I would rather a dud player that wanted to play for the MFC than a good (overpaid) player that didn't...

Seriously, Mitch Clark 500k+ a season?!? And he doesn't even want to play for Melbourne!!

You can't really blame Melbourne for having a crack. We were being proactive and oportunistic and that should be seen as a huge positive.

Clark wants to return home for personal reasons, he doesn't take money. He should be admired for that.

So we didn't get the big fish this time. To have a realistic chance we should have been showing our interest from a long way back, but with our coaching and personnel changes this just wasn't a possibility.

I'd like to think that at the very least we're starting to turn heads. We're serious about recruiting players. And serious players should be seriously considering us.

BTW why am I up at 4.30 in the morning?

Brisbane want our first pick to bundle with theirs to get Tippet from the Crows to replace Mitch Clark. Freo's pick 16 isn't enough so the Crows must have some good drum on who will be taken where in the draft. If Freo really want him then it appears that the only way to do this deal for them is to do a three way with Melbourne. Such as:

Freo give Melbourne a player and pick 16

Melbourne give Freo pick 12

Freo give Brisbane pick 12 for Clark.

The complication could be that Brisbane may still want to be involved in the first round of the draft so to get our compensatory pick that was on offer for Clark it'd have to be a pretty good player (from the MFC perspective) thrown into the mix. This is why trade time is so interesting. The real drama is about how much are Freo prepared to pay for Clark... he doesn't want to go anywhere except Perth, but GWS won't care about that.

An alternative, but less likely three way would be between Melbourne, Brisbane and Adelaide. delivering Tippet to the Crows, a player/s from Brisbane to Melbourne and two first round draft picks to the Crows. (which in essence is the clark deal - but with an alternative player) the real stumbling block here for clubs is that the groundwork needs to be done ahead of the proposal. I imagine there are few player that the MFC would be genuinely interested in that are available/willing to be traded by the club or player themselves.

Pick 16 and Suban would do it for me for our pick 12 and a later pick if needed

No need for the sarcasm Tim D. I think everyone on here accepts his desire to go home and that it won out over money. Can't see anyone complaining.

It's more the inevitable nonesense about how we 'failed' again, Redleg. How long to you reckon it wil be until robbie or old dee or diablo start the wild rumpus about how the club is a long-term failure and we can't recruit any talent and we can't snare anyone in the trading period and we overpay when we do etc...

i'm happy we had a crack at clark but I don't blame him for sticking to his guns to get home. Good on him I have gained a fair bit of respect for someone who doesn't hold money as the number one priority in their career. I'm trying to think of someone we can get for pick 12 from Brisbane but nothing is coming to mind.

Jack Redden

Age Article

http://www.theage.co...1014-1lpc0.html

Thanks. I think the Saints " we want to keep him because he is a developing player and a fine young man" is footy speak for we haven't been offered enough yet. We have a chance here if we want the boy.

It's more the inevitable nonesense about how we 'failed' again, Redleg. How long to you reckon it wil be until robbie or old dee or diablo start the wild rumpus about how the club is a long-term failure and we can't recruit any talent and we can't snare anyone in the trading period and we overpay when we do etc...

Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know what you are getting at, but to be honest our record at trading for a player who has improved the list in the last 10 or so years has been very poor. I posted this earlier somewhere and no one to date has been able to refute it. Facts are facts. Yes we have traded some players for picks that turned out well like Trav/Grimes, Brock/Gysberts but the trading for a good player to us does not seem to happen. Imagine if we got 2 duds for those picks the outcry, well maybe not in Brock's case. I understand for the last few years we were developing and wanted picks, but this year we clearly are looking for a big body forward to help our younger forwards and we are struggling again. We still might do a deal. I think our efforts for Clark have been great and all we could expect. But there does seem to be some reluctance by players to come to us or clubs to deal with us, maybe I am just imagining that. We still have a few days left this year and we will see. I think we can still be realistic about what has happened in the past and assess it dispassionately, but as you predict we don't really need the slamming of the club as a bunch of hopeless incompetents. I think we all acknowledge it is very difficult in trade land as it is a dog eat dog week.

In conclusion I will say this, I am far more confident of our off field structures than I was a while ago and so lets hope in the words of a school motto "onwards and upwards".

Red...our record is indeed crap. But Im not too sure how we could have done much better this year at least. A red hot go was had( being had )

What was, was, What is, is..and what might be who the f knows..lol

Well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I know what you are getting at, but to be honest our record at trading for a player who has improved the list in the last 10 or so years has been very poor. I posted this earlier somewhere and no one to date has been able to refute it. Facts are facts. Yes we have traded some players for picks that turned out well like Trav/Grimes, Brock/Gysberts but the trading for a good player to us does not seem to happen. Imagine if we got 2 duds for those picks the outcry, well maybe not in Brock's case. I understand for the last few years we were developing and wanted picks, but this year we clearly are looking for a big body forward to help our younger forwards and we are struggling again. We still might do a deal. I think our efforts for Clark have been great and all we could expect. But there does seem to be some reluctance by players to come to us or clubs to deal with us, maybe I am just imagining that. We still have a few days left this year and we will see. I think we can still be realistic about what has happened in the past and assess it dispassionately, but as you predict we don't really need the slamming of the club as a bunch of hopeless incompetents. I think we all acknowledge it is very difficult in trade land as it is a dog eat dog week.

In conclusion I will say this, I am far more confident of our off field structures than I was a while ago and so lets hope in the words of a school motto "onwards and upwards".

You're not imagining it, but it's pretty obvious that quality players don't want to go to a bottom four club. You'll no doubt say that we haven't always been poor over the last 10 years, which is true, although I never considered us a genuine threat even in ND's halcyon days, but I'd counter by saying that Cameron was pretty conservative when it came to trading. He didn't believe that trading was the panacea to list improvement and that many trades were overrated.

Even Collingwood supporters have lamented that they haven't been able to land a "big fish" often over the last 25 years. Up until Judd Carlton were the same. They got Stevens dragging and kicking. So, yes, our record at recruiting established quality is relatively poor, but the reasons are pretty obvious and we're not on our lonesome.

It's fair to say that scheduling a tour of the Junction Oval had its drawbacks.

So, some articles suggest that Brisbane were very keen to deal with Melbourne so our pick 12 could be used by them to lure Kurt Tippet to them in conjunction with their first round pick going to the crows. While Tippet most likely wants to go home to QLD, just like Clark to WA, we should offer up pick 12 and a compo pick for Tippet. He exactly, exactly the player we need.

Long shot, but would be the trade of the decade for us. We have the money, we can offer up even more picks/players if need be.

Surely the lure of MCG footy and an emerging list and a great city is worth a crack. Wonder if he liked Neil Craig?

So, some articles suggest that Brisbane were very keen to deal with Melbourne so our pick 12 could be used by them to lure Kurt Tippet to them in conjunction with their first round pick going to the crows. While Tippet most likely wants to go home to QLD, just like Clark to WA, we should offer up pick 12 and a compo pick for Tippet. He exactly, exactly the player we need. Long shot, but would be the trade of the decade for us. We have the money, we can offer up even more picks/players if need be. Surely the lure of MCG footy and an emerging list and a great city is worth a crack. Wonder if he liked Neil Craig?

Won't work... if you read between the lines the deal the Lions have worked out for Tippet is picks 8 &12. Whilst both players have similar currency in the current market, one is in contract and one out of contract, that effects the bottom line price because the Lions know they will lose Clark regardless. The Crows have 12 more months to work out a deal.

Won't work... if you read between the lines the deal the Lions have worked out for Tippet is picks 8 &12.

keep in mind thats pick 8 and 12 in this years draft. A weak one.

A ist round compo pick activated next year in a stronger draft carries much currency.

Just dreaming I guess. Could not think of a more suited player for us.

Pick 12 and both compo picks in return for Tippet and a pick? Huge cost, maybe too big, but he really is the biggest missing piece.

Won't work... if you read between the lines the deal the Lions have worked out for Tippet is picks 8 &12. Whilst both players have similar currency in the current market, one is in contract and one out of contract, that effects the bottom line price because the Lions know they will lose Clark regardless. The Crows have 12 more months to work out a deal.

8 + 12 sounds steep for Tippett to me. 8 + 16 should get it done. Your theory that the Crows know who will go at 12 and specifically want them ahead of the player at 16 is possible but it's a stretch for me. Are you sure the Lions will deal 8 for Tippett? Maybe they want to hang onto it and want to deal the Clark trade receipts direct for Tippett and that's why they favour MFC's 12 + Compo (with say 29 back to MFC) for Clark. 16 + 20 won't get the Tippett deal done since he's in contract.

Trade week is a massive huff 'n' puff where supporters become critical of their clubs who can't do this deal or can't do that deal.....

It's a highly competitive comp and NO club is going to give ANY club a leg-up towards a premiership window.

The few bottom six change colours and the successful club does some chest beating, ala Hawthorn. Big deal...give me the draft any day.

Trade week is a massive huff 'n' puff where supporters become critical of their clubs who can't do this deal or can't do that deal.....

It's a highly competitive comp and NO club is going to give ANY club a leg-up towards a premiership window.

The few bottom six change colours and the successful club does some chest beating, ala Hawthorn. Big deal...give me the draft any day.

Don't think Adelaide supporters agree with you this year

It's more the inevitable nonesense about how we 'failed' again, Redleg. How long to you reckon it wil be until robbie or old dee or diablo start the wild rumpus about how the club is a long-term failure and we can't recruit any talent and we can't snare anyone in the trading period and we overpay when we do etc...

I liked our play for Clark - I never thought it was realistic because he wanted to go home and said so from the start but it was bold

WOW!

"Agreement has been reached tonight to trade Brisbane player Mitch Clarke to @melbournefc for selection 12 in the 2011 National Draft." - MFC twitter

what where?

edit shite.....GO DEES

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/

left hand side, twitter feed

what where?

MFC twitter.

But has the player agreed to the trade? If not, i guess its meaningless

you little ripper, huge get for the demons!

But has the player agreed to the trade? If not, i guess its meaningless

Seems highly positive but until monday and papers can be lodged it all is meaningless damn weekend "agreement"