GOODBYE MITCH CLARK

[beelzebub 23,388]

How old is Varcoe?

26

[DeeSpencer 26,091]

Been hearing whispers that Taylor Hunt is looking at opportunities away from Geelong... not exactly a like for like trade but a straight swap for Clark might be worth a look.

He's not much better than Nicholson. Pass

[DeeZee 7,445]

26 isn't bad for a guy with a bit of toe.

I think he had injury problems this year and wasn't quite right, but his best is very good.

[FireInTheBennelly 4,099]

Played 23 games this season

When was the last time ANY MFC player did that......

[Scoop Junior 3,517]

It's worse than the Premier League.

The Premier League is a great competition because there are so many prizes. There's the Premier League, there's top four for Champions League qualification, there's 5th to 7th for Europa League qualification, there's domestic cup competitions, avoiding relegation, etc.

For a team that has come up from the division below, the Premier League title is not their aim. Avoiding relegation and staying in the Premier League may be their sole ambition for the season and it will be celebrated.

In AFL there is only one thing to play for - the premiership. This makes it essential that the competition is even and that all teams have the hope that they can win a flag in the short-medium term. If fans lose the hope that they can win a flag, the competition will fall apart.

Free agency is a disgrace and is completely contradictory to the notion of running an equal competition. It has now created an environment where players see that they can get to 'desired' clubs, thereby further strengthening the strong and weakening the weak.

The AFL needs to do something. You either have an equal competition or a Premier League style - not some hybrid Frankenstein combination of the two.

As for Geelong, they've lost my respect as a club. I used to quite like them (to the extent you can actually like a competitor) but not only have they treated us with utter contempt on the field over the last few years but now off the field too with their poaching / attempted poaching of two key defenders and the unethical pursuit of Mitch Clark (if however Melbourne has let Clark go then there would be nothing wrong with Geelong going after him). I'm happy they went out in straight sets this year.

Can't wait for Clark to tear us apart next year.

[joeboy 3,171]

When was the last time ANY MFC player did that......

Yes, and he played 23 games in a team that finished 3rd on the ladder !!

DO THE DEAL!!!!!

Edited September 30, 2014 by joeboy

[beelzebub 23,388]

Can't wait for Clark to tear us apart next year.

got to make it on the park first

[nutbean 8,838]

_{I don't hate the big clubs.}

_{We need to aspire to be one of those clubs that has the ability to treat other clubs with contempt, look down our noses at the also rans and get the AFL and lesser minions to do exactly what we want.}

[Tyson_Viney_Toumpas 269]

26

And soft

[Redleg 41,737]

_{I don't hate the big clubs.}

_{We need to aspire to be one of those clubs that has the ability to treat other clubs with contempt, look down our noses at the also rans and get the AFL and lesser minions to do exactly what we want.}

Agree.

[Chook in Perth 2,109]

Hell of a lot of, obviously, uneducated opinions.

We're talking about a 2 (or is it 3?) time Premiership player who is still only 26, that's just played 23 games in a team that finished 3rd. We have 10 regulars that aren't up to sniff, and folk are turning their nose up at Varcoe?

Let not forgot we're trading a bloke who can't get on the park, has questionable moral fibre, [removed that bit. unfounded gossip] and has a couple of [injunctions].

Edited September 30, 2014 by Chook in Perth

[Pates 9,661]

Clark for Varcoe isn't too bad IMO. I was keen for us to try to get him last year and was laughed at saying he couldn't string two games together but he managed 23 this year.

I know he isn't at the hights he got to in previous years but he could add polish and speed, two things we're sorely lacking.

I would take the trade as a win for both parties, cats get a potential second key forward to help Hawkins and he get an experienced player with attributes we require. Varcoe would be a similar get to Vince for me.

Still doesn't feel good but Roos and do will know to take emotions out of the equation.

[What 18,810]

Hell of a lot of, obviously, uneducated opinions.

We're talking about a 2 (or is it 3?) time Premiership player who is still only 26, that's just played 23 games in a team that finished 3rd. We have 10 regulars that aren't up to sniff, and folk are turning their nose up at Varcoe?

Let not forgot we're trading a bloke who can't get on the park, has questionable moral fibre, [removed that bit. unfounded gossip] and has a couple of [injunctions].

agreed

Varcoe and Lumumba would be very good additions to the team

Big upgrades on half of our regular 22 players from last season

[tappysquads 618]

Vince was a b n f winner, varcoe has struggled for a game for as long as I can remember, and has an embarrassing highlight real in finals. Soft would be a compliment for the way he plays. Anyone but him! Morton, tambling, jake king, fevola, anyone!

[P-man 13,366]

Hell of a lot of, obviously, uneducated opinions.

We're talking about a 2 (or is it 3?) time Premiership player who is still only 26, that's just played 23 games in a team that finished 3rd. We have 10 regulars that aren't up to sniff, and folk are turning their nose up at Varcoe?

Let not forgot we're trading a bloke who can't get on the park, has questionable moral fibre, [removed that bit. unfounded gossip] and has a couple of [injunctions].

That all sounds nice but no-one seems to want to consider the injuries the Cats sustained throughout the year. Yes he played 23 games which is great but with a fully fit list he'd almost certainly be squeezed out.

I'm all for Varcoe and Lumumba for the right price as they would be upgrades on what we have, but some of the comments are painting them as team changing stars, which they are far from being. Let's keep it in perspective. They are improvements on what we have.

New and shiny doesn't have to mean falling over yourself with giddiness.

[beelzebub 23,388]

Vince was a b n f winner, varcoe has struggled for a game for as long as I can remember, and has an embarrassing highlight real in finals. Soft would be a compliment for the way he plays. Anyone but him! Morton, tambling, jake king, fevola, anyone!

So bears no resemblance to the bloke who ran around 23 times for the Cats this year.

Glad you cleared that up

[Pennant St Dee 13,323]

It's worse than the Premier League.

The Premier League is a great competition because there are so many prizes. There's the Premier League, there's top four for Champions League qualification, there's 5th to 7th for Europa League qualification, there's domestic cup competitions, avoiding relegation, etc.

For a team that has come up from the division below, the Premier League title is not their aim. Avoiding relegation and staying in the Premier League may be their sole ambition for the season and it will be celebrated.

The AFL needs to do something. You either have an equal competition or a Premier League style - not some hybrid Frankenstein combination of the two.

We are not worse than the Premier League. The Premier League has been going 21 years and 5 teams have won it Man Utd, Man City, Blackburn, Chelsea and Arsenal. Chelsea and Man City are that far ahead of the other clubs this year it is not funny. Since the Premier League has been in existence 11 different clubs have won the Premiership with us, Freo and the Saints also making it to the GF.

The four champions league spots will be fought out every year by Chelsea, Man City Arsenal, Liverpool and Man United. Compare outside of the 11 AFL Premiership sides Melbourne, Freo, St Kilda, Bulldogs and Richmond have all made the final four at least twice in the same time frame.

Everton and Spurs are generally monty's for the Europa League spots leaving hope for 1 minnow to possibly qualify through the group stages after a decent cup run. Every year there is around 12-14 sides with a realistic chance of playing finals

Premier League sides have no salary cap - hence the large void in the have's and have nots

They have no limit to the size of their squads

They have no draft - it is either relegation and financial ruin so put a side together to just stay up rather than build with a chance of making finals and improving over time.

So whilst I don't like the way the AFL is headed we are a long way off the Premier League scenario. I am aware we have been shocking for the majority of the last 8 years, a lot of it is self inflicted and whilst the new expansion clubs and free agency came in at a terrible time for us we put ourselves in that position and should have been well down the track with our rebuild, but we made such a mess of it we had to start again at the worst possible time.

I like the stability of PJ and Roos and certainly feel better than I did 12 to 18 months ago

[jumbo returns 6,741]

Vince was a b n f winner, varcoe has struggled for a game for as long as I can remember, and has an embarrassing highlight real in finals. Soft would be a compliment for the way he plays. Anyone but him! Morton, tambling, jake king, fevola, anyone!

Embarrassing highlight reel in finals???

Oh, he'll be fine at the MFC for a couple of years at least......time for him to work on his stage fright.

[beelzebub 23,388]

agreed

Varcoe and Lumumba would be very good additions to the team

Big upgrades on half of our regular 22 players from last season

got 3 premierships between them...... yeah they're rubbish

[TGR 1,367]

Roos' ability to pick established players is second to none in the history of the game.

So its not like the good old days of us on the web second guessing the club on its moves. I reckon privately though, Roos has had enough of Watts, so it wouldn't surprise me that he does get traded.

Mitch Clark though, or Mitch Who as Rossy called him. I want to leave Brisbane. I want to go to Freo for family reasons. Hang on, Melbourne have offered me $$$$, I'll go there. Hang on, that is not a good place for my headspace, I will go and talk to Cwood. Hang on, I think Geelong. Poor guy. Doesn't know what stick fat means. Will always go the soft easy option when ever it presents. Will always raise his condition as an excuse for getting what he wants.

[KingDingAling 3,758]

Hell of a lot of, obviously, uneducated opinions.

We're talking about a 2 (or is it 3?) time Premiership player who is still only 26, that's just played 23 games in a team that finished 3rd. We have 10 regulars that aren't up to sniff, and folk are turning their nose up at Varcoe?

Let not forgot we're trading a bloke who can't get on the park, has questionable moral fibre, [removed that bit. unfounded gossip] and has a couple of [injunctions].

I agree, they'd be fantastic additions.

Neeld started this money ball tactic where he got older - albeit has been - types to the club.

Roos has adopted a similar strategy, except that the players we are now attracting are getting younger (and better) - Vince, Tyson, Varcoe? Lumumba?

Even the likes of Cross we probably could've of gotten under Neeld. So I like Roos strategy, especially if by next year we can get even younger - and more quality players.

Very slowly, Roos is gathering some real experienced players - with a little more left in the tank.

We are losing a quality player each year through FA, but there are a lot youngsters on our list that could - and should - lift.

[Dr. Gonzo 24,368]

Roos' ability to pick established players is second to none in the history of the game.

So its not like the good old days of us on the web second guessing the club on its moves. I reckon privately though, Roos has had enough of Watts, so it wouldn't surprise me that he does get traded.

Mitch Clark though, or Mitch Who as Rossy called him. I want to leave Brisbane. I want to go to Freo for family reasons. Hang on, Melbourne have offered me $$$$, I'll go there.

To be fair the only reason we were even in the picture was because Freo were unable to get a suitable trade done for Brisbane. He would've got to Freo if they had the picks/players to satisfy the Lions.

[whatwhat say what 23,104]

Yup, would do that. Reluctantly but necessarily.

[Demoneyes 562]

No surprise he's gone to cats as i said Sunday. I believe Varcoe is a great get. Him forward, Lumumba back, Roos and co building a war chest!

[DeeSpencer 26,091]

Varcoe started off as a dud forward pocket for a long time with lots of injury issues.

Then had a brief patch of really good form up to and including the 2011 grand final I believe.

Then missed all of 2012 injured and some of 2013.

This year he was just a solid back flanker with the occasional nice piece of play but also some poor defending. As a half back flanker he'd probably be better than Terlich and Grimes (unless he improves) but not significantly. That unless his body was holding him back in 2014 and we can get more out of him.

Whether he's worth another shot as a forward is interesting. He only ever found much of the ball or really hit the scoreboard when his was in peak form and that didn't last long.

And interesting prospect but he'd be about as risky for us as Clark is for Geelong. I'd rather keep a second round pick and use Clark for Lumumba. But I could have Lumumba and Varcoe but I'm not sure where the picks come from.