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One thing I hadn't thought of through all the excitement of getting Clark is that he is a great backup if Juice Newton breaks down.

A much, much more gifted player than Dawes, and I'd have nervously settled for Dawes, thank god he declined our offer. Mitch is the safer bet for what we need, worth every penny. And for just pick 12 is a bonus. Getting Clark, Craig, Misson and even Neeld who were all able to choose multiple options is just huge. I haven't seen an off season like it. I could get used to this.

I'm liking Aaron Davey for this role in 2012. Get him fit, get him confident again, stick him at the feet of Clark, Watts and Jurrah and watch him wreak havoc.

I barely read Demonland in the off season, and some of the opinions in this thread, is precisely why. So many posters here have no understanding whatsoever of footy structures or what this guy will mean to the way we play. I bet they are the same supporters who cry "kick it long" every week. And pick 12 is a massive mistake? WTF? Pick 12 in an average draft raped by GWS would have probably netted us some average midfielder who would get delisted in 4 years, or compete for 22nd spot with Jones. Thrilling right? This is a huge get for us. Had we gotten Dawes people would be saying we did a great thing, but Clark is a far better player, more athletic and more versatile and will completely change our entire forward setup.

Of course there is, it's just not a country anymore

Exactly. This trade has nothing to do with some 'statement' and everything to do with getting a really talented player to fill a role that is vital to our structure. Neeld is likely to have us play in a much more contested, defensive style and we need a forward to be able to contest consistently against superior opposition numbers. The trade means that we can play the style of game that we want to. Where we find the extra gold in the deal is that Clark is a really talented player that seemed out of reach.

Whipped this together just for fun not perfect (Couldnt get the right jumper to match) but it will do as im sure we will get some real photos soon enough. Enjoy

As everyone is bored senseless by this, although I think it's an argument worth pursuing (preferably with someone else), I will just finish with this. The recruiters are paid to predict how good a player will end up being. They watch endless vision of them and have years of recruiting experience behind them. It's their job. It's clearly not any of our jobs! If you don't think Cook will be as good as Darling then it's up to you to disprove them. Until then I'd back their opinion of these players over yours and mine.

Would love it if we could snare him from under the nose of Essendon as well, would make it even sweeter. Would be great to get him but wouldn't be the end of the world if we couldn't.

Anybody else think the "my dad's sick and I want to be near him, but I'll only go to the bummers" line is ridiculous. If he really 'had' to return to Melbourne, he'd let GC trade with any Melbourne based club.

It is now.

If you think I'm the only one who rejects your assertion that Melbourne supporters are less passionate than those of other teams then you're kidding yourself.

But why does somebody always have to be negative? FFS this is a massive win for us, and Clark hasn't put a foot wrong yet, but someone just has to come along and have a sook about Melbourne stuffing up. Why can't supporters just believe that we're capable of doing good things and trust us to deliver? This woe-is-us attitude is so pathetic in light of the great pre-season we've had thus far.

I've never really understood why so many MFC fans care what others think of our club. Having spent a lot of time with fans of other clubs, I can tell you that they don't care how their club is perceived.

It's not a "statement", it's an attempt to address short-comings on the playing list. Don't read more into than that.

McLean or Clark?

Kelvin Lawrence on our Rookie List. May step up with new coaching & fitness staff. Still raw! But will break the shackles in the net 18 months. Still have Aussie! Will be raring to go after big pre-season. I also think Bennell could play the role well. Just needs to be groomed for that position. Very quick! Can apply that defensive pressure aswell. Needs to improve goal kicking though. The only flaw in his game playing forward I would think. I think one of these three would be quite capable in 2012. I actually think Petterd could play as a more crumbing forward also. But stll play tall! I think Ricky is a real weapon!

I still think Wonaeamirri has a lot to offer, it obviously depends on his personal situation, but he has so much to give still.

Can we find some room for Mitch on the Demonland header?!!!

Played like Superman for one quarter against North. Unfortunately one quarter in 7 years ain't quite enough. Curtains.

Give him some support @mitchclark1 Lets make him feel welcome. I know one thing next year. Jack Watts and Liam Jurrah won't be getting pushed around with Mitch Clark behind them. Love his hardness he has learnt off one of the best leaders in recent times in Johno Brown. If the boys aren't going in hard I'm sure he will tell a few and hopefully show a few how it's done

Why 10 desks of course Loving this trade, loving that we won for once, loving that Freo can suck eggs, loving that our club is attractive........ loving it all!

I am getting "whelmed".

It's defiantly just pick 12? Because I think that is a fantastic move! He was pick 9 in his draft year, a big man who take time, and he is only mid 20's, so his best footy you would think is in front of him. This is a compromised draft, that is also a weak draft from all reports, so pick 12 may not be so great. We have 3 first round draft picks, 3 of them, in next years draft. All reports are that next years crop is a bumper crop. My guess is that we are front loading his contract enormously. This is part of the reason he found the offer so attractive. I doubt we would of paid 100% of the salary cap. I'm confident in the final 2 years of his contract, it is not going to take up a large amount of room in our cap, we actually will probably be paying unders for him. From a list managements perspective, anything put in this years cap is "free money" in a way as we need to get to 100%. Putting these factors together, I really don't think there is much to dislike about this move

Travis Johnstone and pick 12 to Brisbane for Grimes and Clark. We've done well out of Brisbane!

BFF?

We got those priorities as we lost a potential star mid (let's all hope not) so I am open to spending them on a potential star mid. I don't know Caddy well though... Anyone?

And we have Jack Viney and two top 20 picks in next year's super draft. New salary cap. We are paying less than the required amount, so font load a massive contract 'to do something'. We have been so insipid for too long. Clark was a great play, just what we needed. Watts and Jurrah can now play on the ball. Our many other young guns are one year older. Noah might even be named Captain. We just took the supercoach arms race up a serious notch - 2 coaches and 1 IT person for each line plus directors of developent (Viney), elite performance (Misson) and innovations and sports science (Neale). Neeld is smashing it with deliberate purpose. Gary Lyon - not a word, very quiet. Schwab also strangely quiet. Big Jim hope your not in pain and with loved ones. You started this bonfire. You gave us belief and pride again. C'arn the Mighty Demons!

He gives us so many options now its not funny....forward or ruck....in either position he would free up watts, jurrah, martin Not even the Manc b@stards equalising has taken the smile off my face

We seem to be doing EVERYTHING right.......off the field at least !

oh...and by the way...Thanks TOM !!!! :)

Nothing. There are roles for Stef who was our most improved player this year. I would actually see if their was some interest in Spencer now from Gold Coast or even Lions and if Warnock was added plus a pick maybe we could help Josh Caddy come home to be with his ill father and play in our mid field while he was here.

Any worry for Martin is just misguided IMO. I think that Melbourne has recruited Clark as a forward, not a Ruck. Jamar and Martin can handle themselves up front, but they are never going to rip it up. Mitch Clark will be able to fill that role. It may take a bit of forward training focus, but he will do it. Can't wait

The flag window has been maintained. I wrote when he-must-not-be-named left that these future picks will put our window back a year or two - with Clark providing a massive forward line presence I believe that the window has now shifted back to where it was. The game is won or lost in the middle but a Clark-Watts-Jurrah-Howe forward line has repercussions down the line that make life easier for a few people - including midfielders looking into the forward line. It would be good to see the club spend some of the comp currency on a Josh Caddy, but waiting for this draft next year is fine too and will help us build for our time. I am not saying we will be top 4 next year but I am saying that we have managed to maintain what I thought was pushed back, and it feels good.

I've been thinking this for ages and I was in the car listening when they replayed a guy who rang the day before after Denham had gone who said Denham hates Melbourne. I got home rang up " Dave from Highett" and said to Denham that I agree and was sick to death of him sticking the boots in to MFC all the time. I told him we had gotten rid of all our debt, totally reconstructed the coaching staff and were on the way up. He said what about your list? I said there all still young 18-22 and learning thegame etc etc, he came back with where are all your 24 -28 year olds, I said we had them and were after Clark to help forward line etc etc. I was sort of cut off then and he dribbled on but it started about another 4-5 Demon supporters ringing and telling him what we thought of him and apparently the texts were coming in strong and hard against him. KB stirred him up and said he was in a bad mood for the rest of the time that morning, he's a [censored] and he got what was coming to him. He's been slagging us off for months.

Yeah maybe shocking is a bad word, but I did say I hope I'm wrong. But the Lions supporter at work even thinks he wasn't worth it. I think most is all in his head, has potential, but I don't think he has shown it yet. And I worried he won't either.

I think this is a shocking move. I do not think he will be our #1 ruck over Jamar, and I do not rate him that highly as a forward, no way was he worth pick 12, nor that amount of $ Maybe if he had done something in his career so far, but all I remember of him is some nice flashes of play and a lot of (so called) tough man antics. I truly hope I am proved wrong on this.

Well. I can say for an absolute certainty that this was the last thing I was expecting to see when I got home tonight. I feel like a kid on Christmas morning! Awesome work MFC! P.S. Now I can really stick it up my two filth supporting mates who bagged our club for not being able to lure him!!!

During the preseason competition my father and went , as I am sure plenty of you did, to the practice match against Brisbane at VISY Park. I must admit to being ignorant of Clark until that day, but I was struck by this agile tall man who seemed to just be everywhere. He was noticeably strong overhead and just seemed to brush our defence aside, it was terribly frustrating to watch as an opposition supporter. I'm not sure what his stats were that day but he impacted upon the game enormously. I'm stoked he's now playing for us and that the club has gone out on a limb to land a 'big fish' and that motivations of the player aside, his destination is the MFC. Great get. Go you bloody Demons!

We are seen as useless. And will be until we are competitive in an grand final. The end

HF Green Watts Petterd F Howe Clarke Jurrah get excited

Not the bridesmaid this year! Welcome on board Mitch, and here is your name badge. Yes, I know it says Jack, that's just how we like it around here.

I'm stoked we got him he is just what we need in the forward line, big strong and angry.

Mitch signed the deal while in Perth....AWESOME..

4 year contract and if it had to be he could be traded under our terms. Massive get for the Dees. I imagine we would have offered to front load his contract as well because we have room in cap, thanks to someone leaving a few weeks ago.

I dont think thats right. Moreso a realisation that he was no guarantee to get there.

Where are the Harrington / Prendergast knockers now? Just goes to show that the vast majority have NFI when it comes to what the club is actually doing and they'd be better off putting faith in them and priaising their work rather than the constant negative drivel that gets spewed up here far too often!

Touché. I must say I am a little taken aback by this. The Melbourne FC twitter feed has just announced he has agreed to a four year deal. So the options are down to: hacking of our twitter feed, or the club actually landed a player they were going after.

WOW! "Agreement has been reached tonight to trade Brisbane player Mitch Clarke to @melbournefc for selection 12 in the 2011 National Draft." - MFC twitter

Best tweet I have seen through this entire trade week: "In an administrative mix up today Richmond recruited Ivan Milat"