If one of they key reasons playing on Mitch's mind is he feels he is letting his team mates down it will be quite contradictory if he walked away from them and the game.

I don't get your point. Essendon has the drug issue, the effect of which is pretty much equal to what we've gone through over the last few years on its own, but because 'they already have a good list in place' it doesn't matter.

Well, isn't it our fault that we don't already have a good list in place?

We've had some pretty bad issues come up, but almost all of them have been of our own doing. The tanking investigation was dodgy, but it wouldn't have happened at all if it wasn't for our conduct in 2009. Obviously the tsunami wasn't our fault, but that brought the club together more than anything.

The rest of the issues you've named are essentially our own fault or are things we could have mitigated against, and we didn't. I'm not sure what your point is, then.

My point is that no club has had to deal with the multitude of issues that we have had to deal with, all while we were pathetic on field.

Yes some are our own fault and others are not. Essendon's was also of their own making.

However most people just want on field success and Essendon has a good list and is enjoying on field success, whereas our list is much poorer and our issues much wider and more of them, all the while our on field performance was poor.

Essendon has probably brought more harm to the game by its actions than any club before, all the while still winning games and giving their supporters something to support, while we have been crap through a combination of reasons, probably most importantly poor drafting and list decisions.

If one of they key reasons playing on Mitch's mind is he feels he is letting his team mates down it will be quite contradictory if he walked away from them and the game.

Well it seems what the club is saying is different to what Dawes said yesterday. Why lie? Or is it as someone suggested a combination of problems.

I don't care! What's best for mitch, I don't mean to be nasty about mitch, but him not playing has destroyed the club, has been nothing but bad luck.

Mitchy! we need you!

Don't worry the club went through 22 years out off finals, and richmond has only played 3 years of finals in the last 20 years with the last gap just ending after 11 seasons

Sorry its the end of the line with mitch, he has lost the club $700000, and a pp pick in last years draft, that is one of the reasons the AFL gave for not getting one, they said we would be a better side when he came back, like I said before about mitch, I like the way he plays, but that's the facts.

Mitchy! we need you!

no we need a kpf who can get on the park week in week out

Position's vacant

If one of they key reasons playing on Mitch's mind is he feels he is letting his team mates down it will be quite contradictory if he walked away from them and the game.

What about the depression I'm feeling?

I feel worse when Mitch Clark grows a leg and is picked up cheap for next year by Fremantle.

I have not one once of sympathy for the big goose. Not any more.

The Ox was worth persevering with because of how good he was.

Mitch Clark is worth waiting for too .

Sorry its the end of the line with mitch, he has lost the club $700000, and a pp pick in last years draft, that is one of the reasons the AFL gave for not getting one, they said we would be a better side when he came back, like I said before about mitch, I like the way he plays, but that's the facts.

Oh yeah, that's right... he deliberately went out and injured himself... and here I was thinking it was a stroke of bad luck when all along he set out intentionally to commit self harm. Silly me!!

Sorry its the end of the line with mitch, he has lost the club $700000, and a pp pick in last years draft, that is one of the reasons the AFL gave for not getting one, they said we would be a better side when he came back, like I said before about mitch, I like the way he plays, but that's the facts.

tend to agree with that assessment, think its over for Mitch and we are just going to have to move on

Agree that one way or another, we need a definitive answer from Mitch about his future, sooner rather than later, so we are able to plan for our future either way.

It's totally up to Mitch and i bear him no ill will no matter his decision and that's the way it should be. But no one person is bigger than the footy club, so if he no longer wants to be an AFL footballer, better to act on it now, rather than drag it out. As it would do more harm than good to not only the club, but Mitch as well.

Agree that one way or another, we need a definitive answer from Mitch about his future, sooner rather than later, so we are able to plan for our future either way.

It's totally up to Mitch and i bear him no ill will no matter his decision and that's the way it should be. But no one person is bigger than the footy club, so if he no longer wants to be an AFL footballer, better to act on it now, rather than drag it out. As it would do more harm than good to not only the club, but Mitch as well.

Obviously for future contracts etc the sooner the better but it's not really until September we need a definite answer. A partial answer with a plan going forward would be a logical conclusion.

Anyway it might be irrelevant, I've got decent mail that the meeting with the club this week will result in Mitch retiring. Not sure what will become public or whether in typical MFC fashion it will be released in dribs and drabs to soften the blow but that's my mail.

I don't understand why we need an answer now. If Mitch needs the year off then have it. He is still under contract and could come back completely well. He's not going to come back any time soon so what is the rush to make a decision on his future?

I don't understand why we need an answer now. If Mitch needs the year off then have it. He is still under contract and could come back completely well. He's not going to come back any time soon so what is the rush to make a decision on his future?

Well, he has a highly-paid contract for one.

Suspect part of this, from his end at least, is to remove one of the main pressures he's experiencing, which is the feeling of letting the club and his teammates down.

I don't understand why we need an answer now. If Mitch needs the year off then have it. He is still under contract and could come back completely well. He's not going to come back any time soon so what is the rush to make a decision on his future?

You dont get it Jack Jack He doesn't want to come back and play at MFC

Announcement today I believe

You dont get it Jack Jack He doesn't want to come back and play at MFC

Announcement today I believe

That would be perfect timing - right when the supporters are feeling crap about us being terrible for the 7th straight year.

Oh well, they could be using the bandaid removal philosophy - rip it off quick and get it over with.

That would be perfect timing - right when the supporters are feeling crap about us being terrible for the 7th straight year.

Oh well, they could be using the bandaid removal philosophy - rip it off quick and get it over with.

Don't be silly. It's the 8th straight year.

Agree that one way or another, we need a definitive answer from Mitch about his future, sooner rather than later, so we are able to plan for our future either way.

It's totally up to Mitch and i bear him no ill will no matter his decision and that's the way it should be. But no one person is bigger than the footy club, so if he no longer wants to be an AFL footballer, better to act on it now, rather than drag it out. As it would do more harm than good to not only the club, but Mitch as well.

I agree in the main but would suggest its not actually totally up to Mitch . In all reasonable views of this the club has a massive investment. it too ought to be allowed as much say in what transpires here on in.

You cant just wait for someone to get "better"...and then maybe..

By all means help him as to to health. But the employer is surely due some ability as to the make up of its employees.

They need to sit down and nut it out.

I agree in the main but would suggest its not actually totally up to Mitch . In all reasonable views of this the club has a massive investment. it too ought to be allowed as much say in what transpires here on in.

You cant just wait for someone to get "better"...and then maybe..

By all means help him as to to health. But the employer is surely due some ability as to the make up of its employees.

They need to sit down and nut it out.

Some good points. For mine Mitch will leave the club. Not ideal but the current situation isn't working for either party.

He is letting his team mates down. If his contract was not front loaded and he is still on 700,000 per year that's 13,461 per week to do nothing. Time to do the decent thing and resign from the club. We then need to look forward and recruit 2-3 tall forwards. Perhaps some at GWS might want to come back from Western Sydney? I hear it's a s---hole.

He is letting his team mates down. If his contract was not front loaded and he is still on 700,000 per year that's 13,461 per week to do nothing. Time to do the decent thing and resign from the club. We then need to look forward and recruit 2-3 tall forwards. Perhaps some at GWS might want to come back from Western Sydney? I hear it's a s---hole.

Patton, Cameron or a Boyd would be quite nice.

He is letting his team mates down. If his contract was not front loaded and he is still on 700,000 per year that's 13,461 per week to do nothing. Time to do the decent thing and resign from the club. We then need to look forward and recruit 2-3 tall forwards. Perhaps some at GWS might want to come back from Western Sydney? I hear it's a s---hole.

Pick 1- Peter Wright

Jesse Hogan

Chris Dawes ( if fit )

pick 2 - Angus Brayshaw

pick 3 - Hugh Goddard

Can't underestimate what losing Mitch means. Roos had him earmarked to ruck for a fair part of the game, to mentor/protect Jessie when he starts to play, to be the general on the field, to motivate by sheer presence/ability, to be the focal point of the game plan.

He was such an integral part of Roos' planning. Dawes may be a good forward but he can't do the other roles (at Collingwood he and Cloke and Brown alongside). Jessie will be a champ but we can't afford to (again) send a new player to the wolves as we did Watts.

I wonder to what extent Mitch going has shattered the newfound, fragile confidence players had coming into the season. Maybe with Mitch going they have seen the new game plan go up in smoke and feel lost again. Is depression contagious. Yes, last comment a bit facetious but something has to explain their current lack of interest/attitude.