Player Watch #9: Luke Davies-Uniacke - signs until end 2025! Runner up in the 2022 Syd Barker Medal Award

[shinboner magic]

Needs to follow higgo around during preseason and build that tank.
Has the tools just needs the engine

 

[The Warlord]

The reality is that LDU simply has to come on if we're going to win a flag.

Have a look at the last three flag winning sides.

Their top five pick mids come on and become absolute guns - Martin and Cotchin, Bontempelli and Macrae, Gaff.

 

[kool kangas]

LDU needs to find a burst of speed from somewhere. He seems to be a one pace player..

 

[remfan101]

LDU needs to find a burst of speed from somewhere. He seems to be a one pace player..

He has a burst of speed, but his current endurance doesn't allow him to utilise it at AFL level. Check his draft videos and combine results (2.98 over 20) and you'll find it was one of his best attributes as a junior.

I fully expect him to start adding that to his game next year, along with the ability to shrug tackles that he doesn't quite have yet.

 

[Ether]

I didn't think he tested at the combine because of his turf toe?

 

[ozzyoslo]

Its the new coaches job to get his mindset right........once this happens, whooshka !

 

[remfan101]

I didn't think he tested at the combine because of his turf toe?

You're right, it was a test earlier in the year. The point stands though, here's a write up of one of his games as an U18:

'It was his ground ball-winning and contested ball-winning at stoppages in combination with his Patrick Dangerfield-like acceleration from the contest that played a huge part of the momentum swing. Davies-Uniacke also demonstrated excellent agility, getting around and past players at full speed on more than one occasion.
His kicking and vision also were excellent. He spotted up and hit inside 50m targets and open targets through the corridor.'

 

[Pykie]

People are mad if they think LDU is 'one paced'.

He's anything but.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

People are mad if they think LDU is 'one paced'.

He's anything but.

What he is is unfit. He can’t put in many repeat efforts.

This should improve.

 

[Supreme_Chancellor]

Hopefully LDU can transform into our superstar midfielder, a player who will consistently be ranked amongst the elite of the competition. Also, a Brownlow and some Premierships would be nice also.

 

[Billy Not Really]

He'll be our star player one day. I know it.

 

[king rising]

Would like him to show something this year... underwhelming thus far. Hopefully Rhyce can get the best out of him

 

[koshari]

He'll be our star player one day. I know it.

i got a little feeling TT may show him up a little bit, and thats not a knock on LDU either.

 

[DuckYeah]

i got a little feeling TT may show him up a little bit, and thats not a knock on LDU either.

TT has raw natural ability, TT could be 50kg overweight and he’ll still kill it!

by the way, im back after a lengthy suspension! Stuck it right up those Aints flogs and copped my whack, but boy oh boy was it worth it!

 

[archereleven]

Looking forward to seeing him after the pre season. Should be fitter, stronger and more explosive.

On SM-G975F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Jasemon]

He has a burst of speed, but his current endurance doesn't allow him to utilise it at AFL level. Check his draft videos and combine results (2.98 over 20) and you'll find it was one of his best attributes as a junior.

I fully expect him to start adding that to his game next year, along with the ability to shrug tackles that he doesn't quite have yet.

That was one of the great things that had me excited about LDU this year. He was pinged an awful log for holding the ball. Mostly due to his confidence and natural ability to side step players and burst from contests, or more should I say was reported about him before being drafted. Something he was elite in as a junior but he's still adjusting to as an AFL player. Despite being caught with ball, he was never deterred and would attempt the same thing the next chance he had. He's a determined kid. At that to his sublime skills, footy smarts, power and acceleration and all he needs now is endurance and a more hardened body to reach the next level. Hoping that begins next year.

 

[Merlin007]

That was one of the great things that had me excited about LDU this year. He was pinged an awful log for holding the ball. Mostly due to his confidence and natural ability to side step players and burst from contests, or more should I say was reported about him before being drafted. Something he was elite in as a junior but he's still adjusting to as an AFL player. Despite being caught with ball, he was never deterred and would attempt the same thing the next chance he had. He's a determined kid. At that to his sublime skills, footy smarts, power and acceleration and all he needs now is endurance and a more hardened body to reach the next level. Hoping that begins next year.

My take on LDU is that he was accustomed to being the big kid playing little kids, in which regard his favourite play through traffic is that pirouette turn to shrug off tacklers; that was ok at U18, but transferred to the big stage, he's found that men have got the strength to hold the spin, and he gets caught. Seen this a number of times with him esp. at VFL level, so sending him forward in the AFL is a good call while we works on other tricks and/or he develops the upper body strength to make the spin turn viable again at senior level

 

[Snake_Baker]

My take on LDU is that he was accustomed to being the big kid playing little kids, in which regard his favourite play through traffic is that pirouette turn to shrug off tacklers; that was ok at U18, but transferred to the big stage, he's found that men have got the strength to hold the spin, and he gets caught. Seen this a number of times with him esp. at VFL level, so sending him forward in the AFL is a good call while we works on other tricks and/or he develops the upper body strength to make the spin turn viable again at senior level

You nailed it in the bolded section.

 

[Waussie]

You nailed it in the bolded section.

Young school age boys in the East don't appear to have the opportunity to play against AFL bodies. It's one of the great opportunities WA kids get that is very underated.

 

[ferball]

Young school age boys in the East don't appear to have the opportunity to play against AFL bodies. It's one of the great opportunities WA kids get that is very underated.

I think it worked alright for Tarryn Thomas too.

 

[Waussie]

I think it worked alright for Tarryn Thomas too.

I see top player written all over that guy. Looking forward to seeing how WW comes back from this injury to.

 

[The Warlord]

People are mad if they think LDU is 'one paced'.

He's anything but.

There was a game early this season just gone where he broke away from the play in the forward line and it was quick as I've seen a North bloke move in years.

 

[ferball]

I see top player written all over that guy. Looking forward to seeing how WW comes back from this injury to.

He's certainly got it but I think the fact he's played years of seniors is really stands out. LDU doesn't second guess himself as much as he was earlier imo but I think Thomas shapes for the contest better as well as not holding back. Cos he's skinny anyway and has played against adults who may have been nearly twice his weight from a young age - i think he has learned to get the most from using his body against bigger players and has great technique for using his weight and shifting it during contact etc etc.

He is obviously playing against bigger bodies still but he does hold his ground more frequently and more effectively than I thought he would. That's not a knock on him either more a pleasant surprise that he is so well developed in that area. Its not like the typical "man child" thing - its more that he has the sort of physicality Jimmy Krakouer did - capable of matching it with heavier bigger bodies.

 

[Waussie]

He's certainly got it but I think the fact he's played years of seniors is really stands out. LDU doesn't second guess himself as much as he was earlier imo but I think Thomas shapes for the contest better as well as not holding back. Cos he's skinny anyway and has played against adults who may have been nearly twice his weight from a young age - i think he has learned to get the most from using his body against bigger players and has great technique for using his weight and shifting it during contact etc etc.

He is obviously playing against bigger bodies still but he does hold his ground more frequently and more effectively than I thought he would. That's not a knock on him either more a pleasant surprise that he is so well developed in that area. Its not like the typical "man child" thing - its more that he has the sort of physicality Jimmy Krakouer did - capable of matching it with heavier bigger bodies.

Agree, I think these kids identified at 16 get a lot out of playing against bigger, better skilled players.

 

[ferball]

Agree, I think these kids identified at 16 get a lot out of playing against bigger, better skilled players.

It probably wouldn't work in the modern AFL itself, but its definitely a benefit in slightly less intense leagues.

I remember reading an interview with Neil Kerley where he said he started playing senior footy at 12 - 14. He said he got smashed but was working loading cement bags into trucks or something similar so he could handle the contact. He had heaps of physical strength including core etc etc I assume from that work so it probably made physical contact easier to deal with.