Maybe Mitch don't want an incentive based contract?

Maybe ethics has nothing to do with what is happening and the 'moral' of the story is that if you don't know the full story, you shouldn't make judgements either way?

Geelong were quoted today around an incentive based contract for Mitch . His reason for going is a change of enviroment and equally the club suggesting a fresh start . We have a right to know and to burn or empathize .

If he came out and said look im really sorry to all the kids , grandma's fans etc but it was all too much at melbourne , geelong will be easier I hope to do well there with Riv and Chip . All will be forgiven .

not as weird as a kid with his name tattooed on himself

Both Rivers and Nathan Jones also have their surnames tattooed on their backs.

They want him to help out Hawkins right? So that means he'll be in their best 22, then we want someone in their best 22, Stokes or Duncan.

Christensen

Bring back Bater!

id be wrapped - i used to get second hand info from a mate of his...

We have a right to know and to burn or empathize .

The club has given us a reason (depression, new environment blah blah blah).

That's it. Move on. We're not owed anything more, and don't have a right to anything more.

And for those of you suggesting the players are somehow "soft" for not participating in the witch hunt ... Buddy Franklin attended Guerra's wedding not long after leaving the Hawks, and will be at Jordan Lewis's upcoming wedding, and you would similarly expect Melbourne players who are mates with Mitch to continue to keep in contact with him and wish him well - off the field at least.

Both Rivers and Nathan Jones also have their surnames tattooed on their backs.

so they can recall each other who they are in a vegas/bangok Hangover

Sad about Mitch, way more than James, can we leave Stynes' number alone for awhile please. Mitch you farker, you broke my friggin heart.

Sad about Mitch, way more than James, can we leave Stynes' number alone for awhile please. Mitch you farker, you broke my friggin heart.

After what this piece of work has done, the MFC 11 should be retired. Simply as that

I find so many of the comments here so strange. Mitch didn't play many games for this club but I don't recall a single game that he played for our club when he didn't give it his best shot. He suffered a debilitating physical injury and there were further issues with the healing process that prolonged his time out of the game and in that time, for whatever reason, the mental demons took over and the decision has been made that it's in his best interests that he move on. The club's position is that we should also move forward, get the best compensation and move on with the task of making ours a better team able to compete with the rest.

if the compensation's good, then it's all good. Then again, we don't know what Roos knows/thinks: maybe nothing to say at all...

I find so many of the comments here so strange. Mitch didn't play many games for this club but I don't recall a single game that he played for our club when he didn't give it his best shot. He suffered a debilitating physical injury and there were further issues with the healing process that prolonged his time out of the game and in that time, for whatever reason, the mental demons took over and the decision has been made that it's in his best interests that he move on. The club's position is that we should also move forward, get the best compensation and move on with the task of making ours a better team able to compete with the rest.

WJ I think the reason we are so upset is that when MC played he had a presense that we haven't seen in a long time and provided hope. That hope he provided is now extinguished.

When he announced his retirement we had accepted that he would probavly never play again but also that if he did it would be with Melbourne. We then heard that he was feeling good and would likely make a return. At this stage we hadn't even considered the possibility he would want to play for soneone else and now he has nominated Geelong.

Supporters have every right to be livid about Mitch's defection. He had a contract with us for another year and the thought of him 'retiring' only to return next year doesnt sit well with supporters.

And for those of you suggesting the players are somehow "soft" for not participating in the witch hunt ... Buddy Franklin attended Guerra's wedding not long after leaving the Hawks, and will be at Jordan Lewis's upcoming wedding, and you would similarly expect Melbourne players who are mates with Mitch to continue to keep in contact with him and wish him well - off the field at least.

Two other posters have mentioned how the Hawks would react - and you have nailed it. Supporters and coaches react different to players. ( Hawks players were not unsupportive of Franklins move as a couple have mentioned on here).

Both Rivers and Nathan Jones also have their surnames tattooed on their backs.

Rivers has a picture of the Yangste river on his back.

But it looks just like a yellow streak.

If he came out and said look im really sorry to all the kids , grandma's fans etc but it was all too much at melbourne , geelong will be easier I hope to do well there with Riv and Chip . All will be forgiven .

No it won't, not ina million years.

Rivers has a picture of the Yangste river on his back.

But it looks just like a yellow streak.

Get your river names right if you are going to introduce geography.

After what this piece of work has done, the MFC 11 should be retired. Simply as that

You're right.

This soft club should crumble and retire a revered number because one sh*t bloke for a short time was here on a fat contract, then p*ssed off for easy wins elsewhere.

Or maybe not?

Christ, some people are so bloody precious.

Move on FFS.

I remember when my 13 year old son and I were watching one of Mitch's games, he turned to me and said, " we've finally found a superstar dad"

The rest is history, and needless to say how excited he was at the prospect of Mitch coming back and then totally devastated when he declared he was going to leave.

I pray that we can get some one like Danger , or that Hogan becomes the player we all hope he will, for all the little red and blue damaged hearts out there.

I find so many of the comments here so strange. Mitch didn't play many games for this club but I don't recall a single game that he played for our club when he didn't give it his best shot. He suffered a debilitating physical injury and there were further issues with the healing process that prolonged his time out of the game and in that time, for whatever reason, the mental demons took over and the decision has been made that it's in his best interests that he move on. The club's position is that we should also move forward, get the best compensation and move on with the task of making ours a better team able to compete with the rest.

WJ...like many things...youre not remembered for how you came, but how you went.

51 games he has missed in the last three years through injury.

51.

How he goes injury free next year is almost irrelevant to his value right now.

If the lisfranc is right then he's no more an injury risk than anyone else and the reward is sky high.

If the lisfranc is right then he's no more an injury risk than anyone else and the reward is sky high.

If...

If...

If...you listen to his manager then his foot has been fine for a year

If...

His foot is fine, the only reason he couldn't get on the park was recurrent soft tissue injuries - nothing to do with his foot (or his mental issues).

Maybe it was Mrs Frawley...

I can't believe anyone is defending MC. Those who suggest MFC pushed him out and do not want him are delusional.