I woke up this morning with a crazy thought that perhaps the club is a bit concerned about the way Mitch Clark may recover from his foot injury.

Don't get me wrong, I pray this is not the case as Mitch is out most important and favourite player, but the fact that the club is targeting Dawes, Pederson and secured Hogan - maybe they are just stocking up incase Mitch can't play a full season next year?

Thoughts?

P.s I love Mitch and this probably isn't the case whatsoever!

I doubt that is the plan forone, Hogan cant play next year anyway. Pederson was a mature age that cant get a game due to North abundant talls, and is a money ball type pickup. Dawes is the monster forward to we need to create a contest in the forward line. I think Clark is far more mobile and agile than dawes. Also the two older players bring experience and maturity to the club which we need. role models from successful cultures.

I suppose that is a way of looking at it and all these other guys are good insurance but I think it'll be more Neeld increasing Clarks ruck time and needing more big blokes to fill thee forward fifty.

Has anyone seen Mitch around? Asked him how his recovery is going?

It is very unlikely that we engineered our entire trading strategy around one guy's foot. Neeld said at the end of the year that we needed support for Clark even when he was in the side and that has been the club's primary focus in the trade period. I don't think we need to in looking for hidden reasons when all the evidence supports the reason we were told by the coach himself.

With the way Neeld wants the club to play, I think you'd want about 3 talented tall forwards. With Hogan 18 months away from debuting, let alone holding down a position necessarily, I don't think our targets have much to do with Clark's injury, if any.

I think it is a bit of yes and no.

Even if he makes a complete and very speedy recovery extra talls will take the pressure off him: and also a bit of insurance in case he doesn't, or heaven forbid, gets another injury of some sort which happens in the Hurley burley of AFL.

What I sincerely hope does NOT happen, and I have posted this elsewhere, is that Mitch is asked to do a lot more ruck work. IMVHO that robs Peter to pay Paul, and exposes him to a different range of injury that true rucks get and learn to live with. He is far too valuable as a KPF forward to 'waste' in this way.

IF Dumbitriou, in his (lack of) wisdom decides to defy the clubs and introduce the 2+2 bench then it could be a whole different story, but lets hope, just this once, he extracts his head from the deep dark unsavory place it usually resides, and does listen.

I hate to say this, I really do, but I understand that a significant number of footballers who sustain his injury never play again, and of those that do, none are the same. So yeh, I think there is no doubt we would have some concerns.

I think we should stay positive and realise that the surgeons are getting better and better and that Clark is recovering well.

And yes if Dawes and Hogan become KPF stars and Petersen is a gun back up ruck then maybe Clark can switch back to been an AA quality first ruck. I think we should wait at least until we secure Dawes and Petersen.

Richo played his career best footy post this injury. Not doubting the severity or the impact of this injury, just saying I wouldn't throw myself off a cliff over it just yet.

  On 14/10/2012 at 02:08, Nasher said:

Richo played his career best footy post this injury. Not doubting the severity or the impact of this injury, just saying I wouldn't throw myself off a cliff over it just yet.

Agree. Some may be overlooking the fact that Jurrah is no longer a forward option for us to help out Clark. The likes of Bate, Dunn, playing required roles within the structure are uncertain at this stage.

Neeld is building a team around Clark, Trengove, Grimes, Jones and Howe.

Mitch must not ruck at all in 2013.

  On 14/10/2012 at 02:08, the master said:

I think we should stay positive and realise that the surgeons are getting better and better and that Clark is recovering well.

And yes if Dawes and Hogan become KPF stars and Petersen is a gun back up ruck then maybe Clark can switch back to been an AA quality first ruck. I think we should wait at least until we secure Dawes and Petersen.

I might be wrong, but I don't think they undergo surgery - I think it's just absolute rest and no weight bearing, and hope for the best.

  On 14/10/2012 at 02:33, jumbo returns said:

Neeld is building a team around Clark, Trengove, Grimes, Jones and Howe.

Mitch must not ruck at all in 2013.

If his games in 2012 are indicative of the player he is, than he must be a permanent forward. Far too valuable to pinch hit.

Let's hope Trengove is on that list for more reasons than he is co-skipper.

I would be shocked to say the least if he played more time in the ruck next year, particularly given the nature of his injury.

His updates on FB re his recovery have been very positive (as you'd expect), with him talking about a big pre-season. So whilst it may be insurance to bring in the additional talls and avoid another Rivers/Garland shamozzle, I'm confident Mitch will be playing just as big a role in 2013.

Apparently he has just started skipping. I read that he posted it on twitter.

  On 14/10/2012 at 02:37, Choko said:

I might be wrong, but I don't think they undergo surgery - I think it's just absolute rest and no weight bearing, and hope for the best.

They did operate on Mitch's injury, and I think it involved screwing the tendon to a bone in the foot.

I could be mistaken though

For those that are concerned that Clark, Dawes, Pederson would make our list too top heavy compare it to the current premiers KPF stocks:

Sam Reid, Adam Goodes(Played as KPF many times during the season), Mike Pyke (Ruck/Forward), Shane Mumford (Ruck/Forward), LRT, Tommy Walsh, Jesse White, Matt Spangher and they still want Kurt Tippett.

Compare this to ours:

Mitch Clark, Mark Jamar (Ruck/Forward), Stef Martin (Ruck/Foward), Lucas Cook, Jack Fitzpatrick, Colin Garland (?), Jared Rivers (?), James Sellar, Jack Watts.

Compared to the Swans we have a versatile player who may fill role like Goodes, LRT in Watts and our two Ruck/Forwards are nowhere near as strong in their forward role. Cook, Fitzy are still not regular AFL players, Sellar, Garland and Rivers are far better as defenders. In fact of this list only Mitch Clark is a proven forward. I think there is plenty of room for 3 more KPF over the next 2 years even if they end up depth like Spangher and White.

  On 14/10/2012 at 02:38, pitchfork said:

If his games in 2012 are indicative of the player he is, than he must be a permanent forward. Far too valuable to pinch hit.

Let's hope Trengove is on that list for more reasons than he is co-skipper.

Quality person, quality footballer, quality skipper.

  On 14/10/2012 at 03:22, NowWeKnow said:

Are you saying it's not looking good?

I don't think there's anything sinister in recruiting big forwards. We have one in Mitch Clark and...well...that's it. We're in desperate need for dedicated big men up front to give us some presence - when Clark got injured last year, the forward line was a disaster. This is not to say that the likes of Jumpin' Jeremy Howe didn't have an impact, but to have two or three elite big fellas with the likes of Byrnes and Howe around them is going to be the way forward.

  On 14/10/2012 at 03:22, NowWeKnow said:

Are we drafting Mick Martin or Scott Cummins?

  On 14/10/2012 at 03:42, jumbo returns said:

Are you saying it's not looking good?

No - sorry, no inside information from me. Just thought, given the injury, everyone harboured some anxieties about Mitch Clark's future but nobody was mentioning it much until now. This topic seemed to be "the elephant in room".

We wouldn't be MFC supporters if we didn't fear the worst.

Apparently, the recovery is going well.