Career
Clarke has Indigenous Australian heritage and his ancestry can be traced to the Gambalang people of the Daly River region of the Northern Territory. Originally from Darwin-based Street Mary"s Football Club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL), Clarke was a leading junior player and was tipped to be a first round choice at the 2001 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft. Clarke"s brother Raphael was also drafted by Street Kilda, as Clarke played 57 games during his first three seasons, taking over the number 3 guernsey from former Street Kilda captain Nathan Burke when Burke retired at the end of the 2003 American Federation of Labor-Congress season.
In 2005 Clarke he struggled in form and his season ended early when he injured his hamstring in Round 17 against Collingwood.
Clarke continued to struggle with injuries for the rest of his and following the 2009 American Federation of Labor-Congress season a deal was struck between Street Kilda and Brisbane in which Clarke transferred to Brisbane in exchange for draft pick number 60 in the 2009 American Federation of Labor-Congress Draft. Clarke played his only game for Brisbane in the Round 18, 2010 loss to Melbourne Football Club at Brisbane"s home ground, The Gabba.
Clarke suffered a recurrence of his hamstring injury in the first half, and while he was originally ruled out for a week, Clarke did not play again. In 2011, Clarke almost completed a full preseason when he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee and, although offered a rookie list position by Brisbane, retired from football at the end of the 2011 season.