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Mitch Clark is a significant improvement on Martin. I would still keep Martin because he gives us flexibility and is a player who is on the rise but if it was the difference between getting Clark and missing out, I'd reluctantly say goodbye to Martin. Clark is a great contested mark, has a mature body and was unlucky not to be All Australian two seasons ago.

No way at all we're letting Martin go. Ridiculous suggestion.

You've already stated that you'd prefer Setanta, so, with respect, your opinion is rendered obsolete.

Ah yes, but that decision by Carlton was a major brainfart.

What about offering one of our compo picks and keeping pick 12 this year and throwing in the Queensland born Spencer to solve their ruck problem and getting Lions 2nd round pick back. Alternatively offer Spencer and 12 for their 2nd pick back.

His positioning and reading of the play, he has a beautiful kicking action and a good set of mits. His under-developed body is what's holding him back in my eyes. He will be a ripper and people will be saying WhoTF is Darling in a couple of seasons time.

I think you're being a little unkind. Well, to the average Bigfooty poster anyway.

He also wrote this - http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/03/04/scully-to-stay-put/ The guy is a glorified Bigfooty member. This is the future of journalism though...

i just dont see Clarke as a permanent forward, i always thought he had his best year as a ruck / resting forward back in like 08/09. If he play exclusively down forward maybe he can kick 40 goals who knows. For pick 12 he would really be value so i cant complain with this. I am leaning away from this idea but... what about pick 12 for Freo's 16 and 20 giving us 2 top 20 picks for a 4 spot drop? would depend on where harrington sees teh talent falling Freo get clarke with 12

Yet you'd be surprised how many people do it....

Absolutely not. Martin is a better ruckman, and arguably a better player. That would be a straight swap with a pick upgrade in our favour. Would not do it.

Actually he turns 24 next week (DOB 19.10.87). He's a player who could change the whole dynamic of our team, especially the forward line ... give the opportunity for Watts to play his best further up the ground, and for Howe, Petterd, Jurrah etc. to be taking the 3rd and 4th best defenders. I'd throw plenty at him ... pick #12 plus.

You have several on the boil at once with the hope that at least one makes it. If both turn out well, you either find a way to accommodate both, or you trade off the one you want the least. Odds are that one of Cook or Fitzpatrick will bust - let's hope it's not both. Once you add in Lisle the odds of finding a player good enough for that position improve, especially since he's far enough developed to have a high degree of confidence that he'll get there. It's not unlike how we recruited the likes of Davis and Tom McDonald last year as likely KPDs, despite the fact that we're up to our eyeballs in that area. You always need multiple new players developing.

Harrington says 'sit down' son, and Matty is obviously a required player. He has to be groomed for the midfield. He isn't a natural forward and is not suited to the 'press' that forwards have to be a big player in. He is not quick, not agile, and can lose confidence easily. But he does have a big body, a great footy brain, and played as a mid in his youth. It's going to be difficult for him from here but I say we get Misson to turn his body into someone who has the ability to run 15km a game and get him into the middle. We have so many slight bodies in there that he may make it.

It would be awesome to get him. but let sort something out first. when White left the club we didn't look like having anything good in the ruck department for years, then Jamar comes along out of no where. he's had 3-4 great seasons after we have waited so long, and now people want to get rid of him??!?!?!?!?! So many people have spoken about getting the culture right at this club. Getting rid of Jamar, just to get a good pick is exactly the attitude that the club is trying to get rid of. lets give him the respect that he deserves and remember how much of a shining light he has been the last few years.

To me its a great move .We went into the draft with money to spend ( the money put aside for Scully). If we can't pull a big- bodied big monied player in next year, we'll have to pay our current list above the odds to meet the 92.5% minimum payment rule. Clark is a special talent .... and he wants out of Brisbane. His preference may be Perth - but word is that his main aim is to get out of Brisbane. Rawlings knows the man - and he knows his motives Now that Dawes is out of the picture - why not try to put something together that will get Clark down here?He would add size, depth, flexibility to our list. He'd make a huge difference to us leading into our premiership window. You can't compare Clark to Setanta .We could pick up Setanto for a song if we wanted a protector on the forward line for the next year or two ... or a work horse to help out at training. Nothing ventured.... nothing gained Think about it, Mitch!!

Sewell a good comparison? Anyway, big fat no to Clark. Great ruckman - should have been AA two years ago - but with Jamar a part of the no.1 clearance duo with Moloney and SME coming on as far as he has this year as a ruckman, forward and defender, Clark will have to play forward. He's not a forward and I don't want to see Melbourne pick up a talent such as him on $500k a year to play him in a position where he won't be giving too much value. Let Fremantle take him.

Get on it!

I would say size. An in and under player who is limited to the midfield. An absolute ball magnet though and disposal is A class.

Jamar and Martin are going nowhere. We would be chasing Clark to play as a forward imo. We couldn't prise Dawes out of Collingwood so we're throwing that coin at Clark. Jolly, Brown, Cloke and Dawes all played within their structure, that'll be Jamar, Martin, Clark and Watts for us. For the moment Spencer is depth and Gawn is developing. Pretty sure I heard on trade week radio that Freo had offered Clark more money to return home and that's why he wanted to go there and not to WC. He may not have been so keen to get home if the lucrative contract wasn't on offer. Now we've signifigantly upped the ante, and if Clark was more keen on Freo's money than the Perth sunshine we may have finally nabbed our big forward. He's 24 and has 80 odd games under his belt, just about to hit his straps and will still be around when we start to threaten. This will be a good get if we can get it over the line

Mohr? I remember seeing him when we first affiliated with Casey and I asked the question then, who was he, he looked pretty good and was mobile for a big guy. I was surprised he hadn't been picked up by someone.

I believe we have a very good replacement in our ranks. Pringle is a Demonland member who has given us great insight over the years. I believe he is a sports doctor currently working for one of the inner VFL clubs. He's an MFC member and is only 31.

Would love to take a punt on some mature state leaguers, Barlows, Duigans, Silvani's and Strattons.... even just 1

North would cry. Actually no, they'd laugh at giving up their first rounder.

For along time Brad Ottens was no Brad Ottens . Thats how the Cats got him .

I have said it before but maybe i should elaborate, is it only me getting the feeling of what Geelong did when they went after Brad Ottens? Look where that got them...

If he goes in the draft GWS will surely pick him up, so obviously that will be avoided. If he truly wants to return home we should stay away. Sure-ask if they are his true intentions or just a ruse, but I don't want to draft him if his heart and mind are in WA and then he does a $ully on us and leaves after 2 years. What do they say? Once burned, twice ahh you can't burn me twice!

You speak as though there is a lot out there to get. I have no interest in just getting someone for the sake of it. Players have to be better than our current list and have to be available at a fair price. If they do not fit those qualifications then you do not trade.

If Clark says no to us and insists he wants to go home or will stay at Lions I would offer our pick 12 to Freo for 16 and 20. I don't think dropping 4 spots would kill us and then we have another pick 4 spots later. I am sure Freo would do it in a heartbeat to get Clark.

He is trying to do his job. If that means getting rebuffed then at least he asked the question. I would be more annoyed if we didn't ask, then if we got beaten to the punch again. I care about getting sh!t done, not perceptions when we don't get sh!t done.

If we manage to trade Clark in, i see him playing the ruck with Martin and Jamar going forward...or even better we could run them all through the forward line making us unpredictable.. He'd be a good get...

http://www.lions.com.au/players/playerprofile/mitchellclark/tabid/5189/playerid/13992/category/senior/season/2011/selected/bio/default.aspx Take a look for yourself, then compare that to what Martin has done. Clark has done more than a lot of talls have done at his age. 80 odd games is about when these players start hitting their prime. Seriously good player.

Put Sylvia's feet to the fire, or Martin's, or Jamar's, or Davey's. Cook is a kid key position player. Just move along.

To be honest, i cant imagine Mitch Clarke being happy with coming to Melbourne.

I don't think it is Internet Etiquette to 'like' your own posts, as that fondness is implicit... Also, I don't like your disregard of Martin. More important than Clark will be. Martin is perfect in the modern game with the need for a ruckman to be proficient at rucking and useful elsewhere.

Bate on one wing with Col Garland on the other one? I can't see a role for Bate at all unless Misson is able to work miracles. I don't see how his weaknesses are going to be any less exposed playing in the guts.

Couldn't stomach getting rid of Stef. His improvement this year was out of sight and give him a couple more years he could easily be our number ruck.

He's definitely worth our pick 12 in a weak draft. We'd be gutted if we had a key position player, taken as a high pick, who can play in the ruck, has had 6 - 7 years in the system and has his best 5 years ahead of him leave us for anything less than a first rounder in a shallow draft. I'd actually pay more.

Agreed. I honestly cannot believe another club is interested. Good on him for faking to the other clubs that he can play.

Yep, set 'n' forget for a few years.

I just get the impression that we are trying to get two players with the picks we got for losing he-who-must-not-be-named. A Clark-type and a star young mid. And try to stay relevant in this years draft. And I think we are trying to stretch too little, too far with that. But we will see...

Compo pick after our pick?

Maric + 54 for 40 would be nice.

Me too in theory - I'd give 2 picks for a genuine "top 5" without hesitation, I do get shaky on the 3 picks for O'Meara

Anything we get is a bonus. Scrap value.

Needs time.

What? Neitz was always going to be a very good player, always, there was never a doubt.

A few people are getting stuck into Lisle. I for one thought Stefan Martin wasn't going to make it...and look at him now. Big men take time...I hope we get him.

The hypothetical money I saved by not overpaying for the house has meant that I am: a- saving money by renting, (ie, keep the picks) and b- using my money to go into other growth assets such as shares. (ie, use the picks in other trades or by selecting players with them). As I said, there's more than one way to skin a cat. I said that I would pay a very high price for O'Meara, but I am basing that off watching him play only twice and based on my own personal philosophies on what makes us a successful team. But you say that you'd 'use all the money in the bank', which involves our first picks plus the Scully compo. What about our second round pick? What about trading a good young player? Whether you realise it or not, you have placed a price on it that you would have bailed out after. The MFC have just set a different price to what you would have.

Didnt realise you were the spokesperson for every AFL player.. while i agree its not a premiership medal or even in the same ball park, still a thrill and i would jump at the chance to play, like most of the players do.