Xavier Clarke will suprise everyone next year

[James]

Despite it being an obvious moral obligation for us to automatically give him another year, X will be feeling very lucky to be promised a future at the club, and I think this loyalty shown to him is a masterstroke. He'll want to repay us for it. And either way, 2010 is his last chance to prove he's worth a spot on our list - especially with very few players deserving to be cleared out as we keep the ball rolling.

I've seen the man at his best, in those countless games where he's racked up double digit possession numbers in the opening quarter and then done his hammy. Soft tissue injuries are a thing of the past now and if it weren't for horrible luck, Xavier would have come good injury wise like the rest of our list. And he still will.

He's been a much maligned player, but what's his main flaw? Can't handle pressure? Goes to hell when he's tagged? Not enough room to move? We know how creative, pacy and lively he is though?

This sounds like another player from another club, who incidentally, with space to move created for him by other star players, nearly won a Brownlow. Who? Daniel Kerr. But when those stars left him, and he became the No. 1 midfielder at his club, he went to hell.

Xavier Clarke could be that story backwards.

Daniel Kerr was damaging because teams couldn't afford to tend to him ahead of Judd and Cousins. Given the space that they created, he was free to use his creative football genius and rampage in completely unchecked free reign. Now for Xavier. We've seen his kicking skills, which are amazing at their best. Now imagine Kerr in a team with Hayes, Ball, Goddard, Dal Santo and Montagna calling for tags before him. Imagine the space he could have and the damage he could do. Xavier Clarke could be our Daniel Kerr.

Given confidence and proper fitness, he could be right up in our top tier. His recovery from the ACL is going very well and he'll be having a full preseason next year. He's in the box seat to explode onto the scene.

Either that, or we won't be seeing him at St Kilda in 2011.

[Otiman]

His flaw is his toughness. And I don't mean his attitude towards the ball or man, that is never in doubt. His susceptibility to injury is what really gets him.

[Teflon]

I hope hes there he has the talent and we aint seen him at his peak yet.

[James]

A lot of troubled, inconsistent, "he has potential" and "dud" players have come good this year. Xavier Clarke may have joined that club if he didn't do that knee.

[Unforgiven]

No doubt he could be a good player, just needs to get on the park. Could play a number of roles in our team. Lovely player on a wing or a flank, where he is best suited imo. Can use his pace best that way. I hope he gets back, otherwise it'l be a disapointing waste of talent.

[James]

No doubt he could be a good player, just needs to get on the park. Could play a number of roles in our team. Lovely player on a wing or a flank, where he is best suited imo. Can use his pace best that way. I hope he gets back, otherwise it'l be a disapointing waste of talent.

C: Brendon Goddard - Lenny Hayes - Nick Dal Santo
HF: Xavier Clarke - Nick Riewoldt - Andrew McQualter
R: Michael Gardiner - Luke Ball - Leigh Montagna

Lyon should use Ball as a tagger - it'll revitalize his career and perfect our structure.

[skeptic]

i don't hold much hope for x

we've heard all of this b4... the comparison with Kerr is mind boggling

question for every1

what position do you c him playing
who's spot in our best 22 would you give him

[Batnoe]

I hope he becomes a player, but he wont be a midfielder

He might just become a wing if he gets his fitness up or off the flank with his kicking. But our backline is settled

We have 2 small forwards in Milne and Schneider however i can see him playing closer to goal and schneider further up the ground

the only position, has kicked 4 in a game, against the cats i think

[SaintWodonga]

The only surprise I will get is if he plays more than 6 games next year (seniors).

[Moods]

This sounds like another player from another club, who incidentally, with space to move created for him by other star players, nearly won a Brownlow. Who? Daniel Kerr. But when those stars left him, and he became the No. 1 midfielder at his club, he went to hell.

Xavier Clarke could be that story backwards.

Daniel Kerr was damaging because teams couldn't afford to tend to him ahead of Judd and Cousins. Given the space that they created, he was free to use his creative football genius and rampage in completely unchecked free reign. Xavier Clarke could be our Daniel Kerr.

What absolute rubbish. If X was half the player Kerr was/is I would be rapt. Kerr at his peak was more important and better than both Cousins and Judd. MANY ppl (apart from me) rated him higher. The Daniel Kerr slagging on here has reached ridiculous proportions.

X has nothing like the strength in the contests that Kerr posseses. He isn't as dynamic, and probably not as quick. Where do ppl dream up this stuff that Kerr needed Judd and Cousins to make him look good?

Let's not confuse football ability with human quality. X more than likely has him covered there, but at the moment it's fair to say that X, considering his high draft pick, has been nothing but a MAJOR disappointment. I'll just be happy if he starts to play consistent footy and holds down a spot in the team, and becomes a contributor.

[Thinline]

No doubt he could be a good player, just needs to get on the park. Could play a number of roles in our team. Lovely player on a wing or a flank, where he is best suited imo. Can use his pace best that way. I hope he gets back, otherwise it'l be a disapointing waste of talent.

C: Brendon Goddard - Lenny Hayes - Nick Dal Santo
HF: Xavier Clarke - Nick Riewoldt - Andrew McQualter
R: Michael Gardiner - Luke Ball - Leigh Montagna

Lyon should use Ball as a tagger - it'll revitalize his career and perfect our structure.

Absolutely agree.

[aussiejones]

If he is not already he should be a [u]fitness project [/u]so he can have some luck next year after a solid pre season.

[bobmurray]

Xavier Clarke will be a surprise next year if he is in the team.....

That would almost be a novel experience,has he had a knee reconstruction or a full body reconstruction.That may determine his fate for next year....

[ausfatcat]

Despite it being an obvious moral obligation

I don't see one, why?

[Con Gorozidis]

This sounds like another player from another club, who incidentally, with space to move created for him by other star players, nearly won a Brownlow. Who? Daniel Kerr. But when those stars left him, and he became the No. 1 midfielder at his club, he went to hell.

Xavier Clarke could be that story backwards.

Daniel Kerr was damaging because teams couldn't afford to tend to him ahead of Judd and Cousins. Given the space that they created, he was free to use his creative football genius and rampage in completely unchecked free reign. Xavier Clarke could be our Daniel Kerr.

What absolute rubbish. If X was half the player Kerr was/is I would be rapt. Kerr at his peak was more important and better than both Cousins and Judd. MANY ppl (apart from me) rated him higher. The Daniel Kerr slagging on here has reached ridiculous proportions.

X has nothing like the strength in the contests that Kerr posseses. He isn't as dynamic, and probably not as quick. Where do ppl dream up this stuff that Kerr needed Judd and Cousins to make him look good?

Let's not confuse football ability with human quality. X more than likely has him covered there, but at the moment it's fair to say that X, considering his high draft pick, has been nothing but a MAJOR disappointment. I'll just be happy if he starts to play consistent footy and holds down a spot in the team, and becomes a contributor.

yeah kerr is still awesome. just so strong and hard to tackle. hes a little dynamo. my main issue with X is his lack of core strength in the contest. gets pushed off the ball and goes to ground way too easily. kerr always keeps his feet.

a knee injury will just make this weakness worse IMO. id say hes in big trouble.

[vacuous space]

X was running out of the backline during preseason with some success. I'd imagine he'll get a chance to compete there next year. We really could use a quick, ground level player back there. Failing that, he could probably play as a pressure forward or as a depth midfielder. There's really no shortage of places we could use him.

It's really all up to him though. It's a tough lineup to crack, as we've seen all year. No matter where he's going to play he's going to have to force his way into the side.

[skeptic]

X was running out of the backline during preseason with some success. I'd imagine he'll get a chance to compete there next year. We really could use a quick, ground level player back there. Failing that, he could probably play as a pressure forward or as a depth midfielder. There's really no shortage of places we could use him.

Has to be a forward/attacking midfielder IMO

I always thought he was pretty poor as a backmen... very unaccountable

Not good in the air either IMO... he can take a a good speccy, but isn't a good spoiler or a good pack mark when he can't fly

Current Adam Schneider is what I always hoped he'd become

[borderbarry]

Early in his career he was in trouble with the coaches for his high flying antics. Can take a specy, thats for sure.