Matthew Clarke
Encyclopedia
Matthew Clarke is a former professional Australian rules football
er whose career in the Australian Football League
(AFL) spanned four clubs and a total of 258 games between 1993 and 2007. He was known as one of the most effective tap ruckmen
in the modern era.
from Mount Gambier in 1991
but did not play a senior game, spending the year playing for the Richmond Under 19s'. He was delisted at the end of 1992, but was picked up by the Brisbane Bears
at pick 43 in the 1993 pre-season draft
.
Debuting in 1993 with the Bears, "Doc" Clarke was a promising young Ruckman
under coach Robert Walls
and was particularly decisive with his tap work.
After being runner up in the Brisbane Bears Club Champion award in 1994 and 1996, he took out the Merrett-Murray
best and fairest
award in 1997 for the Brisbane Lions
and consolidated his position as one of the league's best ruckmen.
In 2005 in the absence of suddenly emerged number one ruckman Ben Hudson
, Clarke was surprisingly recalled from the South Adelaide
side in the SANFL to play a part in the Crows' run to the finals. He showed he was still an effective player, being labelled as one of the most effective "tap ruckmen" by commentator Robert Walls
.
He played on during 2006, with 18 games, and after ruckman Rhett Biglands
had an anterior cruciate ligament
injury in the Crows' last game of 2006 (sidelining him for most if not all of the 2007 season), there was talk that Clarke may continue for another season. However, he soon quit the Crows after an AFL Career of 248 games over 13 seasons. http://afc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=300499
.
Clarke signed on with the club for one season only, but trained strongly over the pre season and was selected for the first game.
He performed strongly as the side's primary ruckman, displaying his usual ruckwork dexterity.
On 1 September 2007, Clarke, along with fellow veteran teammates announced their retirement.
(like his father) and is currently studying for an MBA.
He was previously engaged to Adelaide
radio personality Alison Carle, who also appeared on Fox Footy
's Living With Footballers. The pair separated, before getting back together again and they have a daughter, Eloise Harper, born on 10 January 2010.
Clarke now works with his Adelaide as a ruck coach.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er whose career in the Australian Football League
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
(AFL) spanned four clubs and a total of 258 games between 1993 and 2007. He was known as one of the most effective tap ruckmen
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
in the modern era.
Brisbane Bears/Lions career
Clarke was drafted by the Richmond Football ClubRichmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
from Mount Gambier in 1991
1991 AFL Draft
- History :When the competition was known as the Victorian Football League , the league introduced the first incarnation of a draft system in 1981, where teams had two selections each of interstate players determined by reverse finishing position order...
but did not play a senior game, spending the year playing for the Richmond Under 19s'. He was delisted at the end of 1992, but was picked up by the Brisbane Bears
Brisbane Bears
The Brisbane Football Club, formerly nicknamed The Bears was an Australian rules football club and the first Queensland-based club in the Victorian Football League . The club played its first match in 1987, but struggled on and off the field until it made the finals for the first time in 1995...
at pick 43 in the 1993 pre-season draft
1993 AFL Draft
The 1993 AFL Draft consisted of a mid-season draft, a national draft at the end of the season and a Pre-season draft, held before the 1994 AFL season....
.
Debuting in 1993 with the Bears, "Doc" Clarke was a promising young Ruckman
Ruckman (Australian rules football position)
In Australian rules football, a ruckman is typically a tall and athletic player who contests at centre bounces and stoppages . The ruckman is one of the most important players on the field...
under coach Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
and was particularly decisive with his tap work.
After being runner up in the Brisbane Bears Club Champion award in 1994 and 1996, he took out the Merrett-Murray
Merrett-Murray Medal
The Merrett–Murray Medal has been awarded annually since 1997, to the player adjudged the Brisbane Lions Club Champion over the immediately preceding AFL season...
best and fairest
Best and Fairest
Best and Fairest is the term commonly used in Australian sport to describe the player adjudged to have had the best performance in a game or over a season for a given sporting club or competition while not receiving a suspension for misconduct or breaching the rules during that season.In the...
award in 1997 for the Brisbane Lions
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
and consolidated his position as one of the league's best ruckmen.
Adelaide career
Clarke moved to the Crows in 2000.In 2005 in the absence of suddenly emerged number one ruckman Ben Hudson
Ben Hudson
Ben Hudson is an Australian rules footballer who played 143 games for the Adelaide Crows and Western Bulldogs and currently plays for the Brisbane Lions.-Early life:...
, Clarke was surprisingly recalled from the South Adelaide
South Adelaide Football Club
South Adelaide Football Club competes in the South Australian National Football League . Known as the Panthers, their home ground is Hickinbotham Oval , located in Noarlunga Downs in the southern suburbs of Adelaide....
side in the SANFL to play a part in the Crows' run to the finals. He showed he was still an effective player, being labelled as one of the most effective "tap ruckmen" by commentator Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
.
He played on during 2006, with 18 games, and after ruckman Rhett Biglands
Rhett Biglands
Rhett Biglands is a former Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League.-Career:He made his debut as an 18 year old in the SANFL with Woodville West Torrens kicking 5 goals in his first match....
had an anterior cruciate ligament
Anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament is a cruciate ligament which is one of the four major ligaments of the human knee. In the quadruped stifle , based on its anatomical position, it is referred to as the cranial cruciate ligament.The ACL originates from deep within the notch of the distal femur...
injury in the Crows' last game of 2006 (sidelining him for most if not all of the 2007 season), there was talk that Clarke may continue for another season. However, he soon quit the Crows after an AFL Career of 248 games over 13 seasons. http://afc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=300499
Return to football – St Kilda
There had been some speculation in December 2006 that Clarke may be drafted by St Kilda Football Club for the 2007 season, and although this was initially denied, on December 12 – 2006, he was taken by the Saints with their selection in the 2007 Pre Season Draft2007 AFL Draft
The 2007 AFL Draft consisted of four opportunities for player acquisitions during the 2007/08 Australian Football League off-season. These were trade week, the National Draft, the Pre-Season Draft and the Rookie Draft.- Trades :...
.
Clarke signed on with the club for one season only, but trained strongly over the pre season and was selected for the first game.
He performed strongly as the side's primary ruckman, displaying his usual ruckwork dexterity.
On 1 September 2007, Clarke, along with fellow veteran teammates announced their retirement.
Other
Clarke is a qualified veterinarianVeterinarian
A veterinary physician, colloquially called a vet, shortened from veterinarian or veterinary surgeon , is a professional who treats disease, disorder and injury in animals....
(like his father) and is currently studying for an MBA.
He was previously engaged to Adelaide
Adelaide
Adelaide is the capital city of South Australia and the fifth-largest city in Australia. Adelaide has an estimated population of more than 1.2 million...
radio personality Alison Carle, who also appeared on Fox Footy
Fox Footy
Fox Footy is an upcoming Australian Rules football subscription television channel dedicated to screening Australian rules football matches and related programming. It will be owned by Premier Media Group, operated out of their Melbourne based studios and available on Foxtel, Austar and Optus...
's Living With Footballers. The pair separated, before getting back together again and they have a daughter, Eloise Harper, born on 10 January 2010.
Clarke now works with his Adelaide as a ruck coach.