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

[Kimbo]

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.

And his 'tackle first' mentality is probably what's keeping him in the side (and Ahern and LDU out of it?)

 

[AdmiralBenson]

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.

TT has been playing against men with mature bodies for some time unlike most draftees.

I think that has been very noticable in how he has started his AFL career.

 

[ferball]

TT has been playing against men with mature bodies for some time unlike most draftees.

I think that has been very noticable in how he has started his AFL career.

Definitely.

 

[Snake_Baker]

TT has been playing against men with mature bodies for some time unlike most draftees.

I think that has been very noticable in how he has started his AFL career.

He plays a defensive role that requires limited mileage and has an elite tackling technique.

I'm still not against dropping him back to the VFL at this point. He's still not quite "there", although I can see himbeing influential against a side like the Dogs.

 

[Heaps of fun]

Christ.

 

[AdmiralBenson]

He plays a defensive role that requires limited mileage and has an elite tackling technique.

I'm still not against dropping him back to the VFL at this point. He's still not quite "there", although I can see himbeing influential against a side like the Dogs.

I'm not against sending any player back to the VFL if it is warranted (form, fitness etc)

But I think Tarryn looks very good and considering the team's position, I'd much prefer to stay in 1s at the moment.

If he burns out later in season then sure. VFL should not be seen as a punishment if a player is struggling, rather the appropriate pathway to find form or fitness and return a better player at AFL level (as in that is the aim not necessarily the result)

 

[Waussie]

Really? Interesting.

I thought that about him last year and thought perhaps he was better earlier this year but I think he needs a bit more size and strength to be able to impose himself the way he wants to. I feel like he's backed off a bit and wasn't sure whether to put it down to deferring to senior players or being generally timid. Possibly the first but equally could be both as well.

If you are right and its down to timidity then he should stay there a while. He's competing against some big hard bodies so he might not be physically up to it yet. It takes alot of physical endurance to play as a great inside mid. Look at Cunners. He's in his late 20 and only really coming into his peak cos his strength and upper body endurance is peaking as well. LDU is a different player but the same process will be happening with him. Jed didn't really start to impose himself till his early 20s.

You could say Jy is starting to benefit from a bit more physical maturity too. Stats alone seem to indicate that.

Paul Ahern was already a year older than Jy is now when he debuted, and he had some weight on him that he has since lost. Maybe that's an issue for him as well, to a point. An extra 5 kgs of fat is still an extra 5 kgs an opposition player has to move in a contest. That might be the difference between him holding his spot in the contest and not at the moment. Bizarrely enough.

Yes, I agree with most of this post, I just can't see LDU being the the tough, bullocking player Cunners is. He is the guy Cunners creates the space for. Yes he needs more time in the 2, but he's gonna be a star. Ahern is the tougher of the 2, but he needs to fight harder for the ball, his disposal is reliable. My guess is BS will play seniors for as long as he can get away with it. He needs to add something to his CV.

 

[Orange Peanut]

Welcome back to the firsts young fella

Fingers crossed that's where he stays for the next 10 years.

 

[AdmiralBenson]

Welcome back to the firsts young fella

Fingers crossed that's where he stays for the next 10 years.

When does he play for our AFL side after playing in the 1sts?

Oh....hang on

 

[ferball]

Yes, I agree with most of this post, I just can't see LDU being the the tough, bullocking player Cunners is. He is the guy Cunners creates the space for. Yes he needs more time in the 2, but he's gonna be a star. Ahern is the tougher of the 2, but he needs to fight harder for the ball, his disposal is reliable. My guess is BS will play seniors for as long as he can get away with it. He needs to add something to his CV.

True about the difference between him and Cunners. This discussion about LDU is happening on a couple of threads I think. There is another post where I mentioned comparing him to Cunners at the same age. Similar figures maybe LDU better. I thought about exactly what you posted and went and compared him to Dangerfield instead. He's more of a burst player like Danger but not as much of an athlete. Dangerfield was a schoolboys state champion 100 and 400m runner the month before he got drafted wasn't he?

I think LDU's figures for general stats are better at the same age. Danger averaged heaps of goals tho, LDU hasn't.

 

[Waussie]

True about the difference between him and Cunners. This discussion about LDU is happening on a couple of threads I think. There is another post where I mentioned comparing him to Cunners at the same age. Similar figures maybe LDU better. I thought about exactly what you posted and went and compared him to Dangerfield instead. He's more of a burst player like Danger but not as much of an athlete. Dangerfield was a schoolboys state champion 100 and 400m runner the month before he got drafted wasn't he?

I think LDU's figures for general stats are better at the same age. Danger averaged heaps of goals tho, LDU hasn't.

The environment the young guys are developing in is a bit toxic. They hear and read what's going on, they can see the obvious and it would be bloody frustrating. Long term LDU has potential to be as good as danger. I'm one of the believers that we have a solid bunch of young guys, just needing a good coach. This coach is screwing with their career path.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

The environment the young guys are developing in is a bit toxic. They hear and read what's going on, they can see the obvious and it would be bloody frustrating. Long term LDU has potential to be as good as danger. I'm one of the believers that we have a solid bunch of young guys, just needing a good coach. This coach is screwing with their career path.

But Waussie, BS - who I agree has has a fair go to make his mark and has come up short - is not the development coach. We have a number of them, as well as our VFL coaches. So if you think the environment is a problem, isn't it the development regime that needs changing. BS is coaching the 1s.

 

[Waussie]

But Waussie, BS - who I agree has has a fair go to make his mark and has come up short - is not the development coach. We have a number of them, as well as our VFL coaches. So if you think the environment is a problem, isn't it the development regime that needs changing. BS is coaching the 1s.

There needs to be multiple changes, but the head coach now days has more pull regarding staff and players than ever before and BS seems to have surrounded himself with "yes" men. Most academy's put a lot of focus on fundamental skills now days, so these kids are coming in sound in that area, but for whatever reason and I suspect game plan and lazy training they don't take the next step very quickly. You only have to look at some of the other draftees to see a marked improvement in these skills over a couple of years, that's not too say our kids haven't, but not too the same level. Read into that as you will.

 

[7577969923]

There needs to be multiple changes, but the head coach now days has more pull regarding staff and players than ever before and BS seems to have surrounded himself with "yes" men. Most academy's put a lot of focus on fundamental skills now days, so these kids are coming in sound in that area, but for whatever reason and I suspect game plan and lazy training they don't take the next step very quickly. You only have to look at some of the other draftees to see a marked improvement in these skills over a couple of years, that's not too say our kids haven't, but not too the same level. Read into that as you will.

The accountability has to sit with the man in charge which is Brad Scott. He has appointed every coach we have. 10 years and with a win/loss ratio below 50% and dropping. Can the writing on the wall get any bigger?

 

[andana]

Davies-Unaicke returns for the Roos to play his 7th game of the season, after an impressive stint in the VFL.
The young midfielder has strung some dominant performances together in the seconds, playing the entire game in the midfield, and continually developing his craft.
Hungry to become a regular part of the senior 22, the second-year player will be looking to have a large impact.

 

[Istanbul Roo]

The accountability has to sit with the man in charge which is Brad Scott. He has appointed every coach we have. 10 years and with a win/loss ratio below 50% and dropping. Can the writing on the wall get any bigger?

Wasn't Crocker here before him? And BS was not the only person on the appointment committee clearly.

 

[Kimbo]

Wasn't Crocker here before him? And BS was not the only person on the appointment committee clearly.

Yes, although Brad did appeal to Crocks to stay on.

 

[The Nostradamus]

 

[tazaa]

Needs to tidy up kicking but that will come with experience.
We infitiely look better with him in the middle.

 

[Snake_Baker]

He's just not ready yet. End of story. Let's hear no more of this "play the kids" bullshit.

 

[justroyal]

We started playing better that final quarter as soon as he got to the bench.
*.

 

[Chadwiko]

Scratching my head that some think LDU is a plodder or something similar.

Kid has 'it'.

Needs some games under his belt but it'll come.

 

[Billy Not Really]

Bullshit, put games into him. Needs it. Wasn't even bad game from him just a very interrupted one, at least he walked away uninjured.

Barely attended stoppages/centre bounces and was played out of position all day.

 

[7577969923]

********, put games into him. Needs it. Wasn't even bad game from him just a very interrupted one, at least he walked away uninjured.

Barely attended stoppages/centre bounces and was played out of position all day.

Agree with this view. We are still 3 and 7 and the season is not going to turn around. He has a hell of a lot of upside and will be better for the run. He was no worse than guys like Turner and McDonald who have very limited upside. I would certainly be getting more games into LDU, TT, Larkey, and Zurhar.

 

[Go_Roos!]

A lot of people didn't realise that the AFL is a higher standard than than the U/18s and expected that he would play the same against professional footballers as he did against the boys. It takes time.