This week a young local footballer will come one step closer to his AFL dreams as he enters the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft.
East Gambier young gun Angus Clarke will be one of the many young footballers hoping to hear their name called by an AFL team on either Wednesday or Thursday night after a long year of hard work and dedication.
Clarke has had a big year footy wise, playing 10 Under 18 games for Glenelg this season, averaging 16.7 disposals and 4.9 marks in that time.
Clarke was able to show off his talents on the big stage this year, after being selected in the South Australia Under 18 State team that competed against all the other state teams and draft hopefuls in the AFL National Championship.
Clarke played in all four games for the Croweaters where he averaged 17 disposals.
In September Clarke was invited to the AFL combine in Melbourne where his best result was in the 2km time trial, finishing third overall with a time of 6:16, 11 seconds behind first place.
Speaking with The SE Voice, Clarke said he enjoyed the experience of attending the combine.
“I thought I did well at the combine, it was a great experience and catching up with people I played with at the start of the year,” he said.
“It was good to see other people I played against and growing some more friendships.”
Clarke said the draft experience had been a roller coaster given how different country footy was to the state level.
“It’s been a bit of a roller coaster, just going from country footy to state level footy which is a bit of an eye opener,” he said.
“But I have loved it and hopefully I can go from country footy to the highest level.”
Since the combine and heading into the draft, Clarke has still been working hard and keeping in shape.
“I have been running nearly every night of the week and I got told to keep my skiwll work up so I have been doing a lot of skill work with my mates and local boys which has been good,” he said.
“I’m just trying to keep ready for when I get drafted to be put straight into that environment.”
Clarke is not too phased on where he wants to be drafted, saying it would be a brilliant opportunity just to be selected.
“Anywhere would be a blessing really, because I have worked this hard for it to not go to waste so hopefully anyone will pick me up,” he said.
Clarke will spend draft night at his sister’s home where he will be joined by friends and family to watch the events unfold.
He said his favourite highlights this year had been his progress as a player and simply playing footy with his mates.
“Where I have come from to where I am now has probably been the best thing I have done and another favourite thing is just playing with my mates,” he said.
