AFLW 2022 DRAFT PREVIEW:
This Wednesday marks the long-awaited AFLW Draft.
Where a plethora of local stars will sit on the edge of their seats, anxiously awaiting their name to be called.
The south east region has been privileged to one of the deepest pools of talent to come out of the Dandenong Stingrays this season, as the Rays are hopeful they could get as many as 10 players in an AFLW jumper.
STAR NEWS GROUP journalist TYLER LEWIS takes a deeper dive into those local hopefuls with a series of profiles…
AMBER CLARKE:
LOCAL CLUB: Narre North Foxes
DOB: 22/12/04
HEIGHT: 171cm
STRENGTH: Match-winning ability
WHAT WE SAY:
Where to even start…
Clarke kicked at least one goal in each of the full games she played this season, which was capped by a best afield performance in the losing grand final where she gathered 28 disposals and kicked two goals.
Excluding the round 6 match with Eastern in which she didn’t see out, Clarke averaged over 20 disposals and two goals per game this season.
The Narre North junior clocked NAB League as an individual this year; winning the best afield medal in the grand final, Team of the Year honours, club best and fairest and the league best and fairest.
Frighteningly, Clarke was just over a week from being in the 2023 draft class and from all reports has endless untapped potential.
WHAT THE COACH SAYS (Nick Cox):
“The expectations of Amber have been quite high for a long time now,” he said.
“Playing as a 15-year-old, she is still only 17, she is born December 22… her expectations have always been high, but that is just because of the things she has done, not only in our program but back at local level.
“The hype around her has always been big, but the reason for that is because she has things other girls don’t have.
“That’s power; speed; she kicks the ball better than most; her marking ability is unbelievable, and I actually think she has a lot of improvement in basic areas that when she gets to an AFL program will make her even more consistent… I look forward to that when it happens.
“I think the thing with Amber is that she still has a lot of scope to improve when she gets into an AFLW system… which is exciting and scary at the same time.
“From our point of view, these players don’t come along too often and she’s a once in a coaching generation player I would’ve thought.”
