Luckless Melbourne forward Mitch Clark to meet with Demons officials and his management to discuss future plans
THE delicate situation of Mitch Clark’s football life will be confronted next week when he and his management meet Melbourne officials to discuss his future.
Mark Robinson
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THE delicate situation of Mitch Clark’s football life will be confronted next week by Clark, his management and Melbourne in what looms to be the most important meeting of his career.
Although it hasn’t been officially discussed, there is a possibility Clark, at just 26, could retire from the AFL.
There’s also the possibility he could extend his indefinite break, the remote possibility he could rejoin the team and the likely possibility the club and Clark will discuss his lucrative contract.
Clark is the highest-paid player at Melbourne, on between $650,000 and $750,000 a season, and the Demons clearly would like room to manoeuvre on future contracts for players, in particular James Frawley’s.
Clark is in the third season of a four-year deal.
Clark’s battle with personal issues is compounded by his huge salary and the fact that he believes he is letting down everyone at Melbourne.
All this will be discussed at a meeting early next week between Melbourne officials and Clark’s manager Colin Young.
Without trying to be melodramatic, it’s understood neither Melbourne or Young would be surprised if Clark walked away from the game for good.
Clark’s issues are known to family, close friends, people at the footy and select group in the AFL industry.
What is not known is that several times last year, when he played just four games for the Demons, Clark flew home to Western Australia to help deal with his issues.
Undeniably, his career at Melbourne has been dotted by hardship.
Recruited with the money the Demons had allocated to Tom Scully, who took a multi-million dollar offer from Greater Western Sydney, Clark’s signing was considered a major coup.
For not only had they recruited a gun forward, they beat Fremantle to it, which did wonders for Melbourne’s self-esteem.
You see, the club was wallowing in debt, had recently sacked Dean Bailey and president Jim Stynes was ailing, and Clark’s signing was a beacon of times changing for the better.
The celebration included rewarding Clark with the No. 11 jumper, the number worn by Stynes.
The celebration did not last long.
Clark hurt his foot in that first year, 2012, and played 11 games.
It blew up again after Round 4, 2013, and Clark missed the rest of the season.
In two seasons and two games with the Demons, Clark has played just 15 matches.
The injury was a fracture to the Lisfranc joint at the top of the foot.
The name Lisfranc is after French surgeon Jacques Lisfranc de St. Martin who first described the injury about 1813 in the Napoleonic Wars. It occurred when riders fell from their horses with their feet caught in their stirrups, causing a twisting, high-impact injury.
Clark’s foot recovered for him to join pre-season at the end of 2013, but he repeatedly tore his hamstring, which placed him in rehab for eight weeks, and upon recovery twice tore his calf muscle.
Described as being in a dark place, Clark sought leave from the club last month.
Those close to him say football flattened him.
He felt a failure in an arena where success is the sole measurement, so much so that he had trouble discussing the issue with family and confidantes.
It is said that a return to footy is not forthcoming in his mind.
A sense of letting down the club and his teammates, while dismissed by everyone at the Demons, plays a factor in Clark’s mindset.
The club would like nothing better than Clark to return and if it meant they sent him overseas for specialist treatment on his hamstring and calf muscles, then the aeroplane ticket would be in his hand tomorrow.
Of course, it all depends on Clark.
Next week is massive for him football-wise, but pales against what is best him life-wise.
What is known is any decision will be what’s best for Clark and not what’s best for Melbourne.
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