The Mitch Clark Thread

[The Chazz 4,077]

Let's see - one who plays with the biggest club in Australia, in this years GF, is a current premiership player and can look forward to a number of years of real contending ahead and one who expressly said he wants to go home to Perth. It's good that we took a decent shot - there's only so many KPFs around. We just have to work down the list.

As I said in my post Old, I appreciate the fact that he wants to go home. reality is, we made an offer, he rejected it. It would be like me asking Jen Hawkins out on a date. I know she's not going to leave her bloke, even though I rate myself as a bit of a sweet-talker, still gives you a kick in the ass when she knocks you back!

[Dr. Gonzo 24,296]

I understand the frustration that fans feel when we cannot attract players, but not long ago we were a basketcase. It's a steep climb.

Yeah not long ago at all. Only 3 months in fact.

[The Chazz 4,077]

It's not the end of the world guys - we were never going to get him and must move on. Time to land a Lisle or perhaps a VFL/SANFL/WAFL Key position player. Moving forward Lucas Cook is the man - we just need someone else whilst he is developing. I'd also like to see if we can land 1 or 2 mature bodied midfielders as this is an area we need to work on.

Ah, feel so much better. FMD.

Edit - spelling.

Edited October 14, 2011 by billy2803

[idontcare 0]

No Mini-Draft Success

No Dawes

No Clark

What an anticlimax.

[beelzebub 23,383]

Some still dont get it.. If not for the want to go home hed be in Red and Blue right now, and happy to be so. Its not that we CANT land a bloke. He had a very different agenda. He stuck to it. I dont see it as a rebuff at all. We just didnt get our way. ...and we move on.

[GRUN DEE 69]

He wants to go home. Fair enough!

How about a three way trade.

Freo get Clark & Maric.

Brisbane get Pick 12 & 20.

Melbourne get pick 16 & Walters. Small fwd.

I have mentioned it before. But can it happen? I did mention Ballyntyne. But I think a bit rich for Freo.

[Goodvibes 3,596]

No Mini-Draft Success

No Dawes

No Clark

What an anticlimax.

What's your care factor?

[demoniac 1,336]

For mine Mitch Clark has always played his best footy as a ruckman/follower who rests up forward. Never really a genuine key forward. However in the age of the subsitute his fliexibility would have had value. But we move on. I would not be against considering Jordan Lisle from Hawthorn as the stay at home key forward option. Watched some of his games this year. Can take a mark but needs to work on his kicking.

[demoniac 1,336]

Bloody spewing to be honest. It has been determined that we need a KPF, we've targeted 2 this trade period, and have failed on both for various reasons. But seriously, why the f**k can't we land a player that we target?

I would have to say in the 30+ years barracking for Melbourne, this has been the most disappointing for so many reasons. The loss to Geelong - the way the players showed no respect for anything associated with the MFC was disgusting. For me, losing Scully was a tragedy. We are not a 1 man team, but this bloke had the makings of a superstar, and the way he treated the MFC was also disgusting. And now during trade week, we were told at the start of the week we were going to focus on the mini draft selections - MISS. Then we focused on filling the key forward role, offered great dollars/contract - 2 MISSES (Dawes, Clark).

No doubt I'll get my ass chewed off about this post, but FFS, what next?

It is much easier to attract a player when you are in the finals and seen as moving in to the Premiership window.

[Ouch! 2,266]

. No doubt I'll get my ass chewed off about this post, but FFS, what next?

Feel the same, I think we could have gone harder for Crouch, but Pretty happy with what we tried doing with Clark, always a rough shot, and if it means at the end Freo has to pay more, and offer more to Brisbane then that helps us too.... But he always wanted to head to Perth.

Dawes is at a club that is very much in a premiership window, again it was unlikley that we (or anyone) could get him away from the Pies.

What Next? ...... might be Fev!

[The Chazz 4,077]

Yeah you will because there is absolutely no benefit in thinking this way. You're a committed, long term Melbourne supporter and you're not jumping off. The more we focus on our negatives the more we'll be viewed as losers. No-one wants to be associated with losers. We're the club that invented the game, we're debt free, great facilites, talented young list, increasingly large football department, an inspirational president and a fine young coach. The only negative I can see is the 'woe is me' mentality that has gripped so many supporters of late.

Good post. But don't worry, I'm not going anywhere. It's taken me 30-odd years to get to this point - I'm not throwing that away! Bit like when Ben Cousins spent $10k on a 5-day bender, and a bloke told him to slow down, to which Ben replied "I've spent $10k getting to where I am now, I'm not stopping yet".

If we targeted Goddard/Buddy/etc, I'd appreciate them staying put. The fact is that it was Clark and Dawes - these blokes aren't superstars (I'm actually glad we dodged Dawes).

[Demon16 69]

Mitch Clark is the bizarro Tom $cully. good luck to him.

[rpfc 28,776]

Yeah not long ago at all. Only 3 months in fact.

Yes, and this is what I meant too.

Others will say that $5m debt is basketcase worthy but we were an onfield basketcase at times this year and that is the most visible aspect of a club.

Getting that right makes a huge difference to how people perceive the club.

Which is why I am thoroughly concerned by our senior players as they are the ones that drive onfield performance. Get me Kane Cornes, Scott Thompson, or another couple of leaders, before Monday...

[old55 23,687]

As I said in my post Old, I appreciate the fact that he wants to go home. reality is, we made an offer, he rejected it. It would be like me asking Jen Hawkins out on a date. I know she's not going to leave her bloke, even though I rate myself as a bit of a sweet-talker, still gives you a kick in the ass when she knocks you back!

Agree, it is disappointing. I'd even aired out the sleeping bag and fluffed up the sleeping mat.

[jabberwocky 2,301]

We were a willing pawn used by Clark's management to obtain greater $ for his client and caused Freo to give up an extra pick.

We were an outside chance at either snaring him or causing enough havoc to have him slip thru to PSD.

Next deal..

[PaulRB 6,411]

It seems trade week, like our season, will be a roller coaster of optimism punctuated with depressing doses of disappointment. That said, we'll dust our selves off and have a crack at the next opportunity, and with another three days to go we are still a chance to achieve a good result in this trade week...

[The Chazz 4,077]

Some still dont get it.. If not for the want to go home hed be in Red and Blue right now, and happy to be so. Its not that we CANT land a bloke. He had a very different agenda. He stuck to it. I dont see it as a rebuff at all. We just didnt get our way. ...and we move on.

Love the smiley face B59. and if it wasn't for Judd's facination with cardboard, he'd be wearing the red and blue too?

Again, I admire Clark for refusing our deal because of his home-sickness, maybe you need to get that B59?

Simple question - did we or did we not make an offer to Clark which he said "No" to?

[Dr. Gonzo 24,296]

Some still dont get it.. If not for the want to go home hed be in Red and Blue right now, and happy to be so. Its not that we CANT land a bloke. He had a very different agenda. He stuck to it. I dont see it as a rebuff at all. We just didnt get our way. ...and we move on.

Exactly. Disappointed? Sure but I'm not slashing my wrists over this. At the end of the day we did the best we could and as you say if not for the go-home factor he'd be with us now. We still have a massive stash in our salary cap and free agency comes in next year I say we start plotting who we want now and work on them throughout all of next year.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Exactly. Disappointed? Sure but I'm not slashing my wrists over this. At the end of the day we did the best we could and as you say if not for the go-home factor he'd be with us now. We still have a massive stash in our salary cap and free agency comes in next year I say we start plotting who we want now and work on them throughout all of next year.

That's why I posted on the Goddard thread about targeting him this year. That way, the Saints will get access to the compo picks (that we trade this year for him) next year, rather than having to wait until 2013 should they lose him to GWS. Also shafts GWS which would be just lovely!

You're right, I'm disappointed about MC, not wrist slashing, nothing that beer o'clock wont fix!

[beelzebub 23,383]

Love the smiley face B59. and if it wasn't for Judd's facination with cardboard, he'd be wearing the red and blue too?

Again, I admire Clark for refusing our deal because of his home-sickness, maybe you need to get that B59?

Simple question - did we or did we not make an offer to Clark which he said "No" to?

Too simple there Billy. How do i say this in a manner which will quench your thirst for own-team -loathing. He didnt say no to us per se. He simply saif yes to going home. it really wouldnt have matter what other team it was ( unless WCE ) he was going to WA.

The analogy of Judd is rubbish as Judd was a Blue long before anything ever got off the ground from any other club. Judd didnt say no to us either per se , he wasnt even entertaiiniing any others.That was all a charade.

and just for you

[demoniac 1,336]

Yes, and this is what I meant too.

Others will say that $5m debt is basketcase worthy but we were an onfield basketcase at times this year and that is the most visible aspect of a club.

Getting that right makes a huge difference to how people perceive the club.

Which is why I am thoroughly concerned by our senior players as they are the ones that drive onfield performance. Get me Kane Cornes, Scott Thompson, or another couple of leaders, before Monday...

We can now use the money we were spending on interest to service the debt on the football department.

We can now use the money raised by supporters that was previously used to eradicate the debt to invest in the football department.

The benefits can already be seen in the ability of the club to attract football professionals of the likes of David Misson and Neil Craig and the increase in the number of coaches.

Its getting these things right that gives us the best chance in my almost 40 years of following the Dees to win a premiership. There is alot of work to be done but for the first time in a long time we have solid foundations on and off the field.

[The Chazz 4,077]

Too simple there Billy. How do i say this in a manner which will quench your thirst for own-team -loathing. He didnt say no to us per se. He simply saif yes to going home. it really wouldnt have matter what other team it was ( unless WCE ) he was going to WA.

The analogy of Judd is rubbish as Judd was a Blue long before anything ever got off the ground from any other club. Judd didnt say no to us either per se , he wasnt even entertaiiniing any others.That was all a charade.

and just for you

Ah, B59, this is where I really get a chuckle at your expense - thank you! So does that mean he may still play for us - becuase he didn't say no to our offer?

Own-team-loathing? Expressing disappointment is far from team-loathing. Let's take a look back at some of your Bailey-bashing posts (while he was still in our team) shall we?

[GawnWithTheWind 604]

I am really disappointed.

Is his preference to still go west, but will still be happy if freo and brissy cant come to terms and he ends up at the dees?

Are we backing down or still pushing for him?

Does anyone know?

Thanks

[The Chazz 4,077]

I am really disappointed.

Is his preference to still go west, but will still be happy if freo and brissy cant come to terms and he ends up at the dees?

Are we backing down or still pushing for him?

Does anyone know?

Thanks

If you read the oricle's (aka B59) posts, Mitch Clark will be happy to come to Melbourne via the National Draft, should Freo/Brisbane not complete the trade. He hasn't said no the the MFC, it's just that he didn't say yes. Make of it what you will...

Edited October 14, 2011 by billy2803

[GRUN DEE 69]

Three way deal.

Richmond get Addam Maric, Brisbane get Pick 12 & McGuane, StKilda get 2nd or 3rd round pick from Brisbane,

Melbourne get Tom Walsh.

Brisbane say NO DEAL to Freo & Clark slides to us in PSD.

Yeah right!!!