Jump to content

Richo’s Praise of Luke Jackson

Demonland
Demonland
in Melbourne Demons

Featured Replies

The thing that's got me the most about him is the warp speed improvement week on week.

When he was drafted he was said to be a project player who hadn't played much footy but showed rapid improvement. I thought he looked like one of those players who are picked for their athletic potential even though they don't have a footy brain. His game awareness has turned out to be absolutely elite.

His ability at 19yrs to already compete physically in the ruck against mature bodies is a shock. He's put on 10kg's just since last season. 91kg to 101kg. 

  • Quote
    • Like 5
     

    I am enjoying him now, he has had a great year. I urge Demon fans to do the same as sometimes big men like Jackson can become slower over the years and can plateau at an early age. Don't get me wrong he still has upside for a year or two but beyond that injuries and lack of motivation can creep in. 

    He has a completely different build to most young men at 19. Take Max for example. Max was skinny and hadn't developed into his body. He was prone to injuries and did both knees. It's only after 5 or 6 years that he learnt about what works for his body and how to get the most out of himself and got very fit and arrived at about 26 - 28 as a fantastic player that he is today.

    Jackson has an Adonis body at a young age. Look at the size of his bum and thighs. They are huge and allow him to compete with men much older, slightly stronger and heavier. His jump is really good and his big thighs allow him to push off and out of contests. Hopefully he takes a long time to age and can keep his "bouncability". But it is no guarantee.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Shocked 1
    • Sad 1
      On 17/08/2021 at 00:31, willmoy said:

    Scott's the sort of guy that will make sure that Jackson is "watched"

    Scott may well allocate a watch or two on Dogga - problem for him is that no two (let alone one) player/s at his disposal will be able to compete and stay with him without massive gaps elsewhere on the ground. 

  • Quote
    • Like 1
     
      On 17/08/2021 at 03:03, deespicable me said:

    I am enjoying him now, he has had a great year. I urge Demon fans to do the same as sometimes big men like Jackson can become slower over the years and can plateau at an early age. Don't get me wrong he still has upside for a year or two but beyond that injuries and lack of motivation can creep in. 

     

    Or alternatively he will keep getting better and better and like almost every big before him hit his peak around 26-28 years old.....

  • Quote
    • Like 9

    Basketball skills seem to transfer well to AFL. Hones and sharpens agility and timing. LJ has agility and timing in spades

  • Quote
    • Like 2

      On 17/08/2021 at 02:17, binman said:

    That's  a really good comparison. Both super athletic, super competitors, love to be where the football, crazy good lateral movement for talls and big x factor.

    Interestingly Schwarter was also gun junior basketballer. 

    By leap do you mean LJ doesn't have Schwarter's leap or vice versa? 

     

    Yeah Schwarz had a fantastic leap/contested mark. I think Schwarz was more of a genuine footballer but he reminds me of him with his athleticism/touch.

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 17/08/2021 at 00:19, cantstandyasam said:

    Inspired selection at number 3 I think we'd have taken at 2 over Noah Anderson. I remember at the time when we lost pick 2 wondering why we rolled over, it's obviously because we were always going to pick Luke at 2 - brilliant.

    rolled over ? It was decided by the AFL, a made up rule on the fly which so often happens.

  • Quote
    • Angry 1

    I see some Koutoufides, some Schwarz some Naitanui. And if you can think of 3 harder names to spell in a comparison, go for it.🙂

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Love 1
    • Haha 7
     
      On 17/08/2021 at 01:07, old dee said:

    Good young players don't leave clubs playing in GF's Earl. 

    Well, there was that one guy, Jake Lever :P

  • Quote
    • Like 1
    • Haha 1
    • Shocked 1
      On 17/08/2021 at 03:35, Deemania since 56 said:

    Scott may well allocate a watch or two on Dogga - problem for him is that no two (let alone one) player/s at his disposal will be able to compete and stay with him without massive gaps elsewhere on the ground. 

    Totally agree,Scotty likes the take his feet from under him in the marking contest type of " harmless interference" though, maybe in one of the forward stoppages where the raw meat prowls..

  • Quote

      On 17/08/2021 at 03:57, BDA said:

    Basketball skills seem to transfer well to AFL. Hones and sharpens agility and timing. LJ has agility and timing in spades

    He also has a calmness about him that belies his age. He is so composed in traffic, it's as if he doesn't believe there's any possibility someone could tackle him.

  • Quote
    • Like 5

    I think I remember seeing a video prior to the draft where Richo advocated picking Jackson ahead of Green who ended up at GWS, I think. Good call.

  • Quote
    • Like 2

    An amzing aspect of Jackson's arrival that's possibly flown under the radar is his impact on Gawn's game. Max is not such an old dog that he doesn't learn from the prodigy, and in the last year or two has massively developed his ground game, agility and ground ball efforts... so Jackson has indeed shifted the narrative of what a ruck could/should do.

     

    Edited by PaulRB

  • Quote
    • Like 6
    • Love 1
      On 17/08/2021 at 07:31, PaulRB said:

    An amzing aspect of Jackson's arrival that's possibly flown under the radar is his impact on Gawn's game. Max is not such an old dog that he doesn't learn from the prodigy, and in the last year or two has massively developed his ground game, agility and ground ball efforts... so Jackson has indeed shifted the narrative of what a ruck could/should do.

     

    I think one of the best impact he has had on Max is Max knows he can go harder for shorter periods knowing the next guy in can handle the load and we don’t lose out when Max isn’t in the ruck. Gawn use to stay more back of centre and now pushes forward with attacks more.

  • Quote
    • Like 4

    One thing I really hope with Jackson is we keep him trim. I think he could very easily turn into a Naitanui type physically, becoming just a burst athlete in the process. Jackson’s strength is that he’s so agile and always in the play. He has to keep that for as long as he can in his career. 

  • Quote
    • Like 5
      On 17/08/2021 at 05:16, ManDee said:

    I see some Koutoufides, some Schwarz some Naitanui. And if you can think of 3 harder names to spell in a comparison, go for it.🙂

    Luckily he's nothing like Athas Hrysoulakis.

  • Quote
    • Like 2
    • Haha 4
    • Shocked 1

    I am not sure if I can cope with another 12 years of being told about his basketball ability... a'la Pendlebury. 

  • Quote
      On 17/08/2021 at 07:13, Purple77 said:

    Well, there was that one guy, Jake Lever :P

    Not everyone is as smart as Lever, talk about timing. Probably would like a better game in Round 2 of the GF match.

  • Quote
      On 17/08/2021 at 03:57, BDA said:

    Basketball skills seem to transfer well to AFL. Hones and sharpens agility and timing. LJ has agility and timing in spades

    I think what transfers well is the philosophy behind playing. In basketball you are a bit less "see ball get ball" and are thinking about the play to create an open shot ie: putting on the block and creating space for the team mate to gather the ball.

    I think its something Dogga does particularly well when in the middle

  • Quote
    • Like 6
    • Love 1

      On 17/08/2021 at 03:03, deespicable me said:

    I am enjoying him now, he has had a great year. I urge Demon fans to do the same as sometimes big men like Jackson can become slower over the years and can plateau at an early age. Don't get me wrong he still has upside for a year or two but beyond that injuries and lack of motivation can creep in. 

    He has a completely different build to most young men at 19. Take Max for example. Max was skinny and hadn't developed into his body. He was prone to injuries and did both knees. It's only after 5 or 6 years that he learnt about what works for his body and how to get the most out of himself and got very fit and arrived at about 26 - 28 as a fantastic player that he is today.

    Jackson has an Adonis body at a young age. Look at the size of his bum and thighs. They are huge and allow him to compete with men much older, slightly stronger and heavier. His jump is really good and his big thighs allow him to push off and out of contests. Hopefully he takes a long time to age and can keep his "bouncability". But it is no guarantee.

    Big men that plateau at an early age.  Hmmm did not realise that was a thing for AFL - actually can’t think of any examples of this. 

    more likely outcome will be continual improvement with peak years between 25-30y.o. 

  • Quote
      On 17/08/2021 at 02:39, Paulo said:

    I personally wanted no one else

    Well getting Kozzie as well must have been a shock then 🤗

      On 17/08/2021 at 07:13, Purple77 said:

    Well, there was that one guy, Jake Lever :P

    An exception must be allowed when playing in a team captained by Tex Walker. 
     

    “We like the way he’s tracking” - a classic bit of understatement by Richo. 🤗

  • Quote
      On 17/08/2021 at 10:30, 1964_2 said:

    Big men that plateau at an early age.  Hmmm did not realise that was a thing for AFL - actually can’t think of any examples of this. 

    more likely outcome will be continual improvement with peak years between 25-30y.o. 

    Grundy. Mind you Grundy never had the athleticism like Jackson has. Natanui looked a coming superstar early doors and now at times looks a liability. Too heavy and slow. I'm not saying it will happen, just playing a bit of devils advocate. He's good now. Why do we have to saddle players with expectation. I think he's just enjoying himself and it won't always be that way.

  • Quote
    •  
      On 17/08/2021 at 02:33, Dante said:

    There was a few of us who were keen, especially those that went to the pre-draft meeting that the club ran. We got to see footage that wasn't readily available and that JT and his department had.

    He looked sensational and it was obvious that he was going to be the goods but those there had to sign a confidentiality agreement so we couldn't disclose any of this. 

    It was a certainty that we were going to take Kozzi as well.

     

    Can you expand on this?

  • Quote
    • Like 1
      On 17/08/2021 at 07:34, Gorgoroth said:

    I think one of the best impact he has had on Max is Max knows he can go harder for shorter periods knowing the next guy in can handle the load and we don’t lose out when Max isn’t in the ruck. Gawn use to stay more back of centre and now pushes forward with attacks more.

    Reckon we look better ATM when Jacksons rucking TBH.

  • Quote
    • Like 1

    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

    Guest
    Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
    Reply to this topic...
    Go to topic listing

    Featured Content

    • CASEY: Geelong

      There was a time in the second quarter of the game at the Cattery on Friday afternoon when the Casey Demons threatened to take the game apart against the Cats. The Demons had been well on top early but were struggling to convert their ascendancy over the ground until Tom Fullarton’s burst of three goals in the space of eight minutes on the way to a five goal haul and his best game for the club since arriving from Brisbane at the end of 2023. He was leading, marking and otherwise giving his opponents a merry dance as Casey grabbed a three goal lead in the blink of an eye. Fullarton has now kicked ten goals in Casey’s three matches and, with Melbourne’s forward conversion woes, he is definitely in with a chance to get his first game with the club in next week’s Gather Round in Adelaide. Despite the tall forward’s efforts - he finished with 19 disposals and eight marks and had four hit outs as back up to Will Verrall in the second half - it wasn’t enough as Geelong reigned in the lead through persistent attacks and eventually clawed their way to the lead early in the last and held it till they achieved the end aim of victory.

      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • REPORT: Geelong

      I was disappointed to hear Goody say at his post match presser after the team’s 39 point defeat against Geelong that "we're getting high quality entry, just poor execution" because Melbourne’s problems extend far beyond that after its 0 - 4 start to the 2025 football season. There are clearly problems with poor execution, some of which were evident well before the current season and were in play when the Demons met the Cats in early May last year and beat them in a near top-of-the-table clash that saw both sides sitting comfortably in the top four after round eight. Since that game, the Demons’ performances have been positively Third World with only five wins in 19 games with a no longer majestic midfield and a dysfunctional forward line that has become too easy for opposing coaches to counter. This is an area of their game that is currently being played out as if they were all completely panic-stricken.

        • Thanks
        • Like
      • 0 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PREGAME: Essendon

      Facing the very real and daunting prospect of starting the season with five straight losses, the Demons head to South Australia for the annual Gather Round, where they’ll take on the Bombers in search of their first win of the year. Who comes in, and who comes out?

        • Thanks
      • 203 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • NON-MFC: Round 04

      Round 4 kicks off with a blockbuster on Thursday night as traditional rivals Collingwood and Carlton clash at the MCG, with the Magpies looking to assert themselves as early-season contenders and the Blues seeking their first win of the season. Saturday opens with Gold Coast hosting Adelaide, a key test for the Suns as they aim to back up their big win last week, while the Crows will be looking to keep their perfect record intact. Reigning wooden spooners Richmond have the daunting task of facing reigning premiers Brisbane at the ‘G and the Lions will be eager to reaffirm their premiership credentials after a patchy start. Saturday night sees North Melbourne take on Sydney at Marvel Stadium, with the Swans looking to build on their first win of the season last week against a rebuilding Roos outfit. Sunday’s action begins with GWS hosting West Coast at ENGIE Stadium, a game that could get ugly very early for the visitors. Port Adelaide vs St Kilda at Adelaide Oval looms as a interesting clash, with both clubs form being very hard to read. The round wraps up with Fremantle taking on the Western Bulldogs at Optus Stadium in what could be a fierce contest between two sides with top-eight ambitions. Who are you tipping this week and what are the best results for the Demons besides us winning?

        • Thanks
      • 273 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • PODCAST: Geelong

      The Demonland Podcast will air LIVE on Monday, 7th April @ the all new time of 8:00pm. Join Binman, George & I as we dissect another Demons loss at Kardinia Park to the Cats in the Round 04. Your questions and comments are a huge part of our podcast so please post anything you want to ask or say below and we'll give you a shout out on the show. If you would like to leave us a voicemail please call 03 9016 3666 and don't worry no body answers so you don't have to talk to a human.

        • Thanks
      • 53 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland

    • VOTES: Geelong

      Captain Max Gawn leads the Demonland Player of the Year in his quest to take out his 3rd trophy. He leads Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver who are in equal 2nd place followed by Kade Chandler and Jake Bowey. You votes please. 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 & 1.

        • Thanks
      • 30 replies
      Demonland
      Demonland
    View All