STRENGTHS:

+ Contested marking
+ Strength
+ Forward craft
+ Endurance
+ Kicking
+ Defensive pressure

IMPROVEMENTS:

- Speed
- Groundballs

PROFILE:

Clark is a naturally gifted forward who has a mix of old school and modern forward traits. The old school side of Clark's forward craft comes in her traditional leading and marking, before converting set shot goals consistently. But where the Tasmanian adds a point of difference is in her work rate up the field, getting as far up as half-back to provide a marking target, before pushing forward to get involved in repeat contests down the field.

In marking contests, Clark is hard to quell. If the ball is put to her advantage, an opponent simply has to get body contact on her, or have a well-timed spoil, or she will clunk the mark. In her first two Talent League games, Clark averaged 10 marks from 17 disposals and booted 5.3 in that time.

Though it took her a little while to find that form again after a mid-season quiet patch, Clark finished fairly strongly with big games against Murray Bushrangers and Calder Cannons with 20-plus disposals in each match. Her season ended with figures of 17 goals in 11 games from 15.9 disposals and 4.0 marks, though her work was largely done between the arcs later in the season.

At the national carnival, Clark found the going a lot tougher simply because of the lack of inside 50s for the Allies, particularly in their final two games. Her answer was adding that defensive pressure which as a tall forward, she does better than just about anyone. Only laying less than four tackles in two Talent League games, Clark consistently brought the heat at ground level.

In terms of her ground level work, the top-ager could still improve her ground balls, with her clean hands in the air not quite translating to ground level just yet. However using her strength and smarts, she buys herself time by positioning herself over the ball and assessing her options. Getting cleaner off the deck is a must for the next level, but an area that Clark can continue to build on.

The main question mark on Clark's game is her speed, and to a lesser extent athleticism. She is strong enough in the air that her vertical leap is effective, but just improving the other athletic traits around that. Given her velcro-like hands, more often than not Clark is able to mark the ball and go back and assess her options. But at ground level, that speed along with improvement in picking the ball up will take her game to another level.

Once she has the ball, Clark generally makes good decisions with ball-in-hand. Her kicking is sound and penetrative, able to travel long distances and hit the scoreboard from anywhere inside 50. Though she will not always have the game on her terms as a forward, Clark will take the chance to work up the ground hard and influence a game with pressure further afield.

Her endurance allows her to do this, and that along with her natural leadership, endears her to coaches and teammates alike. Going forward, there is clearly a place at AFLW level for Clark, and though another question mark might be her size - she is a tough below traditional key position height at 173cm - her hands are strong enough and her gamestyle powerful enough to still be a marking forward who can also roam up the ground and distribute inside 50.