Make mine a Mitch (er...too late...he's a Cat!)

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Collingwood VFL
Mitch Clark eyeing AFL comeback
Date
September 7, 2014
1410080224543.jpg

Mitch Clark. Photo: Pat Scala


Melbourne wants a say in Mitch Clark's future if he tries to return to the AFL.

It emerged on Sunday that Clark, who retired this year aged 26 after battling depression, might attempt a comeback.

Clark was diagnosed with clinical depression and announced in March he was retiring immediately to concentrate on his health.

The Nine Network reported on Sunday that Clark was shaping up to return, but would not play for the Demons in 2015.


"He's in great shape. It is more than likely he will put his hand up and attempt to get back into the AFL," Clark's manager Colin Young said in a statement to Nine.

Clark remains on Melbourne's list and they have made it clear they want to talk to him if he goes ahead with a comeback.

"This decision by Mitch to investigate the potential of returning to play AFL is something we would expect Mitch to discuss with us," Demons football manager Josh Mahoney told the AFL website.

"Our focus has been on Mitch's health and wellbeing. When the decision was made earlier in the year, it was on the advice that removing the pressure of being an AFL player was the best thing for Mitch's health."

Clark suffered a series of injuries in a promising AFL career as a ruck-forward, which started in 2005 when he was drafted by Brisbane.

AAP

Mitch Clark

Mitch Clark at Brisbane Lions pre-season training
in December 2008.
Personal information
Full nameMitchell Clark
Date of birth19 October 1987 (age 26)
Place of birthWestern Australia
Original teamEast Fremantle (WAFL)
Draft#No. 9, 2005 National Draft, Brisbane Lions
Height/Weight200cm / 99kg
Position(s)Ruckman / Forward
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2006–2011
2012–2013
TotalBrisbane Lions
Melbourne82 (61)
15 (36)
97 (97)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 2013 season.
Career highlights
Mitchell "Mitch" Clark (born 19 October 1987) is a former Australian rules footballer who played for theBrisbane Lions and the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League. Standing at two metres tall, Clark is known for his ability to take aerial or contested marks, and is a reliable kick at goal. He played as a full forward or as a ruckman, after his breakthrough 2009 season in the position during his time at theBrisbane Lions. On 8th April 2014 Clark retired due to mental illness and personal issues.



If Clark is fit and raring to go,could a swap for Lumumba be on the cards? This would be a win win
situation for both clubs I reckon.
 
Sounds like he's going to be delisted free agent. Can use Harry elsewhere
 

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I just think it's unfair on the Dees if they lost him for nothing, I would even feel a bit bad if we got him in a straight swap for Lumumba due to what they paid for him and the circumstances he quit football. I hope the AFL compensate them instead if he does play for another club.
 
If Mitch Clark had any decency he would go back to Melbourne to repay the club for going out of their way to trade for him and also for standing by him during his issues. If a key player we had picked up did this to Collingwood we would all be screaming blue murder about this traitorous act.
 
Ketchup said:
Sounds like he's going to be delisted free agent. Can use Harry elsewhere
Click to expand...
Poor Dees, they do deserve something out of this. If Lumumba wants out of Collingwood and Clark wants out of Melbourne, a deal ought to be reached.

If it's true, then they did the right thing by Clark for years and will get shafted for it.
 
Markfs said:
I liked the last thread on Mitch Clark too. I hope next week's one is good as well...
Click to expand...
I think it's only fair that we get a Mitch Clarke thread too.
 
He seems like a complete arsehole using depression as a way to get out of a club.

I know depression well and i knew he wasn't suffering from depression when he quit Melb. I can't define what he he was suffering from but it is more stress, relating to his injuries.

Melb should have full rights to him.
 
Playing devil's (no pun intended) advocate....

Whilst we don't know the circumstances of his contract termination he's not contracted any more and was due to be removed from their list at the end of October.
This implies both parties had moved on.
Surely he can't be forced to go back to a place where he was clearly unhappy, given he's not contracted any more.
They were able to upgrade a player and I presume get some salary cap relief, at least for next year.
If they get a draft pick and/or player(s) then despite rightfully being disappointed, they are better off than what they were when he left as they weren't getting anything.
 
Tbone McGraw said:
He seems like a complete arsehole using depression as a way to get out of a club.

I know depression well and i knew he wasn't suffering from depression when he quit Melb. I can't define what he he was suffering from but it is more stress, relating to his injuries.

Melb should have full rights to him.
Click to expand...

I think it's a bit harsh to criticize someones subjective experience of depression when it is solely dependent on the individual circumstance. If the man feels as if his experiences at Melbourne contributed to the decline of his mental health, then that may not be the most suitable place for him.
 

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Good player but there is a few big buts...............He is not 100% mentally and could revert back to depression at any time and he is a good player when he is up and running but he gets injured too much.

PASS ! We already have quite a few players on the sidelines don't need another
 
I don't want him, too big a risk.

He has mad major issues with his feet and has burnt the Lions and Demons by walking out on them.

He will want major dollars so I would prefer we looked elsewhere.
 
I think Luke Darcy hit the nail on the head last night:
He has clearly had a lot of issues to deal with, but Melbourne did stick by him (reportedly). I'm sure everyone will understand if he says he wants to leave the Demons to go to one of the west aussie clubs-for family reasons etc. But if he joins another Melbourne club - it just doesn't look particularly good.

I'm sure he will get back into good form, eventually, and it will pay off dividends for whatever club signs him... but you do feel pretty bad for the Demons if he goes elsewhere.
 
How did the Demons stick by him. The way I thought it went is that Clarke was getting injury after injury, and it was getting depressing. When he came out and said he was depressed, Demons paid him out. How did they stand by him? No one can say, you are finished for the year, your pay stops here, so they needed to pay his year out.

I would be depressed too if I played for a side with little chance of making finals, and no chance of a flag. It must be hard knowing that your whole career is going to play out like that.

The AFL don't help. There should be a better effort to even the competition, and I think it has to come in the form of having levels of Experience and Output, and you have to raise to the higher pay packet if you reach certain goals. None of this paying players with Sponsorship money under the table, and saying the player is staying for thousands to tens of thousands less, when they shouldn't be. Actually they are not, they are getting the difference, you'd be naive to think they weren't.
 
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I know everyones a rival and all, but i would just feel bad for Melbourne if we signed him, i wouldnt complain though.

I hope he sticks with Melbourne.
 
rose jam said:
So can any player basically retire to get out of a contract now?

Also don't want or need him, he won't make us better
Click to expand...

Yeah but he didn't have to do that. You can get out of a contract by just saying you want to go. No club wants a bloke that doesn't want to be there. I think he would be better with elsewhere, and as long as the Dee's get some compensation, I think they could come out of it alright, which would be fair. Two months ago, they were going to get nothing for him, they would be wrapped that they can now.
 
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