Jump to content

Mitch Clark - did we dodge a bullet?


thesleepinggiant

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 182
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted
1 hour ago, Pipefitter said:

By a mile. I think we laughed off the Varcoe offer. He'd be pretty valuable for us.

Varcoe had a pretty injury-riddled season himself.

Posted

Hindsight is easy for everyone, but you can't help think that Clark's demise at Geelong was fairly predicable, given his track record. Nice to see the cosy sanctimonious cats get it wrong. Second hand players are so often a liability and fail to produce anything more than their past records suggest. That's why I am always dubious about these guys particularly those that come with injury or behavioural problems. You can sometimes get lucky (Vince) but more often than not they do not bring much to a new club (Dawes/H).

Posted
2 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Hindsight is easy for everyone, but you can't help think that Clark's demise at Geelong was fairly predicable, given his track record. Nice to see the cosy sanctimonious cats get it wrong. Second hand players are so often a liability and fail to produce anything more than their past records suggest. That's why I am always dubious about these guys particularly those that come with injury or behavioural problems. You can sometimes get lucky (Vince) but more often than not they do not bring much to a new club (Dawes/H).

There are examples both ways. I expect there have been plenty of players who have delivered for their second or third club. Gary Ablett (both of them), Paul Salmon (both times), Justin Madden, Roger Merrett, Chris Judd, Darren Jolley and David Cloke come to mind as players who had exceptional careers after they moved. In addition, there have been plenty of players who have contributed to their second or third clubs, even if they may not be considered to have reached "star" status. For example, we've done very well with players such as Anthony Ingerson, Jeff White and Dom Tyson.

Sure, some trades are a bust, but I don't think it's correct that the failures occur more often than the successes.

   

Posted
10 minutes ago, hemingway said:

Hindsight is easy for everyone, but you can't help think that Clark's demise at Geelong was fairly predicable, given his track record. Nice to see the cosy sanctimonious cats get it wrong. Second hand players are so often a liability and fail to produce anything more than their past records suggest. That's why I am always dubious about these guys particularly those that come with injury or behavioural problems. You can sometimes get lucky (Vince) but more often than not they do not bring much to a new club (Dawes/H).

Agree and disagree. One of the most attractive qualities that H had before coming to the Dees was his durability. Some questioned his attitude, that seems to be great since joining us.  His ankle and concussion issues are new as far as I know...

Posted

Not picked in their VFL side for this weeks elimination final!!

 

Posted
13 minutes ago, TeamPlayedFine39 said:

Agree and disagree. One of the most attractive qualities that H had before coming to the Dees was his durability. Some questioned his attitude, that seems to be great since joining us.  His ankle and concussion issues are new as far as I know...

How has his attitude been great? He started this year by disappearing in the middle of pre season when he should have been in rehab, and it has all been downhill from there. I've never seen a bloke less committed to a club. At least Clark gave us everything he had until he got injured.

Posted
5 minutes ago, poita said:

How has his attitude been great? He started this year by disappearing in the middle of pre season when he should have been in rehab, and it has all been downhill from there. I've never seen a bloke less committed to a club. At least Clark gave us everything he had until he got injured.

Not to mention the WAGs

Posted

At the time, we were all excited about picking up Mitch Clark. Dean Bailey was sacked after we lost by about 200 points to the Cats.

We had room in our salary cap and it was the right move at the time to land a big name player who could make us a finals team.

Traded away pick 12 (we had 12 the previous year and drafted Lucas Cook!)

Posted
4 minutes ago, Sir Why You Little said:

I wonder if he will try to scrounge out one more contract. 

He could try Freo....??

why not? there is still 14 clubs he hasn't burnt

Posted
9 minutes ago, daisycutter said:

why not? there is still 14 clubs he hasn't burnt

Exactly. Lucrative markets still await our Mitch....

Posted
53 minutes ago, worldwideweb_demon said:

At the time, we were all excited about picking up Mitch Clark. Dean Bailey was sacked after we lost by about 200 points to the Cats.

We had room in our salary cap and it was the right move at the time to land a big name player who could make us a finals team.

Traded away pick 12 (we had 12 the previous year and drafted Lucas Cook!)

Yep, at the time it was great a move.

And he delivered on more than what we thought he was capable of when he actually did play.

I loved watching him play in the red and blue, even if it was only a handful of games. Really disappointing end to story though unfortunately.

Posted

Wanted to be treated like an AFL footballer, without actually playing AFL football.  Even back in his Brisbane days he loved the lifestyle of being a footballer, but didn't love being one. 

For much if the past 8 years, he got his wish, especially in his time with us and Geelong.  Looks like it has finally caught up with him.

Good.

Posted

Pre injury he was an absolute gun. We forget how good he was for us before everything went to [censored]. 

Another one in a long list of epic list failures for us. 

Posted

Clark was cruelled by injury and mental health issues. He did not use any club. Clubs bid on him like they do other footballers with apparent cache. They bid on him knowing his background, in particular, Geelong. He went to both MFC and Geeling hoping he would overcome his problems and play regular footy. The fact is that clubs took the risk and paid big bucks. Like venture capital it does not always provide a return on capital. Clark despite the moral judgements being made was just a chattel of the trading system established, encouraged and supported by the AFL and the clubs. Judgements about his character is another thing.

Posted
21 minutes ago, Jaded said:

Pre injury he was an absolute gun. We forget how good he was for us before everything went to [censored]. 

Another one in a long list of epic list failures for us. 

He was awesome for us before he hurt his foot.  It was a masterstroke to recruit him and play him as a key forward.

In fact he was the only reason to watch a Demons game in that dark period.

Posted
2 minutes ago, Petraccattack said:

He was awesome for us before he hurt his foot.  It was a masterstroke to recruit him and play him as a key forward.

In fact he was the only reason to watch a Demons game in that dark period.

You'd have to wonder if he didn't injure his foot what a forward line of Clark/Hogan/Watts/Garlett would be like... Guess we wouldn't have drafted Weidemen if that was the case tho

Posted
8 minutes ago, JV7 said:

You'd have to wonder if he didn't injure his foot what a forward line of Clark/Hogan/Watts/Garlett would be like... Guess we wouldn't have drafted Weidemen if that was the case tho

Yep, would have been absolutely amazing.

Who do you send your best backman to? Clark, Watts or Hogan? There's no backline in the competition who has a '3rd best' backline player to cope with one of those 3. There's no way you could double team one of them without the other ripping you to shreds.

Clark cut up backlines on his own, pre-injury. He really was something to watch.

Posted

He looked amazing when he started for us but there was something fishy going on off field  at the time. In round 6, 2012 against Geelong he kicked an amazing goal at the start of the game after a Herculean solo attack on the ball and not one team mate came to congratulate him. Something  was NQR with his team mates.

Posted
19 minutes ago, JV7 said:

You'd have to wonder if he didn't injure his foot what a forward line of Clark/Hogan/Watts/Garlett would be like... Guess we wouldn't have drafted Weidemen if that was the case tho

Add in young gun Petracca tearing it up at half forward flank. We can only drool...

Posted
1 minute ago, worldwideweb_demon said:

Add in young gun Petracca tearing it up at half forward flank. We can only drool...

A 28 year old Liam Jurrah wouldn't hurt either...

Posted
3 hours ago, worldwideweb_demon said:

The club that keeps on giving. Dawes, Lumumba and Kennedy. Surprised that they havent tried to trade Swan before he retired.

Don't forget the best assistant coach in the land Neeld.

In all seriousness i do think kennedy will be a good player.

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
  • Demonland Forums  

  • Match Previews, Reports & Articles  

    THE ACCIDENTAL DEMONS by The Oracle

    In the space of eight days, the Melbourne Football Club’s plans for the coming year were turned upside down by two season-ending injuries to players who were contending strongly for places in its opening round match against the GWS Giants. Shane McAdam was first player to go down with injury when he ruptured an Achilles tendon at Friday afternoon training, a week before the cut-off date for the AFL’s pre-season supplemental selection period (“SSP”). McAdam was beginning to get some real mom

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Special Features

    PREGAME: Practice Match vs Fremantle

    The Demons hit the road for what will be their first of 8 interstate trips this year when they play their final practice match before the 2025 AFL Premiership Season against the Fremantle Dockers in Perth on Sunday, 2nd March @ 6:10pm (AEDT). 2025 AAMI Community Series Sun Mar 2 Fremantle v Melbourne, Rushton Oval, Mandurah, 3.10pm AWST (6.10pm AEDT)

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 95

    RETURN TO NORMAL by Whispering Jack

    One of my prized possessions is a framed, autographed guernsey bearing the number 31 worn by my childhood hero, Melbourne’s champion six time premiership player Ronald Dale Barassi who passed away on 16 September 2023, aged 87. The former captain who went on to a successful coaching career, mainly with other clubs, came back to the fold in his later years as a staunch Demon supporter who often sat across the way from me in the Northern Stand of the MCG cheering on the team. Barassi died the

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Match Reports

    PODCAST: Match SIM vs North Melbourne

    Join us LIVE on Monday night at 8:30pm—note that this special time is just for this week due to prior commitments. We'll break down the Match SIM against North Melbourne and wrap up the preseason with insights into training and our latest recruits. I apologize for skipping our annual season review show at the end of last season. After a disapponting season filled with off-field antics and a heated trade week, I needed a break. Thankfully, the offseason has recharged me, and I’m back—ready t

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 42

    GAMEDAY: Match SIM vs North Melbourne

    After an agonizingly long off-season the 2025 AFL Premiership Season is almost upon us and the Demons have their first practice hit out against the Kangaroos in a match simulation out at Arden Street. The Demons will take on the Kangaroos in match simulation play, starting from 10am AEDT and broadcast live on Foxtel and Kayo. The play start time was brought forward from the initial 11am bounce, due to the high temperatures forecast.  The match sim will consist of four 25-minute qu

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Melbourne Demons 465

    TRAINING: Friday 21st February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers beat the Friday heat to bring you their observations from this morning's Captain's Run out at Gosch's Paddock in the lead up to their first hit out in a Practice Match tomorrow against the Kangaroos. TRAVY14'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS On the park: Trac Spargo Gawn Viney Langdon May Fritsch Salem Henderson Rehab: McVee (updated to include Melk, Kolt, AMW and Kentfield) Spoke to "Gus" the trainer, he said these are the guys no

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    TRAINING: Wednesday 19th February 2025

    Demonlander The Analyser was the sole Trackwatcher out at Casey Fields today to bring you the following observations from this mornings preseason training session. Training  was at Casey today. It consisted of a match simulation for one half  and then a free choice activity time. Activities included kicking for goal,  aerial , contest work etc. I noticed the following players not in match simulation Jack Viney  running laps and looks fine for round one . I think Kolt looks like he’s im

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports 1

    TRAINING: Monday 17th February 2025

    Demonland Trackwatchers were on hand at Monday morning's preseason training at Gosch's Paddock to bring you their brief observations of the session. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S PRESEASON TRAINING OBSERVATIONS Gentle flush session at Gosch's this morning. Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars) McVee, McAdam. Rehabbing: Great to see Kentfield back (much slimmer), walking with Tholstrup, TMac (suspect just a management thing), Viney (still being cautious with that rib cartilage?), Melksham (

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports

    MATCH SIM: Friday 14th February 2025

    A couple of Demonland Trackwatchers made their way out to Casey Field's for the Melbourne Football Club's Family Series day to bring you their observations on the Match Simulation. HARVEY WALLBANGER'S MATCH SIMULATION OBSERVATIONS Absent: May, Pickett (All Stars), McVee, Windor, Kentfield, Mentha Present but not playing: Petracca, Viney, Spargo, Tholstrup, Melksham Starting Blue 18 (+ just 2 interchange): B: Petty, TMac, Lever, Howes, Bowey Salem M: Gawn, Oliver, La

    Demonland
    Demonland |
    Training Reports
  • Tell a friend

    Love Demonland? Tell a friend!
×
×
  • Create New...