Parko's Comment about Clarke on League Teams

[Dave The Man]

I was watching it tonight and Parko had something to say about Clarke.

He basically said he was Surprised we got Clarke Back because he had a Shot at his Commitment . Saying from HIS sources in Ireland that Clarke did not seem commited at all.

I say he does not know what he is talking about Clarke, All we heard is how commited Clarke has been since his Return

Your Thoughts?

[Scotch]

The club wouldn't want him back, and wouldn't have been actively seeking to get him back if they did not think he would be committed. They of course could be wrong now, but they would not have overlooked it when he was playing Gaelic.

Clutching at straws at best.

[buckstopswithbucks]

Malthouse questioned his commitment and so do the Irish

Oh well he was only steak knives for Elliott

[Pebbles Rocks]

I think some of their concerns would be valid as many on this site have questioned him too.
He will also be hard to judge this year because of his interrupted pre-season and may struggle early.

At the end of the day, his commitment going forward is the only thing we should worry about, not the comments of a few outside the club who wish to dwell on the past.

[TurkishPie]

Bucks would never agree to recruit a player with commitment issues

[Beast]

Lets face it, he didn't come back out of love for the game or the Club.

I've had huge reservations about his return for most of last year but now that he's here prepared to give him one more chance.

[Monco Matt]

I have a gut feeling that the 2012 version of Clarke is a different animal to the 2007-09 version. I never rated him before, thought he lacked concentration and got caught out of position too much, maybe looking to do the eye catching thing over the 1%er. To leave the game for 3 years then make the decision to come back and convince the club he is worth another go tells me a fair bit without even seeing him play.

I think he is bigger than he was, hopefuly a bit smarter and better prepared for an AFL career, not a career as a flashy forward but as a running defender/midfielder which I think he can be. If I see him putting his head over the ball and body on the line then take a big hit and get up and keep going then I think he'll make it. We need him to step up more than ever now.

[rocketronnie]

I wouldn't trust much Parkin says, he's a Carlton man, through and through.

[buckstopswithbucks]

[Joel]

[yin-YANG]

Parko is a Hawks/Blues stooge... (a bit like Jack)
He is just wishing Clarke is not committed - I would argue leaving your home country and having a rare second chance should see an improved version of Clarke.

Buckley has shown some faith in him and would know the guy a lot better than Parko!

All the best and Stick it up em Clarkey!!!

[collingwoodjoe]

So what if he's not committed? plenty of players have been good AFL footballers without being committed, blokes like Medhurst, just off the top of my head, ALWAYS had primary interests outside of footy and never thought of it as life and death, even a bloke like Swan is a fairly relaxed cat, in contrast to some like, say, Bucks or Pendles that are the ultra-proffesional, committed types.

We got him for nothing. It was a shit draft with no players outside of the top ten ever likely to sustain AFL careers after all the talent in the country got sucked up by the Suns and GWS.

We have a player in the sweet demographic of being between 23 and 27 and having about 50 odd games of AFL experience, with elite endurance, for a half a dud pick in a dud draft.

He has his teaching qualification now, has his girlfriend, has had his time playing Gaelic, so we might now get a few years out of him, ala Medhurst, that are very useful to the club, weather he's ultra committed or not.

[mattys123]

Not committed, what bullshit.

Do you think he'd spend all pre season with the club, including the grueling trip to Arizona if he wasn't committed.

Parko is probably making shit up, or he may not be, it may be jealousy from his Irish friends, because there are a lot of loyal Gaelic football fans and journos back in Ireland who are mightily pissed that Marty left for Australia again.

The word out of the club is that the two young Irish boys (Mooney and Cribbin) can't spend enough time with Marty, they love him and follow him everywhere, and if the only thing Marty does is help develop Mooney into a superstar, then he'll be worth that late first round pick.

But, anyone who has been to training in the last few weeks would have seen Marty, and the form he's in (apart from that small setback).

I think Parko will have egg on his face pretty soon, and it may start tomorrow night, Marty will come back better then ever, that's my belief anyway.

[Brenny]

He's a freakin media commentator. Like Neil Mitchell, Andy Maher and Ed... they all talk crap, every single day.

Don't read into it.

[regan is true fullback]

There is a financial crisis in Northern Ireland, so the hero of County Down would have to put his dream of an All Ireland title on hold, just to make a living. I was really disappointed that that he missed that title by 1 point, because he still has unfinished business in Ireland. The Global Financial Crisis has provided the motivation to move.

The guy is a super star over there. If we hadn't had him already, it would be the equivalent of recruiting Stephen Oliver or Andrew Krakoeur (stars who hated the city) and then looking after them.

Give the guy a chance. We have had a few erratic stars in the past, who have produced on the big day - a forward pocket and a back pocket come to mind.