Mitch Clark bound for national draft if he and Melbourne Demons can’t agree on trade

MELBOURNE big man Mitch Clark will be forced into the national draft if he and the Dees are unable to agree on a trade in the exchange period.

Melbourne v Essendon. MCG. Mitch Clark.

MELBOURNE big man Mitch Clark will be forced into the national draft if he and the Demons are unable to agree on a trade in next month’s exchange period.

The 25-year-old is on the brink of a shock AFL comeback only five months after quitting Melbourne due to serious mental health problems.

Demons coach Paul Roos met with Melbourne-based Clark in a Richmond cafe yesterday.

Clark has indicated he would play at other clubs but not with the Demons.

Before meeting with Roos, Clark said he was confident he could return to his best form, and that he could still play at Melbourne.

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“I love Melbourne as a footy club. I’d love to stay at Melbourne, but like I said, I haven’t even met with Roosy yet,” Clark told Channel 7’s Talking Footy.

“I’ve been doing a fair bit of work on myself and hopefully I can stay healthy.”

Asked if he wanted to play at another club, Clark said he would speak to Roos and “go from there’’.

“I’m keen to get back. I’ve always had the view that I needed to get away to get back, and that’s what I’ve done.

“I’m just looking forward to keep training the next few weeks, meet with Roosy and go from there.”

Roos admitted he “broached the subject” of Clark playing with Melbourne next year, but that “more dialogue” had to occur.

“It was really more the footy content that we talked about today and understanding if you do come back, these are the things you’ll have to face,” he told Fox Footy’s AFL360.

Roos said if Clark opted to play at another club, the Dees would “clearly want some compensation, like any player you’d trade out who’s out of contract at October 31”.

“My concern first and foremost is for his wellbeing. If he absolutely believes that not playing at Melbourne is the right thing to do, and we do our due diligence, as we did when we orchestrated the retirement package — a lot goes into that. So we’ll do a lot of research over the next week or so.”

The tall forward-ruckman was Melbourne’s highest-paid player but managed only 15 games amid continued foot problems since joining the club in late 2011.

Football manager Josh Mahoney said Melbourne would endeavour to secure a trade for Clark, who remains on its list until October 16, in a bid to receive some form of compensation in this year’s exchange period.

Mahoney said under the terms of his retirement from Melbourne in April, Clark cannot become a delisted free agent and go to a new home for nothing, unless he takes his chances in the national or preseason draft.

“He is still currently on our list and if he was to seek to go to another club it would require a trade,” Mahoney said.

“Mitch has indicated he would like to look at the potential of returning but a lot can happen over the next few weeks.

“He is ramping up his training and the next few weeks and months will be important for that.”

Clark retired mid-season due to illness. Picture: Wayne Ludbey

Mahoney said the club was happy Clark had made a “remarkable recovery from what was a very serious situation five or six months ago”.

The outcome could also influence the AFL Commission’s decision whether to grant Melbourne a priority pick — as high as selection No. 3 — or lower down the draft order.

Melbourne great David Schwarz yesterday said Clark’s comeback bid had “blindsided” the club, while former Richmond and Western Bulldogs coach Terry Wallace said Clark’s decision to dismiss the Demons was “wrong”.

Melbourne parted with pick No. 12 (used on Sam Docherty) to secure Clark from Brisbane three years ago.

“The club have been caught off-guard,” Schwartz said on SEN.

“They thought they did this in good intentions and if there was any possibility of him returning to the game that he’d come back to Melbourne, and that’s clearly not the case now.”

AFL spokesman Patrick Keane said a trade can only be secured under league rules if both the player and two clubs agree to the deal.

“Like any player he can be traded but he and the club has got to agree to the trade. Otherwise, he can refuse it,” Keane said.

Originally published as Mitch Clark bound for national draft if he and Melbourne Demons can’t agree on trade