Full name Matthew Clarke Original team(s) West Gambier Name Matthew Clarke Weight 99 kg Nominations AFL Rising Star | Nickname(s) Doc Height/Weight 200 cm / 100 kg Height 2.00 m Positions Ruckman | |
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Date of birth (1973-09-18) 18 September 1973 (age 42) Draft 56th overall, 1990 AFL Draft
43rd overall, 1993 Pre-Season Draft
7th overall, 2006 Pre-Season Draft Role Australian Rules Footballer Profiles | ||
Matthew Clarke (born 18 September 1973) is a former professional Australian rules footballer 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.
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Brisbane Bears/Lions career
Clarke was drafted by the Richmond Football Club 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.
Adelaide career
Clarke moved to the Crows in 2000.
In 2005 in the absence of suddenly emerged number one ruckman Ben Hudson, Clarke was surprisingly recalled from the South Adelaide side in the South Australian National Football League (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 retired from football at the end of the 2006 season after an AFL career of 248 games over 13 seasons.
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 12 December 2006, he was taken by the Saints with their selection in the 2007 Pre Season Draft.
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.
In September 2007, Clarke announced his retirement.
Other
Clarke is a qualified veterinary scientist (like his father) and is currently studying for an MBA.
Clarke is married to Adelaide radio personality Alison Carle. They have two children, Eloise Harper (born January 2010) and Samuel Fletcher (born March 2012).
After retiring from playing, Clarke rejoined the Adelaide Crows as a ruck coach, and is now a midfield development coach.