That injury cannot be good. I sure hope he plays again.

I'm all for it, wrap him up in cotton wool for now so he can come into pre-season fresh and ready to go.

Poor bugger - keep him on a non weight bearing fitness regimen and IF and when his specialist says it is OK I look forward to seeing him back again.

I am so glad that Fitzy is starting to show something: I hope those who want to trade him off have a second thought now.

We have been badly teased by KPP forwards who get injured over so many years - Ox, Jakovich, even Cook - who show a hell of a lot, potentially our first 100 a year goal kickers, but get cut down in their prime. I sure as hell hope that Mitch isn't another on the list.

That's a question of WYL proportions? A lot of ppl disagree with you! The club negotiated a contract with Mitch, he became injured in the line of battle for the club, therefore the club is bound by a legal contract to pay him according to this contract.

You also fail to recognise that he may make it back to the fold next year. Injury free Clark is our best, most influential player. The club is not giving up on him, why are you?

remind me...whens Mitch likely to play next ?

By the logic you've demonstrated in this thread, the Ox was clearly finished in 1996 after 67 games. He missed nearly two *entire* seasons!

For a more modern example, how about Max Bailey?

Clubs have waited much longer for much worse players than Clark.

Never took you for daft there Nasher...which bit are you incapable of digesting.. If you cant take the park, you ought not be on the list. Its pretty simple

When they signed the contract he's on, he was quite capable of taking the park. Which bit of that don't you understand?

remind me...whens Mitch likely to play next ?

Remind me... when was Mitch's contract signed?

By the logic you've demonstrated in this thread, the Ox was clearly finished in 1996 after 67 games. He missed nearly two *entire* seasons!

For a more modern example, how about Max Bailey?

Clubs have waited much longer for much worse players than Clark.

Alistair Lynch missed an entire season with chronic fatigue syndrome only a year after signing a 10 year contract with the Bears.

There are plenty of examples that can be quoted.

The best thing the club can do right now is let MItch rehab for the rest of the year and get a full pre-season behind him.

and we still dont get the point.

I AM looking forward...thats the whole point...but to what ?

If we fail to appreciate the past we are doomed to repeat it as the future.

So many are seemingly happy to over look the reality that poor ol Mitch has fronted only 15 games for the red and blue

Some might need a quick history lesson that he has been injury plagues throughout his career effectively missing approx a 1/3 of his potential games before reaching us.

This doesnt bode well going forward. He Has only played ONE season uninterupted

This has nothing to do with DO with whether I want him to play ( of course I do ) its whether I seriously expect him to be able to

The track record suggests no. Scold me for seeing things plain.

Do the research on his injuries, list the type of injury, the period of time he was out due to this injury and then the year this injury took place.

Does it look like he was doomed to lead an injury plagued career?

Hasnt grimes missed a similar portion of his career with injury?

You can't pick players that simply wont suffer serious injuries.

Further, at the point that melb was succesful with luring clark, the club and the supporters were screaming for a big name recruit to give some hope.

Did he not give us this? although only for a half season, he was great.

Im sure he will come back in some capacity.

We cant dwell on what has already been done, but we can look forward to dawes watts, hogan, howe and fitz all in the same forward line.

And if all goes right for clark, fantastic, add him to that awesome forward line.

a couple of serious additions to the mid field and the dees are looking like real competitors.

With a new board and coaching staff that comes with the new coach, 'we' wont be making all the same mistakes as previous seasons, as they're a different group of people under the melbourne banner.

they may make mistakes, but shouldnt be tied in with previous mistakes by different boards and coaching staffs...

End of your sook.

That's a question of WYL proportions? A lot of ppl disagree with you! The club negotiated a contract with Mitch, he became injured in the line of battle for the club, therefore the club is bound by a legal contract to pay him according to this contract.

You also fail to recognise that he may make it back to the fold next year. Injury free Clark is our best, most influential player. The club is not giving up on him, why are you?

so many ifs or buts there my fellow Demon supporter.

And like many youre joining a chorus . im postulating the Devils advocate's position. Here I dont deal with maybes, we dismiss what ifs , I suggest we deal with reality.

So far all of it points in a most unfortunate direction.

A player with a history of injuries ( though extremely talented ) is injured yet again.

What he can be, or indeed is on the field is irrelevant if he cant get to it.What you , others , indeed I would say , about his playing isnt in question. making selection is. They are different things.

Again . Im not for one moment suggesting he oughtnt be paid his contractual dues. I have however put forward the notion maybe its not the best investment for next year if he cant even make it through a preseason. Maybe we do cut our losses.

Ive been thinking that this actually wouldnt be considered as sunk for next year if he isnt actually a listed player but paid off. Im just putting that out there as an alternative. Its a real one. How likely is an entirely different thing. Some suggest paying him to possibly watch from the club seats. How does that help us Im curious.

I much rather desire Mitch to be donning #11 with pride , roaming the forward line creating havoc. What Ive seen ( like many others is mouth watering as far as footy goes )

But what if it doesnt reoccur.

At the end of the day we want the very best 22 we can muster to take to the filed each game.

What if Mr Clark cant be that anymore. Do we just keep going on like nothing is different ? do we

We're so starved of success people will cling to anything.

So when we revisit this , say , at seasons start 2014 and if Mitch Clark hasnt come up, what then.

I hope he plays. I just dont think thats going to happen any more. I fear he'll be our next NQR, and by the way a very expensive one.

we wait, others have been out just as long or longer with the same injury. we at least give him that time.

dude, chill! you sound like your having a panic attack.

Build him a bullet proof footy boot..

dude, chill! you sound like your having a panic attack.

lol.. Panic...hardly..

Talk about accusing me dealing in 'what if's' then ending your argument with a 'what if'.

What I do not understand is why he club should pay out his contract. Particularly during pre season. By paying him out (as you have suggested) in pre season means the club does this after trade and the draft. By cutting losses (again as you have suggested) at this time would mean the club is down one player on the list that can't be replaced

Hhhhhmmmmmm!

When they signed the contract he's on, he was quite capable of taking the park. Which bit of that don't you understand?

understand it perfectly...answer my question...or didnt you understand that

Are there any Demonland physios or surgeons that can elaborate more about this type of injury? I guess maybe even Clark's doctors don't know the full extent.. or aren't willing to disclose what they know.

I did a bit of googling and there are some scary articles about career ending injuries to NFL players. Statistically most people who get the injury recover though...

This site has some photos about what it looks like: http://www.footeducation.com/lisfranc-injury-fracture-midfoot-sprain

Talk about accusing me dealing in 'what if's' then ending your argument with a 'what if'.

What I do not understand is why he club should pay out his contract. Particularly during pre season. By paying him out (as you have suggested) in pre season means the club does this after trade and the draft. By cutting losses (again as you have suggested) at this time would mean the club is down one player on the list that can't be replaced

Hhhhhmmmmmm!

Strange ppl dont read things accurately.. What I said was what if he cant front round one next year after a failed preseason ?

I have said paying out is a possible path. . If he cant front a preseason then how long do you keep paying and praying.

You would have to think medicine is better today than it was even a few years ago. Reason would suggest the Linsfrac tear is a bit more severe than originally considered. Rehabilitiation is taking the longer of possibilities to manifest anything sound. Misson himself cant put a definite timeframe on it.

Id happily wear egg and crow for a year if there were decent signs of a timely return. I just dont see it.

Seems like one step forward, two ( painful ) steps back

Well at least we can be thankful to BB for taking the argument to its illogical conclusion: if the only positive we would get out of cutting Clark is a spot on the list and the negatives are a $800k hole in the salary cap, terrible team harmony, and a lack of faith so large it would be an ironic juxtaposition to the leap of faith shown by the player in question - I guess there is only one option...

See you next year Mitch.

If he can't front round one and the club decides to pay him out, the fact remains that club would have to pay out his contract. The only other way out is a renegotiation with Mitch. An agreement of sorts, but he doesn't have negotiate anything if he choses, I'm of the opinion if he can't front round one, why not keep him in rehab until seasons end exhausting all avenues. We can't replace him come round one any way.

There is more to this that your forgetting. To pay out his contract would mean it would come out of the salary cap. If the club is serious about free trade or the trade period they need to speak with dollars. By paying out Mitch may interfere with this.

As I said, the point is many do not agree with you. No biggie. Keep trying to argue your point. You are obviously passionate about it. Just accept others do not agree. It's a flawed point of view IMO

Are there any Demonland physios or surgeons that can elaborate more about this type of injury? I guess maybe even Clark's doctors don't know the full extent.. or aren't willing to disclose what they know.

I did a bit of googling and there are some scary articles about career ending injuries to NFL players. Statistically most people who get the injury recover though...

This site has some photos about what it looks like: http://www.footeducation.com/lisfranc-injury-fracture-midfoot-sprain

Can you imagine your foot as a bunch of loose knuclke bones floating in jelly inside a sausage skin.

I dont think Melb needs 6-8 years to win a flag, thats a long time.

3-6 years is more realistic.

If clark isnt ready to go by 2014 or during 2014 then there is something very wrong.

i hope for a speedy recovery, he did after all give this club and its supporters a lot of hope and while he played wasn't it fantastic?

We have been at it six years and are every bit as bad as six years ago if not worse.

Our list is the worst in the comp.

It will be very day of 6 - 8 years.

Well at least we can be thankful to BB for taking the argument to its illogical conclusion: if the only positive we would get out of cutting Clark is a spot on the list and the negatives are a $800k hole in the salary cap, terrible team harmony, and a lack of faith so large it would be an ironic juxtaposition to the leap of faith shown by the player in question - I guess there is only one option...

See you next year Mitch.

Thats YOUR opinion of AN outcome.

poor of you to suggest thats fact. .is that all you have. really

prove there would be a 800k hole..how ? For all I know you could possibly be right. it doesnt sound so. You offer it as fact..prove it.

The rest is rubbish supposition..

Does it come out of the salary cap if a player is paid out and NOT on the list ?

is it ...

can some one categorically show this ?

If ppl are offering this up pls provide the backing to the argument. Am happy if this is the case i.e Happy to be informed. if its just a 'mud' argument ...then well.

Can you imagine your foot as a bunch of loose knuclke bones floating in jelly inside a sausage skin.

I dont think any boot is much chop in those circumstances

Are there any Demonland physios or surgeons that can elaborate more about this type of injury? I guess maybe even Clark's doctors don't know the full extent.. or aren't willing to disclose what they know.

I did a bit of googling and there are some scary articles about career ending injuries to NFL players. Statistically most people who get the injury recover though...

This site has some photos about what it looks like: http://www.footeducation.com/lisfranc-injury-fracture-midfoot-sprain

If you do a bit of searching, you will find some posts by those who seem to be in the know when it comes to sport injuries of this nature. I think it was Webber who gave a fairly detailed description. If I recall, the general consensus was that if it is corrected, then the injury will not happen again.