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

[shimaburnsgrieg]

I think his old man was the worst footballer to play over 100 games for North, 150 or so I think in the end. I remember him kicking a bag of goals against Fitzroy I think in 1983 but he had the Krakouer boys, Abernathy, Hodgeman, Tanner etc hitting him lace out. We just didn't have any decent tall forwards during this era, and as Donald was over 6ft2 he was carried in the team. Young Luke seems like a nice kid but he should be replaced sooner rather than later by Hardeman or Bergman in my opinion.

His old man played one of the best finals games seen by a North Melbourne player in the modern era - the '85 Elimination final. A 6'2 part time ruck against Madden at about 6'8 - DMac fought the big battle all day and won it - other than Schimma and Johny Holt that day he was one of our vmp's.

That said enough is enough with LMac - he can't live off his old man's name all his career - the time has come to pull the pin.

No one likes this situation - but unfortunately it must be done if we are serious about improving as a football team.

 

[Topparoo]

His old man played one of the best finals games seen by a North Melbourne player in the modern era - the '85 Elimination final. A 6'2 part time ruck against Madden at about 6'8 - DMac fought the big battle all day and won it - other than Schimma and Johny Holt that day he was one of our vmp's.

That said enough is enough with LMac - he can't live off his old man's name all his career - the time has come to pull the pin.

No one likes this situation - but unfortunately it must be done if we are serious about improving as a football team.

I missed that game I was backpacking in Europe in '85. So I'll take your word and witness on that one

 

[Hearts to hearts]

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It feels like Jy is very much positioned by the club as the #1 captain this season.

 

[King Corey]

I remember reading that the Archer family was close to the McDonald family and Glenn had taken Luke under his wing. There was then an expectation that young Luke would then be managed by Glenn and his agency.

McDonald family said no, this is business and went elsewhere much to Archer's disappointment.

Well this is business.

 

[Mute Point]

How does he stick around after that?
Contractually I get it. But ****

Much easier to drop him once he's not Co Captain

 

[justroyal]

The real question is, why is he still wearing that number

 

[Devington]

I remember reading that the Archer family was close to the McDonald family and Glenn had taken Luke under his wing. There was then an expectation that young Luke would then be managed by Glenn and his agency.

McDonald family said no, this is business and went elsewhere much to Archer's disappointment.

Well this is business.

I don't buy the theory that Donald McDonald is secretly pulling the strings of the entire club and that everyone is scared of upsetting Luke as a result, but fair dinkum, your post reminds me that it was all kinds of ****ed the way we allowed Luke's drafting to go down behind the scenes. I'm not convinced some type of Faustian bargain wasn't involved on top of all the other shit.

 

[lockheed]

When all of Goater, Hardeman, and Archer are healthy, there simply is not a spot in the best 22 for McDonald.

He's going to be a very high-paid VFL player in 2025+2026.

I imagine that much of Luke's money was paid in the first years of his contract, but yes.

 

[desie]

His old man played one of the best finals games seen by a North Melbourne player in the modern era - the '85 Elimination final. A 6'2 part time ruck against Madden at about 6'8 - DMac fought the big battle all day and won it - other than Schimma and Johny Holt that day he was one of our vmp's.

That said enough is enough with LMac - he can't live off his old man's name all his career - the time has come to pull the pin.

No one likes this situation - but unfortunately it must be done if we are serious about improving as a football team.

I’ll have to go back and watch it again - my recollection is that Madden was one of their best, but yes, he did battle manfully that day given the height he was giving away.

 

[Topparoo]

It seems that MacD senior has somehow managed a job for life at NMFC. It doesn't seem right to me somehow, especially when you consider how average we have been as a club for 20 years.

 

[SonofSamsquanch]

I’ll have to go back and watch it again - my recollection is that Madden was one of their best, but yes, he did battle manfully that day given the height he was giving away.

I'll tell you why it's one of my favourite ever North games... My wife and I both worked with guys who were umpires . It transpired that we were provisional VFL members so we obtained tickets through one of the umps and got to sit in a small reserved area amongst them.

You've all seen St Kilda supporters, Collingwood supporters, * supporters and ferals who barrack for other clubs. Well most of the umps were wearing those Ansett knitware jumpers with the little CFC logo and almost to a man, they were ferally baracking for Carlton. And as rabid as any regular blews supporter too. It may be that this was just their way of expressing their hatred for North when they couldn't pay soft frees against us on the field, but man, they were giving us heaps for being amongst them wearing North gear. My mate actually baracked for Collingwood and my wife's mate was a saint as it happens. The rest - all Carlton.

Carlton had North on the canvas. Almost landed the knock-out blow...


...And the miracle happened.

That comeback was magnificent. A thing of beauty and admiration.


And we gave plenty of lip. I might have used the work maggot. I do know we never got another invite to sit with the umps after that.


And years later my mate mentioned several times how much the geesh hated Carey. That was a real thing through-out the 90s.

 

[Merlin007]

There's been some excellent points made here about the downside consequences of people having influence because they lay claim to being part of the 'fabric' of the club. The case under discussion is LMac, but it's a wider issue - people complained (probably rightly) that Joel Crocker got a list spot on the back of F/S romance.

My recollection with LMac is that there were tensions about F/S and the family? Someone will recall....was it something about Donald's job at the club?

That said, I'm not so down on him as a player as most seem to be. IMO Luke lost a bit with the hamstring problems, first when he memorably ran down Cyril (it's hard to imagine a repeat now). That's left him with a role as back 6 organiser as a med defender, and the physical attribute that he's a seasoned, hardened AFL footballer. I think with that combination he's been ok, esp. in his BnF year, which I thought was characterised by thoughtful, short kicking.

Where he lets himself down big time is his determination - as many others have said - to kick long and as far as he can. Especially approaching F50, he seems set on rivalling Blight's barrel by kicking it over the proverbial grandstand.

If I were coaching him, I'd be setting a team rule instructing LMac to find a short leading target in F50, or take a tackle trying. Now that we've got some tall forwards, if LMac kicks it to space, they will lead to it. Kicking for goal from 50 plus? Forbidden.

And yes, time to hand over the captaincy (next year).

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

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It’s voted for. Complete bullshit.

 

[Caracas]

I don't buy the theory that Donald McDonald is secretly pulling the strings of the entire club and that everyone is scared of upsetting Luke as a result, but fair dinkum, your post reminds me that it was all kinds of ****ed the way we allowed Luke's drafting to go down behind the scenes. I'm not convinced some type of Faustian bargain wasn't involved on top of all the other shit.

Of course you’re right. Everyone knows that. But with the angst around this place, every imaginable shadow will be jumped at. Having said that, I don’t believe Luke is performing at a best 22 level right now. I would be happy to see Hardeman or Dawson Senior (if Logue is back) take his spot. It is hard to drop your captain, though. He’s a heart and soul player, who loves the club too. I could understand the club playing him until season’s end.

 

[Daniltchenko You Beauty]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

 

[Cyber_punk]

It seems that MacD senior has somehow managed a job for life at NMFC. It doesn't seem right to me somehow, especially when you consider how average we have been as a club for 20 years.

Top Bloke

 

[Hearts to hearts]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

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Was the one last week when the ball bounced past him to his opponent? I’m guessing this counts aerial contests, so it doesn’t exactly illustrate how good/bad his stopping has been overall.

To the eye his defending has been sometimes pretty solid, sometimes not so good. But ball use is where you’d expect Hardeman and other options will make a positive difference.

 

[ferball]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

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When Mav pointed out something similar last year he got shit canned for it.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

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This is just 1 of many aspects of his role in the team. It's those other aspects that are mostly being discussed right now.

Hard to know what faith to put in these numbers anyway when we don't really know the parameters around them.

I prefer the eye test which pretty clearly tells that he's not playing well enough to be in our team right now and there are others in the VFL right now that could play his role and have far more upside.

 

[King Corey]

If Luke's numbers are that positive I'm sure we'll see them reflected with another strong Syd Barker polling again this year. You know, the medal that rewards playing your role for the coaches.

 

[Chadwiko]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

This is a classic example of how statistics can lie.

 

[TennisPlayerAndy]

So the only defensive 1v1 he’s lost was when he was outmarked by Turner against Melbourne?

Give me a spell.

 

[Psychic Roo]

Was the one last week when the ball bounced past him to his opponent? I’m guessing this counts aerial contests, so it doesn’t exactly illustrate how good/bad his stopping has been overall.

To the eye his defending has been sometimes pretty solid, sometimes not so good. But ball use is where you’d expect Hardeman and other options will make a positive difference.

Most of those players would be the 6th or 7th defender picked except stewart maybe idun. Hardly guns. They often play on the weakest opponent. Archer gets the tough match up. Most of us dont have an issue if he defends and takes the odd intercept mark. The issues are calling for the ball in bad spots, bombing it over and over leading to turnovers, slowing the exits down killing momentum and terrible loose ball errors, taking the tackle 100% of time leading to a stoppage in d50 when we could turn it into transition and poor decision making to leave his man in pack situations and getting lost at stoppage. None of this is included in those stats.
Keep it simple - defend 1 on 1 and organise. Thats it. Dont ever call for the ball to pad your stats.
It kills the team and drives fans crazy - most of us watching have turned to someone we dont know in the crowd or they do it to us. “Watch this. Lmac crabbing and calling for it in bp, slow play bomb. Groan…”
Luke, play deep and on the back shoulder, go for yr intercept marks - leave transition and soft hb receives to fisher, colby, anyone. Work on loose ball gets and dishing off by hands if you intercept. HB under pressure to someone who can hit a target.

 

[Rollmop]

In defence of LMac…

The AFL’s best 1v1 general defender this year. Lost 1 of 19 contests.

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I’m more concerned about the stats for fumbles and long bombs to no-one. He’d be leading those categories too.

 

[Whippet1]

If he’s our kicker out of defence then it’s a sign that the opposition’s strategy is working.