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

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Rusty Buckets

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Oct 11, 2019
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Um no offence LDU but there are more pressing needs you need to work on.
Pressing need one: Head over the ball. Pressing need two: Understanding that defence is not what separates the playing arena from the supporters. Moreover, has it ever been established why we didn't select Stephenson at 4?
 
Pressing need one: Head over the ball. Pressing need two: Understanding that defence is not what separates the playing arena from the supporters. Moreover, has it ever been established why we didn't select Stephenson at 4?

Because LDU wasn’t expected to be available at 4
He was always going at pick 2, throughout the year


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dollarscost

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Pressing need one: Head over the ball. Pressing need two: Understanding that defence is not what separates the playing arena from the supporters. Moreover, has it ever been established why we didn't select Stephenson at 4?

Clubs were scared off Stephenson because of his heart issues. Collingwood were just brave enough to gamble on it.

Furthermore, LDU was always projected to go ahead of Stephenson the entire year. He was one of the top - if not the top - inside midfield prospects in that draft. Inside midfielders are arguably the most important part of a team. When you have a chance to take that level of prospect at that position at Pick 4, you don't pass it up.

I do agree though, there's certainly things he needs to work on on the field. I think we're still two years away from seeing him really start to shine week in week out.
 
Pressing need one: Head over the ball. Pressing need two: Understanding that defence is not what separates the playing arena from the supporters. Moreover, has it ever been established why we didn't select Stephenson at 4?

Yes a number of times
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Clubs were scared off Stephenson because of his heart issues. Collingwood were just brave enough to gamble on it.

Furthermore, LDU was always projected to go ahead of Stephenson the entire year. He was one of the top - if not the top - inside midfield prospects in that draft. Inside midfielders are arguably the most important part of a team. When you have a chance to take that level of prospect at that position at Pick 4, you don't pass it up.

I do agree though, there's certainly things he needs to work on on the field. I think we're still two years away from seeing him really start to shine week in week out.
Yeah, nah. Class ball users with speed are the hardest to find. You can still find quality inside mids in the 30s and 40s, i.e. Swallow, Dumont, Luke Parker, Cameron Ling ...
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Clubs were scared off Stephenson because of his heart issues. Collingwood were just brave enough to gamble on it.

Furthermore, LDU was always projected to go ahead of Stephenson the entire year. He was one of the top - if not the top - inside midfield prospects in that draft. Inside midfielders are arguably the most important part of a team. When you have a chance to take that level of prospect at that position at Pick 4, you don't pass it up.

I do agree though, there's certainly things he needs to work on on the field. I think we're still two years away from seeing him really start to shine week in week out.
Maybe the Pies' medicos were simply more professional.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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Do you honestly not remember how highly rated LDU was? And do you truly believe he's not going to be an elite footballer?

It's too busy switching alt accounts and whining to remember what it posted a week ago.
 
Rated according to whom? And yes, I do have my doubts as to whether he'll make it.

Pretty much everyone.

He was expected to go no 1 iirc and Rayner was a smokey for no 1. In which case LDU was bound to go 2. We had 4 and were expecting to miss out on him. He wasn't even in the conversation for our pick iirc.

To the point where I missed draft night that night and was speaking to a mate about who we got (who doesn't follow this stuff as closely as me,) and he was saying "some guy with a hyphen" and I was thinking "Who could that be and why didn't we get Stephenson?" because I didn't think LDU would have been around.
Took me about 30 seconds to realise we got him. Then I was saying "Wait a minute did we get Davies Uniake?" ... Really? ... HowTF did we do that?" and old mate is saying "I dunno ... is he any good?"

He needs to lift his intensity imo but I'm expecting that to happen with the new coach. (Kind of agree about "head over the ball" and defending.)
 

roos_tt29

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Pretty much everyone.

He was expected to go no 1 iirc and Rayner was a smokey for no 1. In which case LDU was bound to go 2. We had 4 and were expecting to miss out on him. He wasn't even in the conversation for our pick iirc.

To the point where I missed draft night that night and was speaking to a mate about who we got (who doesn't follow this stuff as closely as me,) and he was saying "some guy with a hyphen" and I was thinking "Who could that be and why didn't we get Stephenson?" because I didn't think LDU would have been around.
Took me about 30 seconds to realise we got him. Then I was saying "Wait a minute did we get Davies Uniake?" ... Really? ... HowTF did we do that?" and old mate is saying "I dunno ... is he any good?"

He needs to lift his intensity imo but I'm expecting that to happen with the new coach. (Kind of agree about "head over the ball" and defending.)

Noticed he now has no strapping on his shoulders - will be interesting to see if that continues post-op into the 2020 season. Could be a good sign.
 

Rusty Buckets

Team Captain
Oct 11, 2019
311
534
AFL Club
North Melbourne
Pretty much everyone.

He was expected to go no 1 iirc and Rayner was a smokey for no 1. In which case LDU was bound to go 2. We had 4 and were expecting to miss out on him. He wasn't even in the conversation for our pick iirc.

To the point where I missed draft night that night and was speaking to a mate about who we got (who doesn't follow this stuff as closely as me,) and he was saying "some guy with a hyphen" and I was thinking "Who could that be and why didn't we get Stephenson?" because I didn't think LDU would have been around.
Took me about 30 seconds to realise we got him. Then I was saying "Wait a minute did we get Davies Uniake?" ... Really? ... HowTF did we do that?" and old mate is saying "I dunno ... is he any good?"

He needs to lift his intensity imo but I'm expecting that to happen with the new coach. (Kind of agree about "head over the ball" and defending.)
i guess Rayner was pretty much 'rated' by everyone too. if he and Zurhaar were both on the market at the same time, it'd be unanimous who the clubs would rate higher now. I just feel we get seduced by a draft number.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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if a kid with the physical attributes of LDU is available at 4 you don't even think twice taking him ahead of anyone. s**t, you'd take him ahead of at least 2 that went before him.

It's a good way of sorting out the football illiterates.
 
Rated according to whom? And yes, I do have my doubts as to whether he'll make it.
Let's come back to this in a 12 months to a few years time. See what you say 12 months down the track or so. LDU was a steal at 4.
 
Apr 24, 2013
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Let's come back to this in a 12 months to a few years time. See what you say 12 months down the track or so. LDU was a steal at 4.


Please, 12 months is another 4 x alt accounts away. :rolleyes:
 
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