From David Schwarz to Mitch Clark, with plenty in-between, Melbourne’s forward stocks have had a cursed run

THE remarkable case of Luke Molan tells you everything you need to know about Melbourne’s cursed run in recruiting key forwards.

Chris Dawes two seasons at Melbourne has been marred by injury.

THE remarkable case of Luke Molan tells you everything you need to know about Melbourne’s cursed run in recruiting key forwards.

Molan was the no. 9 pick in 2001’s superdraft and had already broken his leg once by the time the 2003 season rolled around.

Yet in one catastrophic contest that year as he dove to spoil a mark, he tore his ACL ligament, broke his collarbone and suffered a case of concussion.

MITCH CLARK QUITS FOOTBALL DUE TO MENTAL ILLNESS

Molan was delisted at season’s end, and is just another statistic in a long line of high picks and potential stars to depart Melbourne as forward line busts.

The football world has so much sympathy for Mitch Clark this week after he quit football to resume his battle with severe depression.

But in coming weeks Melbourne will adjust to life without its best forward, aware they cannot take a trick when it comes to shoring up their key attacking posts.

Mitch Clark announced his retirement from AFL football on Tuesday.

Molan was taken behind Luke Hodge, Luke Ball and Chris Judd, just after 200-gamer David Hale (pick 7) and Norm Smith Medallist Jimmy Bartel (pick 8) and in front of Nick Dal Santo, Steve Johnson and James Kelly.

In 2011 indigenous marvel Liam Jurrah would kick 40 goals as a budding superstar who had to be benched when they tried to tank games, so easily did he conjure a goal.

He would play just one more game, returning home through a complicated set of circumstances which eventually saw him charged with a machete attack.

Jack Watts was the club’s no. 1 draft pick, famously ahead of Nic Naitanui yet now playing midfield given his struggles as a key forward.

Chris Dawes came from Collingwood the end of 2012 on a $2 million, four-year deal but has been so afflicted by injury he has played 12 games for 12 goals.

Lucas Cook was drafted with pick No. 12 and was delisted two seasons later.

Lucas Cook was recruited at pick 12 in the 2010 national draft as a 196cm All-Australian junior from Ballarat.

Not only did he not play seniors, he never came close, playing much of his Melbourne career in the VFL seconds.

It is a stunning catalogue of bad luck, bad selections, bad development and bad coaching.

Chris Dawes two seasons at Melbourne has been marred by injury.

Former star forward David Schwarz has a unique _ and controversial _ theory on some of the recent bad luck.

“I reckon as much as bad luck, we have had mismanagement. Sometimes you can blame others, but I reckon our back yard is the first place you look.

“Still, how stiff were we on Liam Jurrah. Who would have thought a machete would bring someone undone? Max Gawn has already done two knees. Molan was a great kick picked too, who never got over that broken leg.

“You get asked questions about what went wrong, but I reckon if you aren’t trying to win, sometimes the karma bus comes back to hit you at 100km/h.

“We didn’t get done for tanking, but there is enough evidence to suggest the club didn’t ensure our best chances of winning.”

Now Melbourne supporters are holding out hope on key tall Jesse Hogan, aware another season of misfortune will bring them No. 1 pick Peter Wright — yet another tall forward.