Mark Robinson: Mitch Clark likely to play AFL in 2015 but he owes Melbourne supporters
THE increasing likelihood is Mitch Clark will play football next year — but not at Melbourne. If he goes, Dees fans deserve to be disappointed.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THE increasing likelihood is Mitch Clark will play football next year — but not at Melbourne.
If he does leave, and several clubs have already spoken to him or his manager Colin Young, one of which isn’t St Kilda, Melbourne fans deserve to be disappointed.
Clark is probably looking after his wellbeing and probably wants to go to a more successful club, both the choices of a professional athlete.
But Melbourne fans should ask themselves: Does Clark owe Melbourne anything? Certainly, he does.
LISTEN TO THE BOYS’ TAKE ON MITCH CLARK IN THE LATEST EPISODE OF THE SUPERFOOTY PODCAST BELOW OR CLICK HERE TO SUBSCRIBE FOR FREE IN ITUNES
From afar, all of us get lost in the notion of loyalty and integrity and looking after one of your own.
Melbourne promised as much $700,000 a season over four seasons to divert Clark, who was on the way from Brisbane to Fremantle, to Victoria. It was a sensational recruiting coup by former coach Mark Neeld and the fans loved it.
Finally, they had secured a top-end talent.
So thankful, so laden with worship for their team’s best player, the Demons gave Clark the No. 11 jumper.
It was Jimmy Stynes’ number, of course, and no one batted an eyelid. Without playing a single game, Clark was being honoured.
“I just wanted to speak to Jim about it first,” Clark said at the time. “And when I did that I was pretty much sold straight away. It’s a massive honour to be wearing his number.”
When Stynes passed away in March 2012, there was a photograph of Clark in tears.
It was a powerful image. Only there for five months, Stynes and Melbourne clearly had made a huge impact on Clark.
Interesting word, honour.
Is Clark being honourable after retiring because of depression and being paid a reduced salary for this season, and now tells Melbourne he wants to get to another club?
Is that being honourable to Melbourne, who was understanding of and who bent over backwards to help Clark deal with his issue?
Don’t know Clark, but know he is an exciting talent, know he is dealing with depression, and know he met Melbourne on Monday.
The club was tight-lipped about the discussion with coach Paul Roos, as was Roos on Monday night on Fox Footy, but the vibe wasn’t positive.
At the very least, Clark owes it to Melbourne that they be looked after by his new club with adequate compensation.
The trade should be no less than a second-round pick. Call it the Judd Principle. Look after the club you leave.
The Clark situation continues a wretched run for the Demons with their prized players.
In recent time, Tom Scully has left, James Frawley is leaving, Stefan Martin was traded, Jared Rivers was traded, Jack Trengove did a navicular, Liam Jurrah went to jail, Jesse Hogan has a back problem, and now Clark, the man of eternal hopes who played just 15 games because of injury and illness, will play elsewhere next year.
You can understand how Melbourne might feel cheated.
Originally published as Mark Robinson: Mitch Clark likely to play AFL in 2015 but he owes Melbourne supporters
Hall’s long-distance Gallen plan
Barry Hall has revealed how he plans to beat his shorter but more experienced opponent in their much-anticipated bout.
Hall gets kick from little masters
Andrew Moloney is the hot favourite to become Australia’s only current world boxing champion when he battles Brooklyn’s Elton Dharry on the same night that his mate Barry Hall fights Paul Gallen.