Xavier Clarke's future at the Saints
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Xavier Clarke's future at the Saints
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/ ... 42,00.html
In the early May days when Xavier Clarke was sore in body and worried in mind after learning his season was over before it began, comfort came in the form of a visit from his coach, Ross Lyon.
Clarke, nursing a reconstructed knee and out of contract at the end of the year, was assured by Lyon that while this season would be a personal write-off there was going to be a St Kilda future involving him.
"I was pretty groggy, but Rossy pretty much said to me he would like to have me at the club next year, and as long as he's there he would do pretty much anything he can to keep me at the club," Clarke told Superfooty program Front and Square.
"I think I still have a lot to offer. I'm 25 and I would like to think I have three or four really good years in senior footy."
Clarke's knee injury came after extensive setbacks from hamstring complaints.
It occurred while playing an away match for the Saints' VFL affiliate Sandringham against Williamstown, when Western Bulldog-listed Wayde Skipper laid a strong tackle.
The diagnosis was a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
"It is frustrating, I was injured last year for most of the year, missed a lot of games, and unfortunately now I've got the ACL," said Clarke.
"Big Skipper from the Bulldogs, he ran me down in a tackle and as he slung me I landed on my knee at the same time, and I knew straight away something was up, and unfortunately it was the worst."
Clarke said he had questioned his future in the game.
"You have those doubts, the last three to four years I haven't been able to play a full season of footy," he said.
"I have always worked on my body, put on weight, lost weight, tried a lot of different things and felt I had the balance right this season, and was pretty confident and looking to break back in to the side."
Clarke said watching his teammates win their first 10 matches was difficult and exciting.
"At the start it was hard, because you feel the club is on the right track to do something special, and you never know what that might be, but I am happy for the boys," he said.
St Kilda's decision to leave in-form defender Jason Gram out of its senior line-up two weeks ago was in keeping with a zero-tolerance stance on the pursuit of professionalism, Clarke said.
"The club in the last two or three years has built a strong reputation on being as professional as you can and doing everything you can and doing everything right to play great footy," Clarke said.
"We are in a position where the players are going really well and we can't afford to lay back and take things easy."
I like Ross's style.
In the early May days when Xavier Clarke was sore in body and worried in mind after learning his season was over before it began, comfort came in the form of a visit from his coach, Ross Lyon.
Clarke, nursing a reconstructed knee and out of contract at the end of the year, was assured by Lyon that while this season would be a personal write-off there was going to be a St Kilda future involving him.
"I was pretty groggy, but Rossy pretty much said to me he would like to have me at the club next year, and as long as he's there he would do pretty much anything he can to keep me at the club," Clarke told Superfooty program Front and Square.
"I think I still have a lot to offer. I'm 25 and I would like to think I have three or four really good years in senior footy."
Clarke's knee injury came after extensive setbacks from hamstring complaints.
It occurred while playing an away match for the Saints' VFL affiliate Sandringham against Williamstown, when Western Bulldog-listed Wayde Skipper laid a strong tackle.
The diagnosis was a torn anterior cruciate ligament.
"It is frustrating, I was injured last year for most of the year, missed a lot of games, and unfortunately now I've got the ACL," said Clarke.
"Big Skipper from the Bulldogs, he ran me down in a tackle and as he slung me I landed on my knee at the same time, and I knew straight away something was up, and unfortunately it was the worst."
Clarke said he had questioned his future in the game.
"You have those doubts, the last three to four years I haven't been able to play a full season of footy," he said.
"I have always worked on my body, put on weight, lost weight, tried a lot of different things and felt I had the balance right this season, and was pretty confident and looking to break back in to the side."
Clarke said watching his teammates win their first 10 matches was difficult and exciting.
"At the start it was hard, because you feel the club is on the right track to do something special, and you never know what that might be, but I am happy for the boys," he said.
St Kilda's decision to leave in-form defender Jason Gram out of its senior line-up two weeks ago was in keeping with a zero-tolerance stance on the pursuit of professionalism, Clarke said.
"The club in the last two or three years has built a strong reputation on being as professional as you can and doing everything you can and doing everything right to play great footy," Clarke said.
"We are in a position where the players are going really well and we can't afford to lay back and take things easy."
I like Ross's style.
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As much as I like X, I'm just not sure he has the body for AFL footy.
Each spot on the list is valuable (after all, there's only 38 spots) so everyone needs to be able to play when called upon. Will X be on the injured list more than he plays? The past few years unfortunately suggest so...
Each spot on the list is valuable (after all, there's only 38 spots) so everyone needs to be able to play when called upon. Will X be on the injured list more than he plays? The past few years unfortunately suggest so...
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Having just done my ACL myself (I got off easy though, just a strain) I understand how important the support of the club you are at is, it is great to see Ross on the front foot with our players and making sure the mindset is there for a good recovery and hopefully that sets them up for good form when they return.
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Wayde Skipper, you are a dog.
The more you know, the more you know you don't know.
When I was a young child, I knew that I knew so much about so much.
Now that I am old and know so much more, I know that I know so much about so little, and so little about so much.
If you are not engaging AI actively and aggressively, you are doing it wrong.
You are not going to lose your job to AI.
You are going lose your job to somebody who uses AI.
Your company is not going to go out of business because of AI.
Your company is going to go out of business because another company used AI.
- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA
When I was a young child, I knew that I knew so much about so much.
Now that I am old and know so much more, I know that I know so much about so little, and so little about so much.
If you are not engaging AI actively and aggressively, you are doing it wrong.
You are not going to lose your job to AI.
You are going lose your job to somebody who uses AI.
Your company is not going to go out of business because of AI.
Your company is going to go out of business because another company used AI.
- Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA
He wouldn't be much value on the trade table when you think about it so Ross is right in giving him assurances of his future at the club.
Xavier will need to really knuckle down to get his body right and taking away any doubt over his future will be extremely important in helping him get through it.
Xavier will need to really knuckle down to get his body right and taking away any doubt over his future will be extremely important in helping him get through it.
Geeze I don't know with X. Showed alot of promise in his early days, but its been a dam long time since he was in among the best players. I don't think he is tough enough mentally and very injury prone. Is he worth it? Well Ross seems to think so, but how many chances do you give a player. Jayden Attard wasn't allowed that luxury.
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when did the collapse happen?GrumpyOne wrote:X is a quality individual and a bloody good football player.
He has had the year from hell so far this year...... Family tragedy, the collapse of the Unity Foundation, and now this injury.
I sincerely hope that he is given the opportunity to prove that he warranted his high draft selection.
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The foundation went into bankruptcy around the end of april, from memory.saintly wrote:when did the collapse happen?GrumpyOne wrote:X is a quality individual and a bloody good football player.
He has had the year from hell so far this year...... Family tragedy, the collapse of the Unity Foundation, and now this injury.
I sincerely hope that he is given the opportunity to prove that he warranted his high draft selection.
And even though this may sound harsh maybe we shouldnt either. It will depend on how much he wants or what we are prepared to pay because we are going to be right in the salary cap next season as we will not have use of the veterun list.hotdish wrote:Good to see RL supporting Xavier. At worst the club can delist him and re-draft him for free: I don't think many clubs will be looking to draft a 25 year old coming of a knee reco who has played 48 games in 5 seasons.
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Assuming Max retires?plugger66 wrote:And even though this may sound harsh maybe we shouldnt either. It will depend on how much he wants or what we are prepared to pay because we are going to be right in the salary cap next season as we will not have use of the veterun list.hotdish wrote:Good to see RL supporting Xavier. At worst the club can delist him and re-draft him for free: I don't think many clubs will be looking to draft a 25 year old coming of a knee reco who has played 48 games in 5 seasons.
Well I think we should all prepare for it especially as he is being kept out of the side by a younger player who you would think will be with us again next year.Mr Magic wrote:Assuming Max retires?plugger66 wrote:And even though this may sound harsh maybe we shouldnt either. It will depend on how much he wants or what we are prepared to pay because we are going to be right in the salary cap next season as we will not have use of the veterun list.hotdish wrote:Good to see RL supporting Xavier. At worst the club can delist him and re-draft him for free: I don't think many clubs will be looking to draft a 25 year old coming of a knee reco who has played 48 games in 5 seasons.
I know its a feel good story, and I really do feel for X, but Im not sure he has a future with the club, and whilst it is a good sign of unity to stick fat with a player during injury, Im not convinced he'll deliver the goods if he ever makes it back to full fitness...
It has been a long, long time since he has done well at senior level... At his very best he was never dominant, so its a serious long shot to hope that he has something to offer 2010 and onwards...
Personally, I'd hope we'd have many more that jump ahead of him in the pecking order by this time next year, as this would mean some serious development by our recent draftees, and unless he is on the very base wage, I dont think he should be retained....
It has been a long, long time since he has done well at senior level... At his very best he was never dominant, so its a serious long shot to hope that he has something to offer 2010 and onwards...
Personally, I'd hope we'd have many more that jump ahead of him in the pecking order by this time next year, as this would mean some serious development by our recent draftees, and unless he is on the very base wage, I dont think he should be retained....
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re veterans- 10 year?
so Lenny and Jason B will /or may both be eligible-
re Xavier- the foundation went into receievership and after paring back their programs Allan and Pter King have kept the Lighthouse houses under a new name. It would seem that Xavier is no longer involved.
the Foundation suffered the way of many organisations- hard to make ends met when your working on DONATIONS- unfortunate when they were providing two things- support to kids in schools and utilising sportsment from 2/3 codes in a useful manner.
so Lenny and Jason B will /or may both be eligible-
re Xavier- the foundation went into receievership and after paring back their programs Allan and Pter King have kept the Lighthouse houses under a new name. It would seem that Xavier is no longer involved.
the Foundation suffered the way of many organisations- hard to make ends met when your working on DONATIONS- unfortunate when they were providing two things- support to kids in schools and utilising sportsment from 2/3 codes in a useful manner.
Last edited by saintbrat on Thu 04 Jun 2009 2:29pm, edited 1 time in total.
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max said last year that this year would be his last.plugger66 wrote:Well I think we should all prepare for it especially as he is being kept out of the side by a younger player who you would think will be with us again next year.Mr Magic wrote:Assuming Max retires?plugger66 wrote:And even though this may sound harsh maybe we shouldnt either. It will depend on how much he wants or what we are prepared to pay because we are going to be right in the salary cap next season as we will not have use of the veterun list.hotdish wrote:Good to see RL supporting Xavier. At worst the club can delist him and re-draft him for free: I don't think many clubs will be looking to draft a 25 year old coming of a knee reco who has played 48 games in 5 seasons.
won't lenny be on the vet list next year?
who will be 30 next year?
Got to be 30 this year.saintly wrote:max said last year that this year would be his last.plugger66 wrote:Well I think we should all prepare for it especially as he is being kept out of the side by a younger player who you would think will be with us again next year.Mr Magic wrote:Assuming Max retires?plugger66 wrote:And even though this may sound harsh maybe we shouldnt either. It will depend on how much he wants or what we are prepared to pay because we are going to be right in the salary cap next season as we will not have use of the veterun list.hotdish wrote:Good to see RL supporting Xavier. At worst the club can delist him and re-draft him for free: I don't think many clubs will be looking to draft a 25 year old coming of a knee reco who has played 48 games in 5 seasons.
won't lenny be on the vet list next year?
who will be 30 next year?
All the best to X in his recovery and fantastic news the club is backing him.bergholt wrote:do ya reckon he did it on purpose? really?ace wrote:Wayde Skipper, you are a dog.
The incident happened right in front of me at the Willi ground.
Brilliant chase by Skipper, tackled and turned X beautifully, and was rewarded with a free.
Purely unfortunate that X twisted on the way down in a manner which did his ACL.
Immediately you could see on his face he knew it was a bad one.