GOODBYE MITCH CLARK

[TGR 1,367]

What did he have to say?

http://www.news.com.au/sport/afl/mick-malthouse-criticises-mitch-clark-for-reluctance-to-rejoin-melbourne-and-look-elsewhere/story-fndv8pdq-1227055496165

[JV7 2,351]

Mitch clark meet jonesys little girl today... Has to be staying at MFC

[nutbean 8,838]

Mitch clark meet jonesys little girl today... Has to be staying at MFC

Jonesy daughter - father/daughter 2032....

[Dr evil 1,185]

Imagine if Mitch was a Collingwood player, retired and then said he wanted to go to another club, just imagine what Eddie would do.

[Machsy 2,858]

Football is an emotional game with ongoing demands and moments of extreme pressure. Managing and coping with injuries is part of the challenge most players face.

Fans are encouraged by club and players alike to get emotionally attached to the team and the players. Players play this game with many activities from PR, signing balls to connecting and celebrating with the crowd when they score. Mitch Clark bought into this fan seduction game totally, No# 11 on his back, leader of club, face of hope at the MFC...

He then struggled with injuries and then the black dog bit. The fans and club gathered sympathetically around him and supported him, even to the point of accepting he was lost to us and the game.

For Mitch to come back and easily disavow himself of these emotional ties and obligations was naive and ill-advised.

He does not owe the public an explanation, he owes those who's support he lent on (and it seems led on) these past couple of years an explanation. The lack of such an honest explanation created the space for us to assume the worst and project these fears with anger onto Mitch.

Agree many should tone it down, but it's hardly a surprise, and Mitch needs to bear a fair amount of responsibility for the hurt he's generated (generating).

Great.

That probably goes a long way to why I think it won't work.

But I still think there'd be much more pressure at MFC beyond what there would be at any club.

[PaulRB 6,363]

Great.

That probably goes a long way to why I think it won't work.

But I still think there'd be much more pressure at MFC beyond what there would be at any club.

"it won't work" being? Mitch's comeback?

I find it hard to judge what pressure would be on Mitch at other clubs, I suspect we're not that different to most.

[daisycutter 29,616]

i wouldn't bet on that

depends on how high his salary was to be

depends on how long it takes before he gets (if) a game

depends if he has a relapse (physical or mental)

other clubs have high expectations and harshly judgemental fans

Great.
That probably goes a long way to why I think it won't work.
But I still think there'd be much more pressure at MFC beyond what there would be at any club.

[bing181 9,240]

No chance in hell we would get 15 for Clark in a trade.

Agreed. That's a first-rounder right there.

Best we could hope for would be a decent swap through trade, e.g. Lumumba, who would probably otherwise be a second rounder (agree to disagree if you want, but Collingwood wouldn't let him go for less than that).

Otherwise, if it's a trade for draft picks, I'd be surprised if we did anything better than late second round or more likely a third rounder.

[bing181 9,240]

I find it hard to judge what pressure would be on Mitch at other clubs, I suspect we're not that different to most.

Sure, but he wouldn't have any baggage at other clubs. (e.g. Styne's number, medical history etc.).

[PaulRB 6,363]

Sure, but he wouldn't have any baggage at other clubs. (e.g. Styne's number, medical history etc.).

Its only baggage it he leaves the MFC, if he stays and works his way back into the game, no baggage.

[66frank 63]

This is all starting to make sense now.

At the time of MC's retirement it was inter-mated to me that he was forced to retire by higher powers for other problems.

If in fact he is being given the wrong advice, as insinuated below, then maybe there was some truth in what I heard.

I treat people with depression every day and have done so for a while now. I have heard in the media this idea that the only way to recover from depression is to leave the context in which it has arisen - to completely change one's environment. Let me guarantee everyone that this is obnoxiously stupid. If Mitch has been advised to do that - and his agent confirmed that he had - then he is being poorly treated to say the least.

IF the advice is more nuanced, then I can understand it, to a point. What I would like to say is that much of the issue with depression is the internalised stuff - and changing environments may well do little to alter that. Depression is episodic. Most people recover. A significant proportion are vulnerable to relapse, but that can be managed too in many cases. Especially if you have the financial resources and supports that Mitch has. I've been curious from day one about this and nothing is reassuring me about this situation atm.

as a person who has his own issues, I questioned at the time whether the decision run away and retire (instead of facing his problems head-on) was at all wise or at all brave, for which of course I was howled at by 90% of this forum. I'm still wondering what type of advice he has been getting, or to what extent what we have been fed about said advice is pure fabrication. All very very fishy for mine.

[pitchfork 181]

Sure, but he wouldn't have any baggage at other clubs. (e.g. Styne's number, medical history etc.).

The honour of receiving the no.11 from the great man will never disappear, but surely the 'pressure' of the number disappears after the first quarter. We have in the past placed too much pressure on young kids by anointing them saviours, but I don't think it was an issue for the club or Mitch expecting good production from a 600k per year player. The issue, it seems, for Mitch was not being able to get on the park.

No matter who he plays for (and I still hope it's us), Mitch will be in a better place if he can work to getting on the park in a stress free environment and then actually stay on the park. performance doesn't seem to have been his issue.

[Whispering_Jack 30,159]

Now Prickly Mick is weighing in on the debate. I presume he doesn't want Bucks to be gifted a clunking 2nd tall in his forward half.

He is right. Let's play hardball. First round pick or try your luck with St.Kilda, Melbourne, Dogs etc.... via the draft.

The problem with this is that we can't really play hardball in these circumstances because if a player is not contracted after 31 October, he has to be delisted and then becomes a delisted free agent. The AFL might have a say because Clark's retirement was accompanied by the cancellation of his contract.

[66frank 63]

The problem with this is that we can't really play hardball in these circumstances because if a player is not contracted after 31 October, he has to be delisted and then becomes a delisted free agent. The AFL might have a say because Clark's retirement was accompanied by the cancellation of his contract.

Hasn't the AFLPA already stated that this is NOT the case?

[alpha33 311]

Hasn't the AFLPA already stated that this is NOT the case?

The AFL makes the rules not the players' association. They have the final say and I don't think we've heard anything from them as yet, have we?

[daisycutter 29,616]

The AFL makes the rules not the players' association. They have the final say and I don't think we've heard anything from them as yet, have we?

nope not yet.......they are still talking to eddie and waiting for a fan poll

when that comes in they'll pass it by ch7

[Bitter but optimistic 22,241]

nope not yet.......they are still talking to eddie and waiting for a fan poll

when that comes in they'll pass it by ch7

Don't be such a cynic dc. All decisions made by those authorities you mention are done so with the game and the supporters best interest at heart.

It just that we mere mortals cannot grasp their subtlety

[Leoncelli_36 2,264]

He was over visiting Nathan Jones today with his partner, lucky his gf hasn't blocked me from Instagram hahahah. Hopefully Nate talks some sense to him

[chookrat 4,250]

He was over visiting Nathan Jones today with his partner, lucky his gf hasn't blocked me from Instagram hahahah. Hopefully Nate talks some sense to him

N Jones "Mitchell, stop being a d1ckhead"

M Clark "Ok"

[Gorgoroth 12,954]

I hope MC had a great day and calls Roos and says "I'll do whatever, sign what ever, I love MFC"

Sigh... If only...

[rjay 24,928]

The problem with this is that we can't really play hardball in these circumstances because if a player is not contracted after 31 October, he has to be delisted and then becomes a delisted free agent. The AFL might have a say because Clark's retirement was accompanied by the cancellation of his contract.

Playing hard ball in this case 'Jack' is being prepared to push him to the PSD. If St Kilda don't take him we can, not that we will but the threat of it might be enough to get a better deal.

Say it's Collingwood, well how badly do you want him. Ok you're not offering enough he can go to the Saints for nix.

[Qwerty30 196]

I treat people with depression every day and have done so for a while now. I have heard in the media this idea that the only way to recover from depression is to leave the context in which it has arisen - to completely change one's environment. Let me guarantee everyone that this is obnoxiously stupid. If Mitch has been advised to do that - and his agent confirmed that he had - then he is being poorly treated to say the least.

IF the advice is more nuanced, then I can understand it, to a point. What I would like to say is that much of the issue with depression is the internalised stuff - and changing environments may well do little to alter that. Depression is episodic. Most people recover. A significant proportion are vulnerable to relapse, but that can be managed too in many cases. Especially if you have the financial resources and supports that Mitch has. I've been curious from day one about this and nothing is reassuring me about this situation atm.

At last some sense!

[Yossarian 1,820]

If he said where he wanted to go, no one else would pick him in the PSD. We're relying on Mitch wanting to make sure we're well compensated.

...if he leaves.

[Little Goffy 14,549]

Meeting in person with Collingwood before giving any notice to Melbourne gives it all a bit of a sour taste.

And I agree with other posters who've noted that it is not generally helpful to 'change environments' for clinical depression, given it is, by definition, a condition you carry with you, inside you, whatever your circumstance, however joyful.

However, anxiety disorders (which I recall had been mentioned at some point early in the year) there might be a case, given the nature of triggers and the like.

Honestly, I'm no longer concerned by the specific compensation. Given his situation, injury history and so on, he'd be unlikely to be valued as a 'good second round' pick even in the fairest of exchanges.

I just want it to all be done in a respectful tone that doesn't set up Melbourne Football Club as the losers taking another whack.

Also, can we have our 2013 priority pick now, since it was denied on the basis of Clark coming back...

[KingDingAling 3,758]

Meeting in person with Collingwood before giving any notice to Melbourne gives it all a bit of a sour taste.

And I agree with other posters who've noted that it is not generally helpful to 'change environments' for clinical depression, given it is, by definition, a condition you carry with you, inside you, whatever your circumstance, however joyful.

However, anxiety disorders (which I recall had been mentioned at some point early in the year) there might be a case, given the nature of triggers and the like.

Honestly, I'm no longer concerned by the specific compensation. Given his situation, injury history and so on, he'd be unlikely to be valued as a 'good second round' pick even in the fairest of exchanges.

I just want it to all be done in a respectful tone that doesn't set up Melbourne Football Club as the losers taking another whack.

Also, can we have our 2013 priority pick now, since it was denied on the basis of Clark coming back...

If we can trade Clark for a second rounder - or get compo from the AFL for a second rounder.

Hopefully this is on top of not having to use our second rounder on Stretch.

We'd have 2 second round picks that we didn't expect.

That could very well be as good as an early pick.

Although of course we'd take a first round PP if given - preference.

But.. Goddard could slip to the second round, Ahern could slip, some classy players will slip to that second round.

This is a relatively even bunch of players through till 30 IMO.

Petracca and Brayshaw stand alone as quality mids in the first 5, but even then - Laverde and Ahern arguably have more upside to their games.