Player Watch #11: Luke "Two Dogs" McDonald (Part II) - Roo til end '26 - 2023/24 co captain w/ Jy

[The Nostradamus]

Funny you mention that. The supporters around me were annoyed at Daicos playing for it and yeh he did.

But thought the same as you about Luke's approach, it was a clumsy shit attempt that made it easy to infringe. If that's Wardlaw he's burying the prick without infringing.

When a player is picking up the ball head down our players need to be smarter approaching

They need to be training against that or waiting for the player to finish picking it up with the head back up again then tackle

 

[William Caresser]

Had his chance to lead with a hot ball in last 30 secs. Choked. No composure.
Spoiled comben. Out on full turnover in q4. Needs to be exited … now.

He also looked like a crab at times- players from both sides passing him.

 

[hotchilli]

The fumble in the play that led to the non-50m penalty is a really bad look for Luke.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

That kick which Darcy Cameron intercept marked early in the third is what started the collapse.

That sent me spare.

We’d spent all game hitting short to intermediate targets coming out of the back half, then you have this campaigner, who’s THE ****ING CAPTAIN, get a handball recieve and kick it into the troposphere towards a pack of 10 blokes, one of which was their tallest player.

Diabolical shit b

 

[Sphynx]

Mare of a day for him.

The absolute mongrel shot for goal when in space, on his preferred left from 35 was absolutely shithouse too.

 

[tazaa]

You guys are too harsh.
I thought it was the usual shit McDonald today.

Hes not going to get any better.
Hes never being dropped.

Lets just hope his teammates can carry him for a few more games yet.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

I thought David King summed it up well on first crack

It’s the young blokes team now, if these blokes who are over 25 can’t perform get out of the way.

 

[LuvtheKangas]

You guys are too harsh.
I thought it was the usual shit McDonald today.

Hes not going to get any better.
Hes never being dropped.

Lets just hope his teammates can carry him for a few more games yet.

It's just that the usual shit today was in a game that we lost by 1 point. So, it hurts more than his usual impact of turning a 40-point loss into a 60-point loss.

 

[Roosurgence]

That’s an extremely long bow to be drawing. Daicos clearly runs past the ball and Daicos throws himself into his legs and stages for a free.

Not sure you can be blaming Luke for what was a disgraceful umpiring decision.

If he stands back and sits off him we are all going bonkers if Daicos picks up the ball and kicks a goal.

The umpires need to put the onus on the player to keep his feet and not dive to ground for a free kick.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

Luke had been playing some decent football recently but today was not one for the showreel.

 

[Devington]

That’s an extremely long bow to be drawing. Daicos clearly runs past the ball and Daicos throws himself into his legs and stages for a free.

Not sure you can be blaming Luke for what was a disgraceful umpiring decision.

If he stands back and sits off him we are all going bonkers if Daicos picks up the ball and kicks a goal.

The umpires need to put the onus on the player to keep his feet and not dive to ground for a free kick.

Strong disagree sorry, Daicos was already low when Luke approached and we see a dozen times a game where blokes stay low or get even lower. Luke simply charged at him chest first with his arms out wide as if he expected Daicos to stand up and try and wrestle past him or something, it was stupid. Did Diacos help cause the contact? sure. But it frequently gets paid because the rules err on the side of the bloke whose head just got smashed pretty much every time unless they drop low like they were shot or if they drive forward head first. Luke should be smarter than to charge in like that. But he should be a lot of things that he isn't.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

It's a pretty simple solution - and has been for years now - don't play him.

And ffs don't make him captain.

These need to be the first 2 rules of NMFC fight club from hereon.

That the player vote was so close last year justified the call for co-captains. This year, the margin had widened but Jy's concussions made it kind of necessary to stick with the status quo. If Jy can get some continuity through the last half of the season and not get knocked out by some campaigner in a practice game next year, then there really is no need for Luke to be co-captain.

 

[Roosurgence]

Strong disagree sorry, Daicos was already low when Luke approached and we see a dozen times a game where blokes stay low or get even lower. Luke simply charged at him chest first with his arms out wide as if he expected Daicos to stand up and try and wrestle past him or something, it was stupid. Did Diacos help cause the contact? sure. But it frequently gets paid because the rules err on the side of the bloke whose head just got smashed pretty much every time unless they drop low like they were shot or if they drive forward head first. Luke should be smarter than to charge in like that. But he should be a lot of things that he isn't.

Go and watch it again.

It was staging. Daicos doesn’t even pick up the ball, he goes past it and then realises that the only way he gets possession is to dive at McDonald.

It was a shocking free kick.

If it was a North player that did it Collingwood would still be crying about it.

The guy is a protected species and knows it and prays on it now. It’s like the umpires are fanboying every time he goes to a contest.

He’s a great player, but he’s also soft as shit and a stager.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

That’s an extremely long bow to be drawing. Daicos clearly runs past the ball and Daicos throws himself into his legs and stages for a free.

Not sure you can be blaming Luke for what was a disgraceful umpiring decision.

If he stands back and sits off him we are all going bonkers if Daicos picks up the ball and kicks a goal.

The umpires need to put the onus on the player to keep his feet and not dive to ground for a free kick.

The dumbest players to have ever played the game would know that Daicos was dead in the water and looking to milk a free in that situation. He was on the ground, prone with little help. All Luke needed to do is know that.

It classically summed up McDonald’s play over the last three years and his captaincy. Unfortunately, just dumb as bat sh*t.

 

[LETSGOKANGAS]

His long kicks are always fated to land in the oppositions hands it seems.

As mentioned he wont get any better and the sooner he is upgraded the better the team will be. For now he plays.

 

[shinboner magic]

He’s hanging on and probably only on the side due to goater injury.
His career highlight was his dance when drafted.

 

[Mr north man]

When your captain can’t handle the heat you know you are in trouble.


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McDonald will play this week coming and next as his protected at this club supporters need to realise this.

 

[Snojet]

I doubt the club has the courage to drop LMac this season.
I do hope there is already someone talking to him about next year. Someone needs to help him write out a resignation of his captaincy. Something like the captaincy has impacted on his ability to play and that it has been an honour but the future of the club is with the younger guys.

 

[archereleven]

He needs to see the remainder of his deal out in the VFL. He can captain the 2's and remain viable depth and repay the club that way.

Deadset, his game yesterday was deplorable.

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[blackshadow]

Some hard conversations need to be had with Luke.

VFL captaincy seems about right for him.

 

[shinboner spiggs]

I think it’s inevitable for him and the club to move past him. He’s sticking out as one of a number of relics of a dark era nowadays, where those who are willing to be part of the solution are announcing themselves.

Injury has saved him but when Bergman is fit it will be time.

 

[Carey4life]

Bergman and Goater... even mckercher to come back into the team. Time is ticking.

The positive is his contract would have been heavily front loaded. He's likely relatively cheap in the final years of his contract.

 

[Samsquanch]

Bergman and Goater... even mckercher to come back into the team. Time is ticking.

The positive is his contract would have been heavily front loaded. He's likely relatively cheap in the final years of his contract.

You'd hope so.

But maybe that's a problem in itself (heavily front loaded and long contacts). The bloke has his cash. He's not the least bit hungry.

A real captain would have sacrificed his game to offer leadership, advice, on-field coaching and would have spent every ounce of energy to make it difficult for Collingwood to move the ball in the last quarter. Unfortunately, the captain was probably amongst those who panicked the most. It's possibly a consequence of some horrendous development during his formative years, who knows? But helicopter kicks to nobody in particular don't set a good example.

 

[shintemaster]

You'd hope so.

But maybe that's a problem in itself (heavily front loaded and long contacts). The bloke has his cash. He's not the least bit hungry.

Maybe. I personally think he's hungry enough, just that the game has mostly moved past him. FWIW he's been solid the last 4-5 weeks as has Corr and I thought unfortunately both were down yesterday and it impacts. We need our senior players at least throwing up solid games. Agree in general though not a game to remember for Luke.

 

[Samsquanch]

Maybe. I personally think he's hungry enough, just that the game has mostly moved past him. FWIW he's been solid the last 4-5 weeks as has Corr and I thought unfortunately both were down yesterday and it impacts. We need our senior players at least throwing up solid games. Agree in general though not a game to remember for Luke.

By hungry, I mean managing peak fitness, honing skills, developing and controlling tactics to reduce the risk of red-time goal scoring opportunities etc.

I suspect Luke probably plays with several areas of discomfort from knocks and bumps he wears, and he is passionate about the club without doubt. I just want to see if an old dog can learn a few new tricks.