STRENGTHS:

+ Competitiveness
+ Contested game
+ Goal sense
+ Speed
+ Tackling

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Finishing
- Kicking 

Splitting his time between the forward 50 and the centre bounce rotations this season, Clarke was one who consistently showed up for Sandringham with his impact in either role truly felt. Being one of the rare Dragons prospects without school football commitments, Clarke got to strut his stuff across 15 appearances in the NAB League, showing some incredible consistency across the season with only two goalless games and two games below double digit disposals. Playing so often in the NAB League gave Clarke the opportunity to put up some starring games, With his seven-goal haul in Round 4, and four-goal haul in the Wildcard Round two highlights from his games as a forward. Meanwhile, a 33-disposal, two-goal return in Round 10 was arguably his best game as a midfielder.

What really separates Clarke from the other forward options within the draft crop is his strength in contested situations, showing he’s up for the challenge of winning a hard ball and even thriving off of the contact that comes with it. His ability to reliably win the ball one-on-one both through the midfield and forward line is something he has become renowned for. This has been best highlighted through his stints in the midfield though, with Clarke often a first possession getter from stoppages who throws himself into packs to win the footy. Clarke was consistent in his application and production throughout the season, becoming somewhat of a barometer for his side, with Sandringham playing its best when he was playing his best.

A key aspect of Clarke’s game is his athleticism, namely his speed, looking dangerous when at full flight with very few opponents able to catch him. His speed allows him to get easy separation on leads around the ground, but also lets him hold off on making his run until the last moment to burn opponents with his first two or three steps. He best utilised this speed in transition, able to be released into space and carry the ball 40-50 meters with one run before sending his side inside 50, taking advantage when teammates were nearby to get one-twos to relieve himself of some pressure.

With a plethora of exciting traits to get excited about, there are still some areas of improvement for Clarke heading into the next level to round out his game. Whilst his field kicking improved throughout the season, it does still stand out as an area for him to work on in the future, with his short kicking in particular something he’ll benefit from improving. Despite consistently hitting the scoreboard and showing great instincts in front of goal, Clarke could do with some sharper conversion in front of the sticks, having missed some gettable shots through the year.