WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE FOOTBALL CLUB - MITCH CLARK

[Nasher 33,166]

What a turnaround! Haha. I might just be getting bitter, but I'm just happy that we managed to pull the rug out from someone else. Hope he turns out to be a useful player

[Hannibal 5,814]

I think this is a shocking move. I do not think he will be our #1 ruck over Jamar, and I do not rate him that highly as a forward, no way was he worth pick 12, nor that amount of $

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Or maybe he's a player that has shown undoubted potential and as a tall he's coming into his prime years as he plays next season as a 24 year old. It's a massive coup by the MFC.

I think you'll regret hitching yourself to the description of this trade as a "shocking move".

[jumbo returns 6,545]

I think this is a shocking move. I do not think he will be our #1 ruck over Jamar, and I do not rate him that highly as a forward, no way was he worth pick 12, nor that amount of $

Maybe if he had done something in his career so far, but all I remember of him is some nice flashes of play and a lot of (so called) tough man antics.

I truly hope I am proved wrong on this.

Please be positive, C84 - Neeld has seen the flexibility that Clarke will give our developing forward line. He will be a stay at home FF who will attract the best defender, allowing the other boys to run, roam and create space.

This is a good thing - don't be so wary.....

[old dee 22,982]

What a turnaround! Haha. I might just be getting bitter, but I'm just happy that we managed to pull the rug out from someone else. Hope he turns out to be a useful player

Revenge is a dish best served cold Nasher

[Maybe next year 167]

I think this is a shocking move. I do not think he will be our #1 ruck over Jamar, and I do not rate him that highly as a forward, no way was he worth pick 12, nor that amount of $

Maybe if he had done something in his career so far, but all I remember of him is some nice flashes of play and a lot of (so called) tough man antics.

I truly hope I am proved wrong on this.

I tend to agree but I think shocking is a bit strong. I have a few concerns:

(1) are we too top heavy? Watts, Jurrah, Howe, Clark, Petterd all go for the big marks and are a little slow when chasing the running bigman. Oh to have a young Aaron Davey to crumb and chase in the forward line. Maybe Jetta but not sure. Maybe Nicholson. Maybe Bennell.

(2) It is alot of money over 4 years for someone who has settled for his 2nd preference. Will he try as hard as he would at Fremantle?

(3) I have a feeling Martin will be used as a spare parts player between defence and ruck and may be wearing the green jacket often. Gawn's place idk. Whilst Clark may play FF, he is likely to play in ruck with one of Jamar or Martin injured.

On a positive, Petterd and Jones will welcome another tatt man -not that I am a big lover of tatts.

I see others leaving: Bate, Dunn, Maric. I do not think a huge loss but I wish them th ebest and hope noone boos them when they play against Melb.

[furious d 447]

I have to admit I was disappointed when he knocked us back so this is a nice surprise. Well done MFC.

I think once Brisbane found out they'd be entitled to compo if GWS picked him in the PSD, Mitch lost the upper hand. Finally one of the concessions afforded that abomination of a club has worked in our favour.

I rate Clark and he's just coming in to his prime. Perfect fit for us and I'd prefer him to Dawes. We'll see his real value in the second half of his contract imo, once our midfield has developed a bit more. I expect him to be playing a major role in a top 4 team by the end of his contract

[furious d 447]

I tend to agree but I think shocking is a bit strong. I have a few concerns:

(1) are we too top heavy? Watts, Jurrah, Howe, Clark, Petterd all go for the big marks and are a little slow when chasing the running bigman. Oh to have a young Aaron Davey to crumb and chase in the forward line. Maybe Jetta but not sure. Maybe Nicholson. Maybe Bennell.

(2) It is alot of money over 4 years for someone who has settled for his 2nd preference. Will he try as hard as he would at Fremantle?

(3) I have a feeling Martin will be used as a spare parts player between defence and ruck and may be wearing the green jacket often. Gawn's place idk. Whilst Clark may play FF, he is likely to play in ruck with one of Jamar or Martin injured.

On a positive, Petterd and Jones will welcome another tatt man -not that I am a big lover of tatts.

I see others leaving: Bate, Dunn, Maric. I do not think a huge loss but I wish them th ebest and hope noone boos them when they play against Melb.

(1) Didn't Rickybobby lay a record number of forward 50 tackles in a game this year? Howe has been excellent with his defensive pressure. Watts and Jurrah are anything but slow. It's all about mindset and I trust Neeld will be stressing the importance of tackling pressure.

(2) We have plenty of cap space and he's a professional.

(3) Doesn't affect Martin. Clark will play predominately forward. We didn't give up pick 12 and pay top $$ to strengthen our ruck stocks.

[Gorgoroth 12,352]

Yeah maybe shocking is a bad word, but I did say I hope I'm wrong. But the Lions supporter at work even thinks he wasn't worth it.

I think most is all in his head, has potential, but I don't think he has shown it yet. And I worried he won't either.

[Kento80 83]

I only have happiness in my heart today

[Gippy Dee 48]

(2) It is alot of money over 4 years for someone who has settled for his 2nd preference. Will he try as hard as he would at Fremantle?

This is complete rubbish!

The notion that a player would play any worse because he didn't get to the club he wanted is codswollop. What has any player have to gain in the AFL from playing half hearted?

If he didn't want to play for us then he wouldn't have taken the offer. I for one would expect and look forward to seeing Clark hitting packs and taking contested grabs in 2012. Something we clearly lacked in the foward 50 in 2011!

Gippy

Edited October 15, 2011 by Gippy Dee

[myboiwattsy 3]

Massive win

Clark, Misson and Craig are massive wins as they could have gone anywhere

Club is really getting stronger

[MrMoose 262]

GREAT news!

[Surfer Rosa 15]

Awesome news to wake to. Welcome Mitch, great work Demons.

[Maybe next year 167]

This is complete rubbish!

The notion that a player would play any worse because he didn't get to the club he wanted is codswollop. What has any player have to gain in the AFL from playing half hearted?

If he didn't want to play for us then he wouldn't have taken the offer. I for one would expect and look forward to seeing Clark hitting packs and taking contested grabs in 2012. Something we clearly lacked in the foward 50 in 2011!

Gippy

As I said just a concern. Here is a conspiracy theory. Plays crap for 1-2 years and then Melbourne seeks to trade him to Fremantle for nothing. Perhaps a stretch. What I was thinking more is that he misses his family so much he does not play as well as if he was with his family. Common amongst interstate players although I recognise he has been interstate for some time.

[Clanger King 9]

Give him some support @mitchclark1 Lets make him feel welcome. I know one thing next year. Jack Watts and Liam Jurrah won't be getting pushed around with Mitch Clark behind them. Love his hardness he has learnt off one of the best leaders in recent times in Johno Brown. If the boys aren't going in hard I'm sure he will tell a few and hopefully show a few how it's done

[Deano74 156]

What great news to wake up to. This is surely one of the best recruiting missons that the club has acheived.

A young, big, tough man with spunk.

How different our forward line will look next Year.

Well done to the club.

A very happy Dee.

[The Great One 99 125]

Absolutely Stoked.

Welcome Aboard Mitch. Great work Dee's.

I think this is the most positive thread I have read on Demonland in a long while. Very Refreshing.

[Undeeterred 2,883]

You bewty!

Who cares where we play him and why is it bad that we have more options? People here worried about Martin, Gawn etc, why not make them compete for their spots?

If they are good enough, they will make it.

Same goes for the mid forwards - if they can't get a game because the competition is too strong, why is that so bad?

[Deano74 156]

Stoked with this!

Awesome that we were finally able to land a big fish - one that nearly got All Australian in 2009. The guy knows how to kick a sausage and he all of a sudden makes our fwd line look so much more potent with Jurrah, Watts, Howe, Sylvia and Petterd.

Pick 12 is expensive but we still have Scully compo picks to use next year.

Congrats Dees!

And young Viney, Dont forget ! This is well managed.

[The Lobster Effect 845]

comment from tom rockliff's twitter "guess money can cure anything" haha http://twitter.com/#!/rockwiz38

well, you'd like to think the dees are closer to the a flag than brisbane

[demoniac 1,243]

Methinks 2 factors were key.

Melbourne sought advice from the AFL on whether or not Brisbane would be entitled to a Compensation Pick if GWS picked up Clark in the PSD. The AFL confimed tBrisbane would would be so entitled. At this point Brisbane were no longer a loser if Clark went into the PSD and the dynamics changed. When you combine that with the deteriorating relations between Freo and Brisbane making it hard for Clark and his manager Colin Young to see a deal being done at all I think you have the background to Clark's decision.

Now we just have to offer up the mid first rounder (after teams who missed the finals) pick in 2012 - 16 drafts for Josh Caddy.

[John Crow Batty 8,305]

Welcome to MFC Mitch. Not going getting too excited until he gets on the park. But great to see the club recruiting real men and that the days of recruiting skinny kids that need half a decade to develop are finally gone.

[Nasher 33,166]

Methinks 2 factors were key.

Melbourne sought advice from the AFL on whether or not Brisbane would be entitled to a Compensation Pick if GWS picked up Clark in the PSD. The AFL confimed tBrisbane would would be so entitled. At this point Brisbane were no longer a loser if Clark went into the PSD and the dynamics changed. When you combine that with the deteriorating relations between Freo and Brisbane making it hard for Clark and his manager Colin Young to see a deal being done at all I think you have the background to Clark's decision.

Now we just have to offer up the mid first rounder (after teams who missed the finals) pick in 2012 - 16 drafts for Josh Caddy.

I agree, I think Clark seeing no route to Freo played a big part. With GWS sitting in the way, the draft is not a gauntlet he'd have wanted to run and the deals with Freo weren't progressing in a manner Brisbane were happy with. It's a less extreme version of Nick Stevens wanting to go Collingwood - all nice and rosy to nominate your club of preference, but if it can't be done there comes a point where you have to make the next best decision. It came down to a choice between remaining at Brisbane or accepting our coin.

[Lil_red_fire_engine 10,330]

From Mark Neeld on twitter " A big welcome to Mitch Clark, he is a great fit for the Demons - adds versatility and experience to the team"

[Bang Bang Bang 5,558]

Massive coup and getting him for just pick 12 is a bargain. This guy was a #9 pick originally, has fulfilled the promise you'd expect as a top 10 pick and is approaching his prime. It's a big win for us.

The coin he'll be getting is excessive - but I'm comfortable paying him overs to get him signed. We had a war-chest waiting to be used anyway - and I'd be a lot more comfortable having Clark than A.Davey as our highest paid player.