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

[LB2Snake]

RF08's Season Review

Games Played: 20
Avg Disposals: 21.9
Goals: 6
Stat Highlight: 4.5 clearances per game, 21.6 pressure acts per game


Best Games
Round 21 Vs Richmond - 38 disposals, 5 marks, 2 tackles, 5 clearances
Round 19 Vs Carlton - 28 disposals, 6 marks, 5 clearances
Round 9 Vs Hawthorn - 24 disposals, 4 marks, 11 clearances

Summary

After playing 7 games in 2018, 14 in 2019 & 9 games in 2020, it's hard to believe that this was actually his first full year of senior footballer. In somewhat of a breakout year LDU pretty much improved every statistical facet of game, averaging more disposals, clearances, marks and tackles than any of his previous 3 seasons. His improved running capacity also allowed him to get around the ground and be involved in more general play as shown with his increased number of marks. At times he teased us with glimpses of his explosiveness, power and long kicking. His ability to break and dance around would be tacklers also vastly improved this season. Although his tackle number improved, some of his defensive positioning and defensive effort leaved a lot to be desired, far too often is he caught out of position around the contest which allows the opposition easy clearances. His clearance work at the coal face continues to improve, and some of the most exciting highlights for the year involved LDU bursting from the stoppage and kicking deep into the forward line. Although is DE% by foot is quite good (72%), he still is prone to the odd sack by foot, even when he has time or space. As his tank and body matures I think these kicking issues will become few and far between as technically his kicking is pretty much flawless. On his kicking, he also needs to improve his set shot and general goal kicking. If he can add the finishing touches to his goal kicking there is no reason why he can't be a goal a game midfielder (he kick 6.12 this year, and 5 OOF). So much to like about his season and so many highlights but he needs to bridge the gap between his best and his worst games. If he can improve his tank and build up his body a little bit more I have no doubt we'll see him take his game to another level next year.

Would love to see a comparison between him Josh Kennedy at same stages

 

[Psicosis]

Would love to see a comparison between him Josh Kennedy at same stages

 

[Psicosis]

This ones also pretty

Luke Davies-Uniacke and Christian Petracca AFL Stats Comparison

Luke Davies-Uniacke and Christian Petracca AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

 

[roos_fanatic08]

Would love to see a comparison between him Josh Kennedy at same stages

LDU in front in most stats. Wasn’t until 2012 that Kennedy took his game to another level

 

[LB2Snake]

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Cheers Psicosis
Eerily similar. Like that.

 

[marklovesbeer]

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LDU in front in most stats. Wasn’t until 2012 that Kennedy took his game to another level

Needs to work on hitouts.
Paired with Zurhaar for the summer?

 

[Hazey1977]

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Hope this message gets too you in time Psi.....

You're down to 15% battery mate. Put the phone on charge as soon as you're off the loo man!

On SM-G965F using BigFooty.com mobile app

 

[teethmeetsflesh]

watching the Judd highlight reel as he gets inducted into the hall of fame and I can see why many compare LDU with him. Very similar movement. Let's hope that LDU can get a clear head in the off-season, have a strong preseason and take his game to the next level year.

 

[Gasometer]

watching the Judd highlight reel as he gets inducted into the hall of fame and I can see why many compare LDU with him. Very similar movement. Let's hope that LDU can get a clear head in the off-season, have a strong preseason and take his game to the next level year.

Was thinking the same; consistently repeating those efforts we see glimpses of over 4 quarters is his challenge

 

[giantroo]

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Not too outlandish and pretty fair, but he's talking like LDU has totally stagnated. LDU was always going to be a bit of a slow burn and will peak around the same time Petracca will. He is only 1-2 preseasons from that now.

 

[AnEmptyChair]

That's a fair and accurate analysis from Kane-o.

 

[the big lebowski]

Not too outlandish and pretty fair, but he's talking like LDU has totally stagnated. LDU was always going to be a bit of a slow burn and will peak around the same time Petracca will. He is only 1-2 preseasons from that now.

We know he does need to get fitter, we know he is getting fitter.

We also know that he is ahead of petracca as a mid at the same age. Doesnt have the forward craft though

 

[Sphynx]

We know he does need to get fitter, we know he is getting fitter.

We also know that he is ahead of petracca as a mid at the same age. Doesnt have the forward craft though

I'm not sure he's ahead of Petracca at the same age as people like to point out.

Petracca was a half forward at the same age, getting roughly the same amount of ball that LDU gets playing quite a bit out of the middle.

I'm not sure LDU will ever be Petracca, thats a fairly unfair comparison. He's still progressing into what is likely an elite midfielder though.

Thomas is much more like to be "our" Petracca. He's as damaging as any of Petracca, Martin etc were at the same age.

Thomas still has a kids body. At 6"3 he's going to be a unit when fully mature.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

We know he does need to get fitter, we know he is getting fitter.

We also know that he is ahead of petracca as a mid at the same age. Doesnt have the forward craft though

Never will have that forward craft equal to Petracca. TT and JHF are our goal kicking mids for the moment.

 

[Kangaroos4eva]

Close:

Luke Davies-Uniacke and Christian Petracca AFL Stats Comparison

Luke Davies-Uniacke and Christian Petracca AFL Stats Comparison.

www.footywire.com

 

[HELLSBELLS]

Did Old mate Matthew put his 2 cents in ?

 

[7577969923]

I'm not sure he's ahead of Petracca at the same age as people like to point out.

Petracca was a half forward at the same age, getting roughly the same amount of ball that LDU gets playing quite a bit out of the middle.

I'm not sure LDU will ever be Petracca, thats a fairly unfair comparison. He's still progressing into what is likely an elite midfielder though.

Thomas is much more like to be "our" Petracca. He's as damaging as any of Petracca, Martin etc were at the same age.

Thomas still has a kids body. At 6"3 he's going to be a unit when fully mature.

When I heard a comment from the broadcast that Bont and Petracca were the only players in the comp to average 25 touches plus a goal a game I was interested in the comparison with TT. TT is almost exactly on the Petracca path:

 

[Only Forwards]

Never will have that forward craft equal to Petracca. TT and JHF are our goal kicking mids for the moment.

+ Sleevo.

 

[Devington]

Bizarrely uncontroversial call by Kane. Only thing I'd say is that LDU's had significant injury issues, the type that specifically hamper your ability to gain running power, in recent times. Other than skipping over that caveat, which is honestly fine in this instance, he's pretty much spot on.

On the issue of his forward craft I see no reason why he might not improve. Hell, even just coming close to reversing his 6 goal 12 behind ratio from this year would see him improve leaps and bounds. That's seems almost purely like a technique, and maybe mental, issue at this stage.

 

[King Corey]

Not too outlandish and pretty fair, but he's talking like LDU has totally stagnated. LDU was always going to be a bit of a slow burn and will peak around the same time Petracca will. He is only 1-2 preseasons from that now.

Agree but it doesn't hurt for coaches to nudge along elite talent occasionally.

LDU is tracking ok but the sky's the limit for him in terms of potential if he wants to pull out all stops over his career.

 

[Go_Roos!]

Seems to have lost the timidity, going better, don't stop trying all the blind turns.

 

[FootySmartSimpson]

With all the talk of Jy, Tarryn + Horne-Francis, I sometimes do a double-take remembering this guy is on our list; he is so young and has had an awesome year already. Then I also remember Willips and Tommy Powell who have shown so much but have really only started.

The only thing missing is the fitness to be a presence in both defensive and attacking running.

He could be the best of the lot. It is kind of scary.

 

[Engimal v3]

I was 90% sure you blokes were all cooked and LDU wad going to develop into a "star", in the same way we used to say Ryan Bastinac

Ryan Bastinac

Age

33

Ht

184cm

Wt

76kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.2

5star

K

10.0

4star

HB

9.2

5star

M

3.4

3star

T

3.0

5star

CL

2.6

4star

No current season stats available

D

18.8

5star

K

10.8

4star

HB

8.0

5star

M

3.4

4star

T

3.6

5star

CL

2.6

5star

was going to be a star. He really impressed me this year and took it to another level, especially in the back half of the year.

 

[Shinboner1]

LDU probably still a year behind due to his OP and other issues.
Give him time and he'll go massive.
Agree with Kane he needs a big kick up the butt this offseason; similar to what Zurhaar has had.