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

[Ruckle]

Has managed to carve out what will be a thirteen year career without any discernible improvement from his first season.

Extraordinary.

Its bizarrely impressive in a Preussy kind of way.

 

[archereleven]

I suppose the nuffies agenda, as limited and idiotic as it tends to be, seems to include focusing continued hatred on one player for reasons that are exaggerated.

Dont listen to the dribblers, Luke.

God help Darcy Tucker

13

Darcy Tucker

Age

27

Ht

184cm

Wt

83kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

15.9

4star

K

8.3

3star

HB

7.6

5star

M

3.3

3star

T

3.3

5star

CL

1.5

4star

D

14.0

3star

K

8.5

3star

HB

5.5

3star

M

2.6

3star

T

3.3

4star

CL

2.4

4star

D

14.4

4star

K

8.0

3star

HB

6.4

4star

M

3.0

3star

T

2.8

5star

CL

2.2

4star

if Luke was to give it away.

Both are limited scrappers. The quicker they are replaced, the quicker we rise up the ladder.

On SM-G991B using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[Fart Cummings]

I can cop the contract it is what it is! He can not be captain or even in the leadership group and needs to be playing VFL.

 

[Blightys Barrel]

We had to lock him away due to all those oppo clubs lining up for his signature!!

Rowville, Balwyn and Apollo Bay were going hard from all accounts.

 

[koshari]

Has managed to carve out what will be a thirteen year career without any discernible improvement from his first season.

Extraordinary.

sleevo says, hold my beer!

 

[koshari]

Its bizarrely impressive in a Preussy kind of way.

pruessuy got injured a few times

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Long bomb Luke needs to go. Tries, but he is a one paced battler.

If he was a draftee playing in the junior league like that, would he get drafted?

 

[My Left Foote]

I can cop the contract it is what it is! He can not be captain or even in the leadership group and needs to be playing VFL.

Completely agree, it's one thing that we were stupid enough to sign him to a long term contract we can reluctantly live with that. But there is absolutely no reason to have him as a co-captain and play him in the seniors.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

If he was a draftee playing in the junior league like that, would he get drafted?

In juniors, he seemed to find more space, so his long kicking was a real asset...even in his first two years he was using his long kicking far better than he does now. I think he knows he can't break tackles and he knows he is one sided so he rushes and just bombs long out of instinct.

I find him so frustrating, because he SHOULD be far better than he actually is at the moment.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

In juniors, he seemed to find more space, so his long kicking was a real asset...even in his first two years he was using his long kicking far better than he does now. I think he knows he can't break tackles and he knows he is one sided so he rushes and just bombs long out of instinct.

I find him so frustrating, because he SHOULD be far better than he actually is at the moment.

I think my question wasn't clear.

If you were watching a kid playing in the Championships like how McDonald has been playing, would you draft them?

 

[Warrboy]

I'm not surprised the club narrative remains "he was voted in a as captain for a reason, we know what he does inside these 4 walls etc etc" but surely someone in the media with some North knowledge is going to call him out? I feel like club won't do a thing this year and wait until full team health, form and fitness make it abundantly clear. If the club is serious he'll play less than half the games next year and then do some polite VFL playing/assistant coach transition for 2026.

 

[koshari]

Long bomb Luke needs to go. Tries, but he is a one paced battler.

poor mans JZ

 

[shimaburnsgrieg]

I suppose the nuffies agenda, as limited and idiotic as it tends to be, seems to include focusing continued hatred on one player for reasons that are exaggerated.

Dont listen to the dribblers, Luke.

God help Darcy Tucker if Luke was to give it away.

There are very few nuffies left in LMac's corner given what the captain continues to serve up on a weekly basis - you must be one go them so well done on that continued support - I am sure he appreciates it.

 

[Colby Cheer Squad]

I think my question wasn't clear.

If you were watching a kid playing in the Championships like how McDonald has been playing, would you draft them?

Depends if he was the son of a past player who had notched up more than 100 games. Perhaps some would convince themselves that in an AFL team, those long kicks to a nest of opposition players would include teammates who could position themselves better. We have a tendency as supporters to get overly excited by father-son prospects. Byron Pickett Jr was going to be the next Buddy Franklin based on one single highlight.

 

[roos_fanatic08]

I think my question wasn't clear.

If you were watching a kid playing in the Championships like how McDonald has been playing, would you draft them?

No it was, I went off on a bit of a tangent answering a question you didn't ask.

I think the draft process is far more refined these days, decision making is a big part of how they assess potential draftees.

I think if I seen him bombing away from half back, you'd safely assume he wouldn't be the sort of player you'd take in the first couple of rounds and that he'd be more of a speculative 3rd round and beyond.

 

[Psychic Roo]

In juniors, he seemed to find more space, so his long kicking was a real asset...even in his first two years he was using his long kicking far better than he does now. I think he knows he can't break tackles and he knows he is one sided so he rushes and just bombs long out of instinct.

I find him so frustrating, because he SHOULD be far better than he actually is at the moment.

I think many can live with Bombs under real pressure even though his are brutal - see scott, tucker, corr - bad, but sort of understandable. Most teams have those.
What does our heads in are 1. The crab lead to the bp on a kick in. Then Stop. Wait. Wait. Do the c’mon thing with his hand. Waiiiit. Called to play on. Short, high Bomb that is marked by opp or defended back into 50.
Or 2 . way worse - the lurk behind the mark and call for a receive and the bomb to a pack of defenders. Never to our advantage. He doesnt need to get it and shouldnt knowing what he produces. It kills us.

 

[Rollmop]

Has managed to carve out what will be a thirteen year career without any discernible improvement from his first season.

Extraordinary.

It is extraordinary but ordinary eras = ordinary players playing more games than actually warranted, though this is an extreme example! If he were around in the 90’s he probably would have played a few seasons and not much more. Fact is he’s going to be a 200 game player for us because he played at a time when we’ve been for the most part, an ordinary or very ordinary football team and there was no one better to replace him with (also debatable). In 50 years time, people who weren’t around during this era might think that the captain of North Melbourne, Luke McDonald, who played 200 games for us was a very good player. They’d be wrong of course.

 

[ferball]

It is extraordinary but ordinary eras = ordinary players playing more games than actually warranted, though this is an extreme example! If he were around in the 90’s he probably would have played a few seasons and not much more. Fact is he’s going to be a 200 game player for us because he played at a time when we’ve been for the most part, an ordinary or very ordinary football team and there was no one better to replace him with (also debatable). In 50 years time, people who weren’t around during this era might think that the captain of North Melbourne, Luke McDonald, who played 200 games for us was a very good player. They’d be wrong of course.

There's every chance that if he'd started out in the 90s under Pagan he'd have been a much better player than if he started when he did under Scott.

 

[koshari]

Potting on current form is probably fair enough but he was a worthy 150 player so easily warented his recruiting, the last 50 games have been less steller but due to our terable list we have needed some stability. I would imagine unless something miraculous happens he will be lining up in the magoos a bit next season. Fwiw he is still an order of magnitude better than biggy who we called on earlier in the season.

 

[Rollmop]

Fair enough I just feel like he’s gone nowhere since 2014. I’m sure many will disagree, but that 2020 b&f win doesn’t rate highly for me, but even if you do rate it, it took 6 years to get to that point and since then he’s gone backwards. Two good years out of eleven isn’t a great return for mine. Probably have to agree to disagree on his overall contribution to North but he lost me a long time ago and the game has just gone past him now. And yes, he might very well have ended up a better player if he’d started out under someone other than Scott. Can’t dispute his love for the club and I have no doubt he’s a good bloke so will shut up about him now.

 

[RossHenshaw]

Behind Atley , probably our most overrated & luckiest to play 200 games

 

[Rollmop]

Behind Atley , probably our most overrated & luckiest to play 200 games

Mr. run and carry. Can’t disagree with this

 

[RossHenshaw]

Mr. run and carry. Can’t disagree with this

Mr. run & carry ...Prop / stop , wait .. go forward hesitate, . go backward hesitate , look back , look sideways ...
Kick down the line to a contest... Turnover .. goal to the opposition ..

 

[DocSholl]

Alley also a very good defender and one on one player who (mostly) knew his limitations.

 

[The Dougster]

I’ve defenders him staunchly.

Me too.

If he has another stinker this week then I think it will best for all involved for Lukey to have a stint in the two's.