Mitch Cleary
54
APPEARANCES
8
PODCASTS
Oct 15, 2026
Mitch ClearyGUEST
sayAnd several stakeholders around this incident expect Calum will be sanctioned with a two-match ban by tomorrow.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
His teammate Will Heyward was at the same house party and has denied any drug use, but admitted to him- sa- admitted himself to hospital after hitting his head in a separate incident.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
He's preparing to be allowed to be play, uh, allowed to play in Carlton's season opener.
42 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
I've always wanted to crash the rappy, Bill, so this is a highlight of my career.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And then the questions came around the current Sydney investigation, which is still ongoing with Victoria Police.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Nick Blakey is one of those players under investigation, and there's still no timeline in sight.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
A lot of questions were asked, uh, around the boards, tick off, what Nick has told the club, and why North Melbourne felt the need to offer him an eight-year contract at $12 million with this hanging over his head.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And then by the end of it, uh, the, the final question was, uh, around, um, the, the question is: Do you feel like you might have another Tarran Thomas situation on your hands? Now, clearly they're, they're totally separate, but Tarran was obviously, uh, removed from the club after some charges.
6 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And then the questions came around the current Sydney investigation, which is still ongoing with Victoria Police.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Nick Blake is one of those players under investigation, and there's still no timeline in sight.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
A lot of questions were asked, uh, around the boards tick off, what Nick has told the club.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And w- why North Melbourne felt the need to offer him an eight-year contract at $12 million with this hanging over his head.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And then by the end of it, uh, the, the final question was, uh, around, um, the, the question is: Do you feel like you might have another Tarran Thomas situation on your hands? Now, clearly they're, they're totally separate, but Tarran was obviously, uh, removed from the club after some charges.
6 MINS LATER
Zach MerrettSOUNDBITE_SPEAKER
[clapping]
12 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
But now the Ge- it's on Geelong to get the deal done because he's contracted at St Kilda.
10 MINS LATER
14 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
But the Saints are, are keen to take, you know, taking offers for Tarri if, if the right deal presents.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
It's a real curious one because when the St Kilda footy club went through their reset-
Mitch ClearyGUEST
So a lot of experience, and they're getting younger again next year, so Prestia, Broad, and Short all likely to leave.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Short hasn't officially requested a trade yet, but he has, uh, spoken with a couple of clubs, and Collingwood looks like the front runner for him at this stage.
13 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
They're doing a little bit differently this year, Jim, where they, they're given all these draft picks, and half of those draft picks they need to trade.
speaker_0NARRATOR
100 years, still driven.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Because a few of the Massai have been allowed to play, and the Waffle clubs not aligned with, uh, AFL clubs are of the opinion that they...
Mitch ClearyGUEST
A few of them haven't played enough Waffle footy to qualify to play in a granny, but they're playing anyway.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
So is there a rule typically in the Waffle, Jim, that, that caps you on the amount of AFL-listed guys you can have? I don't know whether it caps you on that, but I think, and, uh, and the people in the West probably, uh, will be screaming at their radio because I mightn't have this quite right.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
in the, the home and away season to qualify to play in a, in a grand final for an aligned club.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And I think, uh, Peel, as Fat said, are very well represented, which just shows, by the way, how good Freo's injury list is.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
But so much pressure going into a home semifinal, having been shown up in the first week.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Now, the Crows weren't embarrassed last year like they were... like the Dockers were last weekend, but- I reckon there's a, there's a bit of pressure similar to what the Crows faced last year.
9 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
He would've loved the chance to go again, but I think deep down he would know that his body's let him down the last two years.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
No, especially when the North Melbourne Footy Club has been steadfast in the second half of the year, Jim, that despite missing finals and the top ten expanded this year, that jumping from five wins to nine wins was enough to say that they have improved.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
The players all then go on their break and they get called into a meeting this morning at Arden Street for 11.30 where they're told that the board has made a unanimous decision to sack Alistair Clarkson with a year left on that contract.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Did he deserve an extra few months heading into next season? But I guess the fallout from Sonia Hood and Todd Viney today has been quite brutal in terms of their honesty as to why Alistair Clarkson was not the man to take the club forward.
25 MINS LATER
Xander MaguirePANELIST
so you say John Longmire there Mitch who do you think is next I mean Rui's just spoken about how it's the most appetizing gig that you could probably dream up who's going to get that job
Mitch ClearyCORRESPONDENT
He hasn't chosen to put his hat in the ring for the Carlton or Essendon processes.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
No, especially when the North Melbourne Footy Club has been steadfast in the second half of the year, Jim, that despite missing finals and the top ten expanded this year, that jumping from five wins to nine wins was enough to say that they have improved.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And they get called into a meeting this morning at Arden Street for 11.30, where they're told that the board has made a unanimous decision to sack Alistair Clarkson with a year left on that contract.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And I guess the fallout from Sonia Hood and Todd Viney today has been quite brutal in terms of their honesty as to why Aleister Clarkson was not the man to take the club forward.
7 MINS LATER
Mitch ClearyGUEST
So they have stuck true to their word in that they're gonna wait t- to get through the entirety of the 2026 campaign, but it is delicate because they've made the call with Steele Sidebottom.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
We're talking about Nick Blakey, Chad Warner, and Isaac Haney, three of their best four or five players that suspended for the remainder of the, the final series.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
It is a huge story, and I must stress here we're, we're talking here about the, the football side of things.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
There is a, a separate sexual assault investigation ongoing, and our thoughts and the thoughts of the people at the AFL and the Sydney Swans are with the alleged victim.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
So we must stress that side of it, but this is purely a football decision today, and the Swans have got on the front foot.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Yeah, the club has spoken to all players involved today in separate off-site meetings away from the club.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
He's still distancing himself from knowing about it, but here he's, uh, defending those at the club.
speaker_10UNKNOWN
Yes.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
It's just a matter of whether Josh has done enough to put himself ahead of those guys.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
You'd think that gives him enough impetus, but Graham Wright has got his sights set on, uh, a proper process, and that's how it's gonna play out.
8 MINS LATER
Nick RiewoldtHOST
So the players have been gagged not to comment on Josh Fraser because they don't want to create a groundswell.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And I think they've learned in the past what happened with the Teague train, that there was all this noise, Mick, that became so much harder to rein in.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
I just want to know, Rube, what those other assistant coaches were thinking on the couch.
Mick MolloyHOST
So the players have been gagged not to comment on Josh Fraser because they don't want to create a groundswell.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
And I think they've learned in the past what happened with the Teague train, that there was all this noise, Mick, that became so much harder to rein in.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
I just want to know, Rube, what those other assistant coaches were thinking on the couch.
James BrayshawHOST
Uh, Al Clarkson, what is going on there? Lots of speculation about what North do with him.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Gee, that's a massive four weeks for Clarko, isn't it, Jim? I, I'm very much in the camp that this club has not taken the required step this year.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
They were talking up the potential to make top 10 heading into this season, Jim.
6 MINS LATER
speaker_3UNKNOWN
Alistair Clarkson had some interesting things to say in the postgame.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
There's no man happier in Melbourne today than Joey Montagna, Roo's former teammate, because he's got the Saints record of 47.
speaker_4UNKNOWN
Brisbane.
speaker_8UNKNOWN
The clubs have had enough?
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Both management, uh, groups of each player are in talks with the club about ripping those contracts up and coming to a financial term settlement for the remaining parts of that contract.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Now, I think it'll be less than 50% the player gets as part of that, but that'll be worked through over the next four to six weeks as to where they land.
speaker_8UNKNOWN
Yes
Mitch ClearyGUEST
... because the clubs here were cooling on the interest for him, thinking it's all signed, that sealed and delivered at the Suns.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
Well, he's told people close to him that he'd like to explore a move to Queensland.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
The chance they've taken on Jamara, how many of these guys can you actually take? And the Lions, I guess, have got the track record with their impeccable history of turning players around that they might be able to take the chance.
Mitch ClearyGUEST
The other one he's indicated over time, Mick, is the Port Adelaide Footy Club, given their strong Indigenous cohort.
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