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

[7577969923]

North isn't exactly doing that much better than Freo or Carltank.

So, it really doesn't make sense if he's not playing at least half of this years games and needs to go fulltime no questions asked ******** next year.

I'm all for him having stints in the VFL here and there this year but we should really be slowly integrating him as a best 22 player, so he's prepared for fulltime next year.

Out of the top ten from his draft he has played the second least amount of games. Did we pick the wrong player, are we no good at development or is our selection poor?

 

[Billy Not Really]

Out of the top ten from his draft he has played the second least amount of games. Did we pick the wrong player, are we no good at development or is our selection poor?

Our drafting years up until say 2016 were absolute s**t in the Scott era, a majority have been delisted, moved teams or ultimately failed as players a small crop have succeeded.

So its not because we picked the wrong player, we needed midfielders for the future at the time and for now.

But our development is awful, alot of players unless they are mature age recruits; see Higgo, Waite, etc. tend to regress in skills and become just bit players with no instinct or flare, rarely taking the game on, with a more defensive edge. Because thats Scotts M.O. high defensive play and scoring from lockdown stoppages.

Selection is just same old s**t, whoever fits the bill. Slowly we bring in new players for the 22 when its only out of necessity, and considering we have no depth in the midfield, playing the kids doesn't happen, it'll be play 3 games if you're lucky and then * off back to the VFL for the year.

I'm fine with the fact LDU is playing VFL this year, its expected but he does need more games. Should be at a total of 20 games minimum by the end of the year, particularly at the backend of the year. We're absolutely kidding ourselves at this point to salvage a season if the club thinks finishing mid-table is a success.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Out of the top ten from his draft he has played the second least amount of games. Did we pick the wrong player, are we no good at development or is our selection poor?

He was always going to be a slow burner if you know what his type and development entailed.

As for games played, the quickest bloke selected has jumped out of the blokes and then you can barely separate anyone after that. There's nothing abnormal about that.

 

[Clarke is King]

He was always going to be a slow burner if you know what his type and development entailed.

As for games played, the quickest bloke selected has jumped out of the blokes and then you can barely separate anyone after that. There's nothing abnormal about that.

Completely untrue that you can't separate the other top picks. 6 of the top 10 have played at least 25 games and Luke has played 10.

 

[Snake_Baker]

Completely untrue that you can't separate the other top picks. 6 of the top 10 have played at least 25 games and Luke has played 10.

Who cares about the amount of games? I'm referring to output.

 

[Event Horizon]

Surely people are smart enough to realize that a Bailey Scott or Tarry Thomas type of player (outside, quick, skillful) would be ready to go a lot sooner than an inside mid who actually needs to win contested ball and compete with big bodies around the contest for 80% of their time on the ground?

I am not pretending to know why exactly LDU was dropped and hasn't got back in yet, but I am sure it has been communicated clearly to him, as part and parcel of his development. If we wanted to plonk him at half back or forward pocket, he might have done ok, but that's clearly not what we want to do with him.

I think that's pretty obvious.

 

[7577969923]

Surely people are smart enough to realize that a Bailey Scott or Tarry Thomas type of player (outside, quick, skillful) would be ready to go a lot sooner than an inside mid who actually needs to win contested ball and compete with big bodies around the contest for 80% of their time on the ground?

I am not pretending to know why exactly LDU was dropped and hasn't got back in yet, but I am sure it has been communicated clearly to him, as part and parcel of his development. If we wanted to plonk him at half back or forward pocket, he might have done ok, but that's clearly not what we want to do with him.

I think that's pretty obvious.

He may well be the exception but Cripps came straight in at Carlton. LDU is actually good enough now. Just needs more time at the top level.

 

[Event Horizon]

He may well be the exception but Cripps came straight in at Carlton. LDU is actually good enough now. Just needs more time at the top level.

Cripps was a pretty big boy, and is an exceptionally rare player

 

[Orange Peanut]

Out of the top ten from his draft he has played the second least amount of games. Did we pick the wrong player, are we no good at development or is our selection poor?

Or.... is this really good for his development?

I would rather see him in the ones, and I'm incredibly frustrated with this team this year.

But you can't discount that they might know exactly what they're doing.

 

[7577969923]

Cripps was a pretty big boy, and is an exceptionally rare player

I don't actually see LDU as a brutal style of inside mid in the mold of Cunners or Josh Kennedy etc. You want the ball in his hands coming out of the contest because he makes quality decisions and has the skills to execute.

 

[ferball]

There isn't when it comes to LDU; especially the false narrative of timid & soft.

You are saying we didn't notice him hold back on occasions at contests?

I wouldn't have called him soft or scared of contact because there are plenty of times he goes hard at the ball and isn't scared of getting hit hard in the tackle but there were definitely times he seemed to hold back. I dunno if timid is the right word but it might have been.

So now noticing that is a "false narrative" is it?

 

[Billy Not Really]

You are saying we didn't notice him hold back on occasions at contests?

I wouldn't have called him soft or scared of contact because there are plenty of times he goes hard at the ball and isn't scared of getting hit hard in the tackle but there were definitely times he seemed to hold back. I dunno if timid is the right word but it might have been.

So now noticing that is a "false narrative" is it?

The opposite ferb, ive never thought he was soft or timid to hold back at a contest or have a defensive play with tackling or whatnot.

To me it simply doesn't exist, the only evidence anyone can point toward is bailing on a high ball that wasn't even going to land near him as far as I know.

Also when you have firsthand extractors like Cunnington & Anderson, he's often on the outside just waiting to get the handball receive and into a on-running player. So to me that sort of vision didn't spell holding back at a contest either, its just part of the play.

At VFL level he's way more inside, he's charging into packs etc. which is obviously his go-to but that has to be at the expense of being the No. 1 inside mid, and at AFL level thats Cunnington, or Ziebell or Jed.

So now noticing that is a "false narrative" is it?

For lack of a better word it is, I just think theres not enough evidence to support a label of 'timid' or 'soft'.

 

[susurrar]

i actually thought ldu was playing great in the midfield time that he did get. in fact he was one of the highlights of the season for me. his inside 50 kicking was boomerlike. i believe he was right up near the top of the competition for scoring assists. it was also nice to see a rare run and bounce even if he lacked awareness of chasers a couple of times.

he did go limply at 2 marking contests in separate games. if thats why he was dropped fair enough, but i was hoping to see him back by now.

 

[ferball]

Also when you have firsthand extractors like Cunnington & Anderson, he's often on the outside just waiting to get the handball receive and into a on-running player. So to me that sort of vision didn't spell holding back at a contest either, its just part of the play.

For lack of a better word it is, I just think theres not enough evidence to support a label of 'timid' or 'soft'.

I dunno if you'd put it down to holding back because of his role and teammates or not. I kind of was when I mentioned that. But it was in the context of him learning to behave that way, which I think would be bad for his development especially because, as you note, in the VFL where he has more dominance he charges in harder. If that's his natural instinct I wouldn't want to risk it by playing him in the ones and specifically not doing that cos Cunners and Jed are in the way or already there.

 

[Billy Not Really]

I dunno if you'd put it down to holding back because of his role and teammates or not.

That's my assumption somewhat also.

To me that's not holding back however, its more just knowing your role & your opportunity to 'go' comes with more risk against bigger bodies & its infrequent, you'd be second guessing whens your chance if someone like Cunners got there first, whether as when you're free of that second guessing you'd just act on instinct and go.

Its what Patrick Cripps does all the time, he knows he's the no.1 so he goes always.

 

[ferball]

That's my assumption somewhat also.

To me that's not holding back however, its more just knowing your role & your opportunity to 'go' comes with more risk against bigger bodies & its infrequent, you'd be second guessing whens your chance if someone like Cunners got there first, whether as when you're free of that second guessing you'd just act on instinct and go.

Its what Patrick Cripps does all the time, he knows he's the no.1 so he goes always.

Yeah pretty much - I guess that's why i'm not fussed he's playing in the reserves right now cos I don't really think he needs to be second guessing himself like that at this stage in his career.

And all that is assuming what we see, or think we see, is what's actually happening. There's always that. But that aside ... I don't think its hurting anyone having him back there. I mentioned what i thought about weight either this thread or somewhere else and think it might be interfering with his inside contested ball. Same with Pauly losing that fat over the preseason. It might be less of a factor in the VFL. Ie If players like Hrovat run thru the middle in that comp its not gonna be as full on in terms of mature bodies having an extra 5 kgs to add to their momentum.

 

[kaboom kid]

The opposite ferb, ive never thought he was soft or timid to hold back at a contest or have a defensive play with tackling or whatnot.

To me it simply doesn't exist, the only evidence anyone can point toward is bailing on a high ball that wasn't even going to land near him as far as I know.

Also when you have firsthand extractors like Cunnington & Anderson, he's often on the outside just waiting to get the handball receive and into a on-running player. So to me that sort of vision didn't spell holding back at a contest either, its just part of the play.

At VFL level he's way more inside, he's charging into packs etc. which is obviously his go-to but that has to be at the expense of being the No. 1 inside mid, and at AFL level thats Cunnington, or Ziebell or Jed.



For lack of a better word it is, I just think theres not enough evidence to support a label of 'timid' or 'soft'.

I have seen him in marking contests on 3 occasions where he could have back with the flight but just pulled out of the contest. All 3 were at the game. I don't think it's as obvious on TV. I don't see that as enough reason to drop him however. He goes much harder at ground balls and his defensive work is solid. I suspect its just a confidence thing which will improve with size/ experience.

 

[The Butcher]

I am not pretending to know why exactly LDU was dropped and hasn't got back in yet, but I am sure it has been communicated clearly to him, as part and parcel of his development.

..But you can't discount that they might know exactly what they're doing.

You optimistic bastards. Personally the last eon has me anything but confident on these things.

Also, we winge about not having well rounded mids, kudos to the poster who highlighted our peculiarly high seperation of roles in there, but baulk at a kid being asked to perform something other than his "natural" role. Weird. To me now is the time to break that mold, and LDU is the player to do it. #sackscotts

 

[Orange Peanut]

You optimistic bastards. Personally the last eon has me anything but confident on these things.

Also, we winge about not having well rounded mids, kudos to the poster who highlighted our peculiarly high seperation of roles in there, but baulk at a kid being asked to perform something other than his "natural" role. Weird. To me now is the time to break that mold, and LDU is the player to do it. #sackscotts

Yeah I'm done with the coach too. But that doesn't mean it's not *possible* that this decision will turn out to be right. It is a bit bizarro though.

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

Or.... is this really good for his development?

I would rather see him in the ones, and I'm incredibly frustrated with this team this year.

But you can't discount that they might know exactly what they're doing.

It would be good to have faith in the decision making of the Football department - ie that they see themselves planning and building for a flag in 3-5 years time and each individual that will be involved in that flag push is being developed with this sole objective in mind.

If we had a new coach who was given a 5 year deal then faith in decision making would be high and justified - the problem is with a coach that has been there 10 years and 1.5 years left on his contract it would be a huge leap of faith to assume Bard has a 5 year plan in mind - the evidence suggests he only coaches for the current - not with any eye on medium term success.

 

[ferball]

It would be good to have faith in the decision making of the Football department - ie that they see themselves planning and building for a flag in 3-5 years time and each individual that will be involved in that flag push is being developed with this sole objective in mind.

If we had a new coach who was given a 5 year deal then faith in decision making would be high and justified - the problem is with a coach that has been there 10 years and 1.5 years left on his contract it would be a huge leap of faith to assume Bard has a 5 year plan in mind - the evidence suggests he only coaches for the current - not with any eye on medium term success.

Hence Turner on Ablett to learn to defend.

 

[The Nostradamus]

Has to play every game for the rest of the year

Drop the extra defender

 

[AdmiralBenson]

Fresh and played well earlier in the season.

A must in this week.

 

[Jesslc]

Surely people are smart enough to realize that a Bailey Scott or Tarry Thomas type of player (outside, quick, skillful) would be ready to go a lot sooner than an inside mid who actually needs to win contested ball and compete with big bodies around the contest for 80% of their time on the ground?

I am not pretending to know why exactly LDU was dropped and hasn't got back in yet, but I am sure it has been communicated clearly to him, as part and parcel of his development. If we wanted to plonk him at half back or forward pocket, he might have done ok, but that's clearly not what we want to do with him.

I think that's pretty obvious.

I know its not the point you're making (I agree with your point) but TT has been towelling up big bodies in the contest and I love it.

 

[Snake_Baker]

I know its not the point you're making (I agree with your point) but TT has been towelling up big bodies in the contest and I love it.

"Towelling up"?

Just temper that a little bit mate.

He's playing in a limited role capacity at the moment.