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

[Roosurgence]

Phoning it in.

The quicker we get rid of players that don’t want to improve or put in the hard yards, the quicker we climb.

It’s the attitude of some of these entitled senior players that is holding the club back, not underdeveloped kids.

Bloke should be an A Grader but has raised the white flag.

I’m not against Clarko making a statement and sending them back to the VFL and telling them to show him they want to play at the top level.

Playing at AFL level is a privilege not a right. Some of these guys need reminding of that.

 

[archereleven]

I would love it if he started owning games. He is actually one my favourites. But at what point should we demand better - more consistency at the top standard he is capable of.

He may have attended more CBAs than any other player. That might just be because he has the skill set to be the best in the league at them. He is also probably running through there because he is not versatile enough to be resting elsewhere on the ground.

He has 'owned' quite a few games over his career. What has changed?

Simpkin has fallen off a cliff. Cunners and TT are no longer at the club, and he is now surrounded by 10 gamers. We have had to adjust to life post an elite tap ruckman who could produce reliable ball for his mids also.

We need a mature body to help our rotations and take a bit of heat off LDU. No mid in the games is 'dominating' games with a bunch of 10-20 gamers surrounding him. It's ******* ludicrous.



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[Roosurgence]

He has 'owned' quite a few games over his career. What has changed?

Simpkin has fallen off a cliff. Cunners and TT are no longer at the club, and he is now surrounded by 10 gamers. We have had to adjust to life post an elite tap ruckman who could produce reliable ball for his mids also.

We need a mature body to help our rotations and take a bit of heat off LDU. No mid in the games is 'dominating' games with a bunch of 10-20 gamers surrounding him. It's ******* ludicrous.



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What’s changed is that most of these blokes are self entitled sooks that don’t want to put in the hard work to get the club back up the ladder.

They just want to heck off somewhere else where they think they can get success without the hard work involved in getting there.

If you are sick of losing, do something about it. They have the talent around them if they want to do the hard work.

 

[archereleven]

What’s changed is that most of these blokes are self entitled sooks that don’t want to put in the hard work to get the club back up the ladder.

They just want to * off somewhere else where they think they can get success without the hard work involved in getting there.

If you are sick of losing, do something about it. They have the talent around them if they want to do the hard work.

1. It matters not if you think they are self entitled sooks, they are sick to ******* death of losing(as are the fans) and still don't have the senior players around them to eek out a win here and there.

2. Nobody knows if they want to heck off yet. If we could play some decent footy, we are a lot closer to keeping them imo.

3. They don't have the talent around them. LDU is surrounded by sub-20 game players, we have a 2nds backline made of VFL/SANFL/club rejects, no kpf, and no small defenders or forwards.

We aren't losing because they don't want to work, we are losing because the list is completely and utterly faaarked.

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[Roosurgence]

1. It matters not if you think they are self entitled sooks, they are sick to ******* death of losing(as are the fans) and still don't have the senior players around them to eek out a win here and there.

2. Nobody knows if they want to * off yet. If we could play some decent footy, we are a lot closer to keeping them imo.

3. They don't have the talent around them. LDU is surrounded by sub-20 game players, we have a 2nds backline made of VFL/SANFL/club rejects, no kpf, and no small defenders or forwards.

We aren't losing because they don't want to work, we are losing because the list is completely and utterly faaarked.

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That’s a total cop out.

They are sick of losing but continue to phone in half arsed efforts. LDU has been called out for it this year.

If you dont like losing, then put on your big boy pants and start doing something about it, instead of wallowing in self pity.

There is talented kids around them that are being led by a bunch selfish sooks. How do you expect them to come along for the ride, when the players leading them can’t be ****ed putting the key in the ignition?

These guys were told early in the year, it’s your club now and time for you to take control. All I have seen is half arsed efforts and white flag raising.

If you want to get something out of your career then take ownership and don’t leave anything to question. Because if that’s the mentality, then you will find things will turn and you might just get the rewards for your hard work.

I seriously couldn’t give two shits if players with these attitudes heck off somewhere else. If we are going to lose, I would rather watch us do it with a group committed to getting better and a group that has pride in the club and jumper.

If you think that’s been the case this year, then can I have some of what you are on?

I lay blame for the current state of our performances at the feet of our senior core. They haven’t been helped by shithouse recruiting, but they also have given up very easily when things haven’t gone their way.

You judge leaders on how the react when the s**t hits the fan, not when things are going well. The s**t has hit the fan and our so called leaders have gone to water and given up the fight.

But let’s all feel sorry for a bunch of overpaid pretenders because they aren’t winning games of footy. A big reason they don’t win, is because they are just that…… pretenders.

I’ve seen plenty of s**t North Melbourne sides win games purely due to the will to win and leave it all out in the park mentality.

 

[ansonholt]

Too much player blaming going on in this thread. LDU has already been an excellent servant for this club. Puts his head over it every week. Has some brilliant games as well and is a bit down on form at the moment. His serviceable games, however, are more than good enough.

He'd be sick of losing. Like so many others. In a better side, with more mature midfielders around him, he'll be a star. Potentially all-Australian. Hopefully that is with us.

I think so. He went to the VFL and supported his team mates. That's leadership. That's commitment to the jumper along with what he does week in and week out. That's good enough for me. Give him whatever he wants, pay-wise and contact length wise. Whatever it takes to keep him. We can't lose another mature player. Not one of his quality.

The rot stops here. We pay him overs of we have to. This is one deal we must closer. Over to you, Sonia and Jen. Make it happen.

 

[Ashley B]

Alluded to it ages ago will be our highest paid player since the famous number 18. Hopefully he stays and like Nick, Jy and others stays through the hard times and eventually has success with us.

 

[perplexed]

Luke's time on ground has jumped from 81 to 86% this year. That is very high considering he only plays on ball and isn't an aerobic beast. If this is reduced it would allow him to play with greater intensity - which is the main thing he seems to be lacking at the moment.

 

[justroyal]

I would rather take Jy’s and Zuurhar’s cut and give it to ldu.

This is the type of mid 20’s player we can’t lose. We’d be trying to find another two players who fit his age and position if we lost him. And that’s near to ******* impossible.

 

[chubbspeterson]

He was questionable to play, he didn't have the same explosiveness to my eye. He genuinely might need a rest.
He's never gotten through a full season so it may truly be his first real year of getting through the AFL grind.
We don't need to jump at anything unless he requests a trade.
But we should have the conversation with all the players - are you in or out? Move on if it's out.
I'm not sure we're at that point with LDU though.

 

[The Talent Scout]

He was questionable to play, he didn't have the same explosiveness to my eye. He genuinely might need a rest.
He's never gotten through a full season so it may truly be his first real year of getting through the AFL grind.
We don't need to jump at anything unless he requests a trade.
But we should have the conversation with all the players - are you in or out? Move on if it's out.
I'm not sure we're at that point with LDU though.

THIS! If you believed a few things on here by people then he's gone, ce la vie, out the door, finished and the common wording that seems to be used, "checked out". I don't think for one minute he has "checked out", there could be lots of reasons why he hasn't tore a game open this year like early last year. Gee wiz as for being checked out after 8 games, I mean really! Because if that is the reason some people are going with, then a lot of bloody players have checked out and I certainly don't believe that, not for one minute.

I've watched his performances this year and the last couple of weeks I've actually thought he's carrying an injury, but he is the type to say, "no I'm alright, I'm fine". Also unless I'm a really bad judge he is trying his guts out, now whether teams are paying more attention to him {I'm guessing that's one reason} or just maybe no one knows where the bloody ball is going when Tristan is rucking, especially when he grabs the ball straight away, I can hear people saying "well the bloody opposition do", well no sh*t sherlock!

If at the end of the year {with one year remaining on his contract} Luke does decide to leave, then its down to business and we get the best deal possible for him. If he's going to leave, we'll know at the end of the year, don't you worry about that. That is why I've said that this years free agency/trade period and national draft could well be our most important in history, for many reasons and with Will in charge I'm not worried one bit because I happen to rate Will in the top 4 recruiters in the country.

Another thing is what you've said "chubbs" is actually quite possible, the other thing people seem to have forgotten is at the start of his coaching appointment Alastair quite bluntly said "your either on the bus or your not", everyone knew it's not a sprint so it is going to take time, it's a journey. To a point I get it, we're disappointed, hurting, mad & angry and almost finished with footy, but as we know the little boy/girl in us all will never surrender our mighty roos, NO MATTER WHAT!!!!!

 

[DuckYeah]

That’s a total cop out.

They are sick of losing but continue to phone in half arsed efforts. LDU has been called out for it this year.

If you dont like losing, then put on your big boy pants and start doing something about it, instead of wallowing in self pity.

There is talented kids around them that are being led by a bunch selfish sooks. How do you expect them to come along for the ride, when the players leading them can’t be ****ed putting the key in the ignition?

These guys were told early in the year, it’s your club now and time for you to take control. All I have seen is half arsed efforts and white flag raising.

If you want to get something out of your career then take ownership and don’t leave anything to question. Because if that’s the mentality, then you will find things will turn and you might just get the rewards for your hard work.

I seriously couldn’t give two shits if players with these attitudes * off somewhere else. If we are going to lose, I would rather watch us do it with a group committed to getting better and a group that has pride in the club and jumper.

If you think that’s been the case this year, then can I have some of what you are on?

I lay blame for the current state of our performances at the feet of our senior core. They haven’t been helped by shithouse recruiting, but they also have given up very easily when things haven’t gone their way.

You judge leaders on how the react when the s**t hits the fan, not when things are going well. The s**t has hit the fan and our so called leaders have gone to water and given up the fight.

But let’s all feel sorry for a bunch of overpaid pretenders because they aren’t winning games of footy. A big reason they don’t win, is because they are just that…… pretenders.

I’ve seen plenty of s**t North Melbourne sides win games purely due to the will to win and leave it all out in the park mentality.

I like it

 

[R00StaR]

I think it's less that and more there's no one else that the opposition really needs to worry about. So he is dealing with multiple opponents for pretty much four quarters, particularly at stoppages.

Most elite mids in the history of football play with at least one other very high level mid. This idea that LDU should be dealing with the attention he gets week in week out, with very little help, and still maintain some mythical elite standard and work rate, and then when he doesn't he's "B-grade" and disappointing is pretty funny.

He has his flaws but if he goes to another club that actually has other good midfielders, he'll dominate.

100% and by the 2026 season, his first year of a new contract he'll have the in spades at North. Particularly since we should be taking the best mid in the country this year.

 

[Slamming Sam]

Rumour doing the rounds that LDU wants to stay a Roo. Loves his mates and wants to be a part of it.

 

[roos 10]

Rumour doing the rounds that LDU wants to stay a Roo. Loves his mates and wants to be a part of it.

 

[FlyHigh18]

Does anyone have list of who LDU lined up against each game this season, and how that player performed?

 

[ferball]

Rumour doing the rounds that LDU wants to stay a Roo. Loves his mates and wants to be a part of it.

Did you just start it?

 

[ferball]

BTW If so, well done.

 

[Horace]

Too much player blaming going on in this thread. LDU has already been an excellent servant for this club. Puts his head over it every week. Has some brilliant games as well and is a bit down on form at the moment. His serviceable games, however, are more than good enough.

He'd be sick of losing. Like so many others. In a better side, with more mature midfielders around him, he'll be a star. Potentially all-Australian. Hopefully that is with us.

I think so. He went to the VFL and supported his team mates. That's leadership. That's commitment to the jumper along with what he does week in and week out. That's good enough for me. Give him whatever he wants, pay-wise and contact length wise. Whatever it takes to keep him. We can't lose another mature player. Not one of his quality.

The rot stops here. We pay him overs of we have to. This is one deal we must closer. Over to you, Sonia and Jen. Make it happen.

Correct. Some ridiculous comments from some posters.

 

[buttsauce]

Didn’t he say he was going to pay us back for drafting him. Leaving now would not be paying us back.

 

[Dan]

Didn’t he say he was going to pay us back for drafting him. Leaving now would not be paying us back.

Or maybe he meant 'payback'.....

 

[Slamming Sam]

Did you just start it?

Ha Ha ..... No I didn't. Just reporting information floating around on social media

 

[Orange Peanut]

I lubb LDU. Hope to heck he hangs around.

 

[pupstar]

I lubb LDU. Hope to heck he hangs around.

Yep will sign on again for us.

 

[roos 10]

Yep will sign on again for us.

Is that just your thoughts or you know