Mitch Clark

[Bitter but optimistic 22,249]

ha, didn't realise it was on the stock exchange. surely you can't go wrong in investing in a brothel!

I assure you, you can!

[dee-luded 2,959]

You believe them?

They also said he would right to start the season, then when injured he would be out for 3 -4 weeks.

The second language of the AFL is lying.

Injury reports are mainly telling the supporter what he wants to hear.

I believe injury reports when the player runs onto the ground in a match.

your right OD, In business where money is involved the truth has "no place" in the order of things material.

this is why sport is gradually, & seriously Losing its integrity.... it treats everyone with 'contempt' in its pursuit of status. the irony is, how can you have real status (willingly given by adoring public), when you give out contempt. their like politicians, play the same sort of game.

'the status' the Sports are trying to create, is a fictional one where they control it like a tap... a bit like the media, & journos on the drip feed...

[dee-luded 2,959]

Clark who?

Sorry, been so long I nearly forgot who he was. .

[brey9186 102]

Dont know if you were watching Mitch take over twitter yesterday (glad he was even at the game!!) but he made mention of he has been running for 3 weeks now, and hopes to join in on skills sessions by the end of the season! All positive steps and signs from the big fella, and his seemingly being back more involved in the footy club rather than running around taking photos all day shows his headspace is alot better too!

Alistair Lynch was talking about our forward/ruck stocks yesterday, and said that even though we have always played MC forward, his best position is as a ruckman. With the possibility of a Dawes/Hogan/Clark/Gawn/Jamar/Fitz/Spencer "problem" in 2014, does Mitch play as a rotating forward/ruck?

[Ted Lasso 19,549]

i would think he plays as a forward/ruckman for sure he is basically another mid becaude of how well he moves

[drdrake 3,187]

Mitch Plays at full Forward rotating up to CHF. If we can find a good ruck coach to improve Fitzpatricks ruck work he has shown that he can play the third tall second ruckman.

I went past training the other day and Mitch was running well.

[Jaded No More 68,974]

I'm totally anti Clark playing as a ruck, however, there is merit to it if you have Clark and Fitzy as your ruck/forward combo with Gawn as your first ruck.

BUT, this cannot happen unless Clark spends an entire pre season doing proper training as a ruck, and getting actual coaching, to know how to approach the role in a bigger capacity without his body blowing up.

Ruck is the most specialist position on the ground and can lead to serious injuries if done by someone with little experience. It's our duty to ensure we don't throw him into the role without preparing him for it properly.

Realisticaly though, Mitch Clark at FF is a 50+ goals a season forward, even with an ordinary midfield.

He should be playing FF with Dawes at CHF and Hogan as the third tall for at least the next couple of years to ease Jesse into the role. Hogan will probably need no easing or protection, but lets not screw him up like we did Watts and actually give him support and take the pressure off him to play FF in his first year.

[rjay 25,100]

Dont know if you were watching Mitch take over twitter yesterday (glad he was even at the game!!) but he made mention of he has been running for 3 weeks now, and hopes to join in on skills sessions by the end of the season! All positive steps and signs from the big fella, and his seemingly being back more involved in the footy club rather than running around taking photos all day shows his headspace is alot better too!

Alistair Lynch was talking about our forward/ruck stocks yesterday, and said that even though we have always played MC forward, his best position is as a ruckman. With the possibility of a Dawes/Hogan/Clark/Gawn/Jamar/Fitz/Spencer "problem" in 2014, does Mitch play as a rotating forward/ruck?

I've been saying this for a while so I agree with Lynch. He adds an extra mid to the mix, none of Jamar, Spencer or Fitz do this big Max may do it. The other 3 give us nothing much apart from tapping the ball. Boyd at FF, Hogan CHF Clark in the ruck rotates with Max.

[Little Richard 6,265]

People seem to forget that a big part of Clark leaving Brisbane was the desire to play forward instead of ruck.

He is our best option by far for full forward so it's only logical we keep him there and continue to develop Gawn as first ruck and Fitzy along with him.

[rjay 25,100]

People seem to forget that a big part of Clark leaving Brisbane was the desire to play forward instead of ruck.

He is our best option by far for full forward so it's only logical we keep him there and continue to develop Gawn as first ruck and Fitzy along with him.

No, Brisbane saw him as the heir apparent to J Brown they had their ruck stocks well covered. Wanting to go home interrupted by money was the desire to leave.

[hardtack 10,636]

No, Brisbane saw him as the heir apparent to J Brown they had their ruck stocks well covered. Wanting to go home interrupted by money was the desire to leave.

I think you will find that part of the discussions between he, Neeld and co, involved him not being required to play in the ruck.

[Little Richard 6,265]

No, Brisbane saw him as the heir apparent to J Brown they had their ruck stocks well covered. Wanting to go home interrupted by money was the desire to leave.

If he was 'heir apparent' to their CHF why was he playing ruck then?

[titan_uranus 25,045]

Clark was in AA form as a FF last year. His best football IMO, both at Brisbane and here, has been at FF. His marking and kicking for goal are superb.

Moreover, we don't need Clark as a ruck. We have Gawn, Spencer and Fitzpatrick is developing too, and that's not even including Jamar.

Gawn at FF, Dawes at CHF, Hogan eased into the forward line without being asked/expected to be the FF from day 1.

[Dee Fan 3,247]

Melbourne had Lyon at FF Schwarter at CHF and Pike in the forward pocket, that worked well.

[P-man 13,366]

Given we are talking about a player with serial foot injuries, reducing his ruck duties as much as humanly possible is a bit of a no brainer isn't it? Especially considering the options we have in that department. Keep him at FF, Fitz to do the relieving ruck duties.

[DeeSpencer 26,085]

If he was 'heir apparent' to their CHF why was he playing ruck then?

They had a crisis of injuries to ruckmen and so he played the entire year in the ruck and was a top 5 ruckman.

When he left Brisbane he announced a desire to play mainly one position. I don't think he stipulated whether it was ruck or forward but I also think he didn't care which one it was.

He said (and I'm sure lots of guys agreed) that playing 1 position for an entire game is much easier than switching between them.

Personally I'm not convinced rucking places too much more of an injury toll on a player than playing CHF. Particularly if they are only doing it in spurts against fellow non first choice rucks.

I'd say next year we avoid Clark rucking for the first month or so if he is fit and use Fitzpatrick in that role or even sacrifice Dawes for short periods despite his total desire not to ruck. And then as the year progresses we use Clark as back up ruck with Hogan and Dawes as forwards. If either get injured then Fitzy comes in and Clark doesn't ruck. Pretty straight forward.

The way I see it is we protect Clark a bit and Dawes and Hogan are the guys who cover huge distance and big contests and Clark is the cream on the cake initially.

[P-man 13,366]

I think we should try and keep Dawes out of the ruck as well, as much as possible. Let's learn from Collingwood's mistake.

[Ouch! 2,267]

Given we are talking about a player with serial foot injuries, reducing his ruck duties as much as humanly possible is a bit of a no brainer isn't it? Especially considering the options we have in that department. Keep him at FF, Fitz to do the relieving ruck duties.

Serial foot injuries?

It's only 1 injury isn't it? they chose to pull the pins out early as they were causing irritation, and it's taken a little longer than expected to recover... but if he can be fit for the start of the pre-season I am glad they took the path they did for this season.

[bush demon 2,062]

Given we are talking about a player with serial foot injuries, reducing his ruck duties as much as humanly possible is a bit of a no brainer isn't it? Especially considering the options we have in that department. Keep him at FF, Fitz to do the relieving ruck duties.

Mitch Clark shouldn't play football in slippers.

[P-man 13,366]

Serial foot injuries?

It's only 1 injury isn't it? they chose to pull the pins out early as they were causing irritation, and it's taken a little longer than expected to recover... but if he can be fit for the start of the pre-season I am glad they took the path they did for this season.

I meant in terms of him missing the last 10 games of 2012 and returning at the beginning of this year only to do it again.

[deanox 9,994]

I meant in terms of him missing the last 10 games of 2012 and returning at the beginning of this year only to do it again.

but he didn't do anything again?

It was the "same" injury and it wasn't even a reoccurrence, it was irritation related to the position of the screw.

[P-man 13,366]

but he didn't do anything again?

It was the "same" injury and it wasn't even a reoccurrence, it was irritation related to the position of the screw.

Okay, not serial. Ongoing.

[Gippsland Dee 367]

I say keep him at FF. Maybe ruck at times when there is a ball up in the fwd 50 but other than that a fwd. if he hadn't had the injury then he could definitely play more of a role in the ruck, but given the stress his foot would be put under doing that it would be a bit too risky.

I don't agree with a few who have said his best footy at Brisbane was in the fwd line though, he was selected in the 40 man squad in '09 as a Ruck and was considered very unlucky to miss out on the final team.

[rjay 25,100]

If he was 'heir apparent' to their CHF why was he playing ruck then?

Well then J brown was wrong to say he had hoped that Clark would take ever his position.

I think you will find that part of the discussions between he, Neeld and co, involved him not being required to play in the ruck.

No I think you will find Neeld wanted to play him as a key forward.

Clark was in AA form as a FF last year. His best football IMO, both at Brisbane and here, has been at FF. His marking and kicking for goal are superb.

Moreover, we don't need Clark as a ruck. We have Gawn, Spencer and Fitzpatrick is developing too, and that's not even including Jamar.

Gawn at FF, Dawes at CHF, Hogan eased into the forward line without being asked/expected to be the FF from day 1.

His best football at Brisbane was in the ruck where most of the football community thought he should have been named AA

I think we should try and keep Dawes out of the ruck as well, as much as possible. Let's learn from Collingwood's mistake.

I don't think we have any intention of playing Dawes in the ruck, he can't play there and it has nothing to do with Clark who can.

We have a problem in the midfield so why are we going in one man down which is what we do if we take Jamar, Spencer or Fitz in there. Clark balances the midfield, he can get his own ball and he can kick.

As far as injury goes, well so far leaving him forward hasn't helped.

[The Song Formerly Known As 6,479]

I say lets get him back on the park first, THEN make plans for him.