Clark for Pick 12 - Confirmed.

[goDees22]

I never said he was as good as Cloke & lets not forget up until last year cloke was a spud. In 2010 it all clicked for him at 22-23yo. Watts is only 20.

Think Cloke won a B&F in 07 but def stagnated after that.

Great get by the club, finally got someone we went after, don't think we've paid overs at all, pick 12 in an average draft, keep 3 first rounders for next year, and front load Clarks contract so he'll only be on ~400k from 2013-15.
imo our forward line will look something like

Howe Watts Petterd
Jurrah Clark Green

Also with Sylvia, Trengove, Wonna floating through, could be very dangerous, especially with another pre-season into Watts & Jurrah. Think this could open the door for Stef Martin to play CHB also, has the size to do so leaving Rivers to play on 3rd tall/floating, and probably Garland playing on smalls, and obviously talls if need be

We still need a genuine crumber, hopefully can find one in the draft or Wonna gets back to 09 form

 

[MAXIMUM GRUNDAGE]

Money definitely talks. Ask Clark and Scully.

That it does. Did you deliberately omit Chri$ Judd from that post?
Neither us nor GWS had to use shady under-the-table deals to get Clark and Scully respectively.

 

[master bate]

I never said he was as good as Cloke & lets not forget up until last year cloke was a spud. In 2010 it all clicked for him at 22-23yo. Watts is only 20.

Let's not forget Cloke's B&F win in 2007 aged 20 either, but yeah after that he had a couple of quiet years.

But for mine Watts is still 50/50 to make it as a strong marking/pack crashing type. It doesn't mean he won't be a good footballer, but not necessarily how we hoped when we drafted him.

 

[dee_123]

Huuuuuge win for Melbourne with this trade...

Melbourne has effectively traded Travis Johnstone for Mitch Clark and Jack Grimes...haha

good stuff MFC

 

[Topkent]

Let's not forget Cloke's B&F win in 2007 aged 20 either, but yeah after that he had a couple of quiet years.

But for mine Watts is still 50/50 to make it as a strong marking/pack crashing type. It doesn't mean he won't be a good footballer, but not necessarily how we hoped when we drafted him.

For whats its worth he doesnt hit me as a pack crashing dominant player, it just doesnt look natural too him. Im sure he will take plenty of marks and kick plenty of goals and be one damn fine player, but he will be more in the mould of a Pavlich and Goodes and Goddard rather than a Cloke, J.Brown etc.

 

[Topkent]

Huuuuuge win for Melbourne with this trade...

Melbourne has effectively traded Travis Johnstone for Mitch Clark and Jack Grimes...haha

good stuff MFC

And pick 12 that we sent to them this year......

Our trade history isnt exactly one to be getting cocky about.

 

[roostersgal4eva]

Exactly right nick.. More of a leading foward

I hated the fact he was leaving but I guess we got the best deal we could...

 

[BigSexc]

Huuuuuge win for Melbourne with this trade...

Melbourne has effectively traded Travis Johnstone for Mitch Clark and Jack Grimes...haha

good stuff MFC

We don't win if Grimes can't get on the park. 6 games a year just isn't good enough atm.

 

[Deestroy]

Really happy with the outcome, have wanted us to chase Clark for a couple of years but never thought we would get him.

Hopefully this is just the start of Melbourne being a place traded players want to go. Quality facilities and money spent in the coaching/football department are the sorts of selling points we just never used to have.

 

[demonsize]

Could not believe the news, this is a great get for the MFC.

I dont care if we are paying him overs, just giving up pick 12 to get a 23 year old who doesnt mnid it tough is just what this club has been missing since Neita finished up.

This move is so unlike what the Demons usually do, it is so refreshing with all new coaching panel and fitness guys, things are really starting to happen.

Cant be more proud of my club

 

[tasmanlvr]

Really happy with the outcome, have wanted us to chase Clark for a couple of years but never thought we would get him.

Hopefully this is just the start of Melbourne being a place traded players want to go. Quality facilities and money spent in the coaching/football department are the sorts of selling points we just never used to have.

With free agency coming in now has to be a good time to get interested in playing hard ball to get some decent players arriving at the club.

 

[KickLongTackleHard]

Great get. This guy can play. Very mobile for his size.

 

[lukemaggers]

@MitchClark1
Thanks 4 the support guys. I'm very excited about the chance to play for such a proud club. Looking fwd to earning the respect of my tmates

http://twitter.com/#!/MitchClark1/status/125395735326900225

COME ON DOWN MITCHY! The main reason he's come to Melbourne is the loads of cash, I understand that, he can say all about how he gets the chance to play with an exciting young group all he likes, the money was the big factor (and loyalty and romance is dead in football anyway), so he just has to prove his worth. I'm confident he's going to be a star for us.

 

[BigSexc]

Could not believe the news, this is a great get for the MFC.

I dont care if we are paying him overs, just giving up pick 12 to get a 23 year old who doesnt mnid it tough is just what this club has been missing since Neita finished up.

This move is so unlike what the Demons usually do, it is so refreshing with all new coaching panel and fitness guys, things are really starting to happen.

Cant be more proud of my club

Agree with every point besides the bolded where you couldn't be more wrong if you tried.

Hopefully this can be changed. Clark agreed to sign for 4 years therefore we can only hope he is willing to put his body on the line and sometimes sacrifice his own game for the club in this time.

 

[Arcassius]

Freo supporters are only bemused because they thought "how good is this, we are getting a gun player who is desperate to come home, for next to nothing". It's this mindset that saw them offer a crap deal and remain smug and confident. Turns out their arrogance came back tp haunt them at the eleventh (or was it twelth) hour!
LOL!

Check out our forums and let me know where it's ever been said he's a gun Lots of potential, but definitely not elite. Also unproven in the role he was chasing with us (CHF).

Didn't work out in the end - good on Melbourne - he's a better fit for you. Supporters from both sides will agree to that.

 

[maxmustard]

Wow, I go away Saturday and come back to this! Absolutely stoked. Very proud of the club for getting this done.

 

[Jordie_tackles]

Jones loves his tweets,

I liked this one a bit lol

http://twitter.com/intent/user?screen_name=nathan2jones

youll love it! cant wait to get amongst it with ya... fresh

is the best of it haha

 

[tynanshinin]

With Clark coming to the dees what does it mean for Lucas Cook.. Will we be seeing him in the red and blue any time soon?

 

[tasmanlvr]

With Clark coming to the dees what does it mean for Lucas Cook.. Will we be seeing him in the red and blue any time soon?

Yes we will... it means less pressure on Cook and that he'll be able to develop in the VFL.

A spot may open up for him when Jamar retires - which could mean that Clark goes into the ruck which would beg the question of what happens to either Martin or Gawn (more likely Gawn).

 

[LouisCK]

Martin is more than capable of playing down back too, so there's no reason Clark/Martin won't work if we traded Jamar next year. I'd rather keep all three though and play a tall lineup.

The beauty of Watts, Martin and Clark is that they're great at ground level and mobility wise. In fact, its a bit of a theme among Melbourne talls lately when you consider Garland and Frawley are similar too.

What's Cook like at ground level?

 

[Chezzalenko Reborn]

I knew there was a reason I bought interstate membership with you guys back in 2008 during Demon Demolition! Always liked you and now you've repaid the debt!

In all seriousness though, all the best next year! I think Mitch adds significant depth to your list, especially up forward but in the ruck aswell. More of a chance to move forward.

Will enjoy watching your progress in the years to come

 

[JeckWickly]

Assuming the salary is heavily front-loaded, this is a great result.

Also a little puzzled at those who think pick 12 was too steep a price whilst holding the view that Brisbane were being short-changed by Freo when they were being offered pick 16.

 

[Moo]

You have to understand we have massive capspace available right now, which we HAVE to spend to even meet the minimum. I dare say it wouldn't be averaging out to more than 600k a year, but I wouldn't be surprised if he's making 1.2 million+ in his first year, then 300k per year for the next 3.

Cheers man.

 

[Go the Biff]

Pfft. You obviously missed us raping the rest of the competition by landing John Meesen a couple of years back.

Absolute gold.

 

[CM Sean]

http://www.sportsnewsfirst.com.au/articles/2011/10/16/stynes-guernsey-offer-helped-snare-clark/

AILING Melbourne president Jim Stynes contacted new Demon Mitch Clark to offer him his fabled number 11 guernsey as part of the club’s extraordinary pitch to snare the Lions’ big man.

So I guess; #11 - Mitch Clark!