The Vet's Future

[Mad Dog]

I'm starting to get nervous about the prospect of Clarke suiting up for another year (yes folks that would be another 44 marks in total + finals ). I would have thought that perhaps Matty might have made an announcement by now. Interested in your thoughts on how it may pan out

 

[napsyd]

I'm starting to get nervous about the prospect of Clarke suiting up for another year (yes folks that would be another 44 marks in total + finals ). I would have thought that perhaps Matty might have made an announcement by now. Interested in your thoughts on how it may pan out

I for one hope he does go on next year.

Still easily our best ruckman, far better than the careless (and hence only there half the time) Biglands and inexperienced Hudson.

Two more preseasons plus another 15+ games from Hudson and in 2006 he will be our number one ruck.

 

[Cap]

you need the option

will be begged by the crows to stay becasue we have no replacement for him

 

[Damp Squarie]

Depends whether we get Ottens....but we need him in any case for the development of Rock

 

[Blue Red and Gold]

Obviously he is no Jeff white and will never get 25+ touches or bring in 10+ marks a game.
However he is still one of the best, if not the best tap ruckman in the competition. His job is not to bring in bucket loads of marks and have s******d of possessions. His job is to tap the ball down to the midfielders so they get first use of the footy and he has done that week in week out and has barely been beaten. I think its times to get off his back.

 

[Stiffy_18]

For the good of the long term future of the club he should retire.

Having said that I reckon he will be talked into going on for another year.

 

[The Iron Sock]

i hope he stays on

 

[macca23]

I don't think thre's a simple answer.

If we can't recruit Ottens, and some people are saying we won't, then isn't Clarke needed. I think anything less than 3 ruckmen on your list is asking for trouble.

On the other hand, if we did get Ottens, and also had Biglands and Hudson, then we wouldn't need Clarke.

Too early to call yet IMO

 

[Kane McGoodwin]

Regardless of what we do for trades, I think Clarke still has some value to the club. However, I would be using Huddo or another ruckman as our lead ruckman, with Clarke assisting off the bench in a lesser role. Whilst Clarke has a good year, I'm disappointed by the lack of minutes we have given Huddo in the past month, as we need to have one eye on the future.

 

[Mad Dog]

I don't think thre's a simple answer.

If we can't recruit Ottens, and some people are saying we won't, then isn't Clarke needed. I think anything less than 3 ruckmen on your list is asking for trouble.

On the other hand, if we did get Ottens, and also had Biglands and Hudson, then we wouldn't need Clarke.

Too early to call yet IMO

Agreed re to early to call...but I have already factored in that we will trade or draft a ruckman. As far as I'm concerned, I would rather move forward with an apprentice than persist with Clarke. I'd rather see Billy the Goose wander around the ground and take 1.2 marks per game with the prospect of improvement - than watch Clarke do it knowing that there will definately be no improvement because he has already peaked as a player. It's like waiting for a 30 year old to get taller - it aint gonna happen....Clarke isn't all of a sudden going to turn into Rehnny or anything close...so lets move on. As with the rest of the squad - I'd rather see new faces making mistakes with the prospect of improvement rather than the same old ones - with NO chance of improvement

 

[tribey]

We traded a first rounder to get him (which was far too much IMO) and all these years later we're yet to either develop or recruit someone better.

I thought last year's draft/trade period was supposed to be all about finding a quality ruckman (remembering back to Stiffy's salivation over the West Aussie Brent Hall)?

Instead we drafted a key forward in Watts (fair enough), a 20/21yo key forward/utility ruckman which I keep being told he's not (questionable) and a 25/26yo scraps backup ruckman with no AFL experience (erm?). Tradewise we recruited Daniel Schell-incarnate from Sydney.

Apart from Watts - who is still 2-3 years away - what a waste of 12 months.

We still need a bloody ruckman... as Mactime23 says, Clarke's future depends on whether or not we snag Otto from Punt Rd.

 

[Bockchoy67]

I believe it should be the result of whether we trade for an experienced ruckman or not.

If we go for Ottens and do not trade Biglands, then I think Clarke should step down and allow Hudson to play all of next year's games, with Biglands being pushed down. (He is clearly not up to it in terms of consistency and discipline)

However, if Biglands is traded then we should definitely keep him. He's still our best ruckman and Andrews is a fair way off from playing AFL. Even picking up the likes of Wood, Meeson, Batson,etc would not help us as they could hardly have an influence at such a young age.

2005 might be about the future, but we must remain certain that it has experience. I believe this is will inevitably determine whether he carries on into 2005.

That is, if he hasn't signed a deal already.

 

[maccas_no1]

He will go around again as Biglands will be part of the Ottens trade

 

[mymansyd]

I agree with Mad Dog in principle.

However, if we can't snaffle a decent ruckman or 2 in the upcoming trade/draft period, then we may have to continue with him for 1 more season.

Sad, but true.

 

[drakeyv2]

I have said it before & I will say it again. Ruckmen are over rated. The only ones worth anything are the ones who can take a mark & use their bodies to compete/make space for their onballers.

Get rid of Clarke. With him on the field we are virtually down to 17 men. We need midfielders who can hunt the ball & a good weights program so they don't get pushed off the ball.

 

[Stiffy_18]

Can people quit dreaming about Ottens because it ain't gonna happen.

The way I see our current situation is pretty simple. Every player whose contract we extend must be able to produce 2-3 years of good footy and I am not convinced that Clarke is capable of providing us with that.

Now I would much rather go into next year with Biglands and Hudson as our 2 ruckman than go again with Clarke / Biglands combo. If Clarke stays on Huddo will once again waste away in SANFL and when we do play all 3 of them Huddo will be the one with least game time. We need Hudson to play extended minutes next year so we can really count on him in 2006.

Keep Biglands and Hudson and draft a young ruckman who is physically close to being ready for AFL football (DeLuca or Meeson) so if injury strikes we have a kid that we can give 5 minutes at the end of each quarter. We would also have Krueger who can pinch hit in the ruck if we get really desperate. Keep developing Andrews on the rookie list.

Lets forget this folly that we will get Ottens or that we will trade Biglands. Neither of these 2 will happen.

 

[arrowman]

Regardless of what we do for trades, I think Clarke still has some value to the club. However, I would be using Huddo or another ruckman as our lead ruckman, with Clarke assisting off the bench in a lesser role. Whilst Clarke has a good year, I'm disappointed by the lack of minutes we have given Huddo in the past month, as we need to have one eye on the future.

What he said. We keep Clarke, but he drops down the list in playing time. One more year before we can do without him.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

I have said it before & I will say it again. Ruckmen are over rated. The only ones worth anything are the ones who can take a mark & use their bodies to compete/make space for their onballers.

Get rid of Clarke. With him on the field we are virtually down to 17 men. We need midfielders who can hunt the ball & a good weights program so they don't get pushed off the ball.

The importance of our ruckmen are certainly over-rated.
I agree they must have the ability to influence a game other than at throw-ins and centre bounces.

Jeff white has made an enormous difference to Melbourne this year, yet last year everyone said trade him
Richards for Collingwood will surpass fraser to be the most influential bigman at Collingwood.

Biglands is at his best trade value now, yet the "conservatives" are predicting our demise if he leaves What are we exactly going to miss?, will we drop down the ladder further if he leaves

Blighty showed that anyone (Ormand-Allen) is better than a dud ruckmen.

As for Clarke, I will be the most surpised supporter in the land if he does not go around again in 2005.
As to whether he should, why not, until he is holding another rucking option back he is the best available to us.

 

[tribey]

Jeff white has made an enormous difference to Melbourne this year, yet last year everyone said trade him

To be fair, that was because Melbourne were/are broke, paying White big money and he was playing through that chronic injury in his leg (?) that not many people knew about - and thus was vastly underperforming.

This year he's been fully fit for the first time in a long time and both he and the Dees are reaping the rewards.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

To be fair, that was because Melbourne were/are broke, paying White big money and he was playing through that chronic injury in his leg (?) that not many people knew about - and thus was vastly underperforming.

This year he's been fully fit for the first time in a long time and both he and the Dees are reaping the rewards.

Your spot on with your comments.

My point is how short sighted clubs, and supporters can be.

Most supporters and Melbourne officials are well aware of his injury background, yet still took a short - term view that " well he hasn't performed so we'll get rid of him"
They forget he has maybe another 6-7 years of good footy
if he could overcome his shin problem.

Same can be said for Ottens, not performing. Is that a bad coach, poor team performance, gameplan, and could a new coach, different club turn him into the superstar he has always threatened to be?

Thats the judgement call.

 

[tribey]

Most supporters and Melbourne officials are well aware of his injury background, yet still took a short - term view that " well he hasn't performed so we'll get rid of him"

Aye and that's not limited to ruckmen either.

Simon Goodwin anyone?

In the eyes of some AFC supporters he's gone from "untouchable" to "worthless" in the space of 12-18 months.

 

[macca23]

Just listening to the boys on 5AA talking to Clarke while I was driving home from the footy thi safternoon, and he was asked the direct question about whether he will play on next year.

His answer, which was a very dubious one IMO, is that he hasn't given it any consideration yet.

The boys at 5AA interpreted as that he wouldn't be playing on next year.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Aye and that's not limited to ruckmen either.

Simon Goodwin anyone?

In the eyes of some AFC supporters he's gone from "untouchable" to "worthless" in the space of 12-18 months.

Exactly my point.

Players do not lose talent.

 

[WaynesWorld19]

Just listening to the boys on 5AA talking to Clarke while I was driving home from the footy thi safternoon, and he was asked the direct question about whether he will play on next year.

His answer, which was a very dubious one IMO, is that he hasn't given it any consideration yet.

The boys at 5AA interpreted as that he wouldn't be playing on next year.

He'll play!

If he can see AFC playing some good footy and heading in the right direction, he'll play.

 

[Mad Dog]

Can people quit dreaming about Ottens because it ain't gonna happen.

The way I see our current situation is pretty simple. Every player whose contract we extend must be able to produce 2-3 years of good footy and I am not convinced that Clarke is capable of providing us with that.

Now I would much rather go into next year with Biglands and Hudson as our 2 ruckman than go again with Clarke / Biglands combo. If Clarke stays on Huddo will once again waste away in SANFL and when we do play all 3 of them Huddo will be the one with least game time. We need Hudson to play extended minutes next year so we can really count on him in 2006.

Keep Biglands and Hudson and draft a young ruckman who is physically close to being ready for AFL football (DeLuca or Meeson) so if injury strikes we have a kid that we can give 5 minutes at the end of each quarter. We would also have Krueger who can pinch hit in the ruck if we get really desperate. Keep developing Andrews on the rookie list.

Lets forget this folly that we will get Ottens or that we will trade Biglands. Neither of these 2 will happen.

This was the point of my poll - IT'S TIME TO MOVE ON - every player on the list starting the 2005 season must be a 2 or 3 year proposition - and transition to theis need to start with Clarke (3 marks yesterday !)...the reaction of the crowd when he took the third was like they were witnessing a comet passing the earth or something - its embarrassing