it'll be a cash based call.

We'd want to get our house in order or enjoy a 2026 full of "magoo" type posts as LDU plays in front of winning crowds and quickly forgets us.

Brisbane can have him.

However, the asking price starts at one of the Ashcrofts

 

[archereleven]

Brisbane can have him.

However, the asking price starts at one of the Ashcrofts

We could then complete the AFLs smallest midfield...

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[swaeney]

I was banging on in the game day thread last week about wanting to see him leave because of his, at times, select efforts, as well as his shockingly poor disposal, but overall the truth is that unless the compensation is too good to be true - we really cannot afford to lose him. We all know and LDU himself probably knows that the very best version won't ever be at North, but without him the present and the future goes from hell to something not even conceivable.

This. It sucks but realistically we have struggled to land an A grader for years during trade and FA periods, and now we have one, people are happy to let him go

 

[Kangalongtime]

This narrative by some we should look at maximising a return on Ldu is ridiculous.

We I feel are in grave danger of being seen as a factory for bigger clubs to pick off at will.

What was once a strength in player retention is now very much a the cross roads

Wells
Gibson
Hale
Goldstein
Mckay
Tarrant
Higgins
Horne Francis
Petrie

All finished elsewhere for varying reasons, personally I think it’s a big part of why we sit where we sit right now

If for example we lose
Ldu
Scott
Zurhar

In next 12-24 months how’s that look for

Sheezel
Wardlaw
Dursma etc etc

This obsession with draft picks and shiny new toys has come at a real cost to the fabric of this club