Clark's Super Start
If you were to run through the list of players that Coburg has on its books this year, you would probably gloss over the commonality of a name like Matthew Clark. What you wouldn’t know, is that Clark has been a revelation in practice matches for the Lions this pre-season – and the uniqueness of his ability can only be matched by his distinctive curly red hair.
Clark, 21, has started like a house on fire this season, playing in his preferred upfront position and having a large impact inside the forward 50.
“I’ve always sort of played as a utility. Forward, back and midfield, but I think being that athletic tall forward, or a third tall and using my agility and my height is my strongest role” he asserted.
Despite being a skilled flexible player, Clark has found it tough to find regular senior football over the past few years.
“Coming from the Northern Blues last year I felt there was very little opportunity to play senior footy. They tended to favour Carlton players and it was hard to get a run.” Clark admitted.
He had a minor shot at revenge two weeks ago when the Lions played against the Blues in a pre-season match at VISY Park. Clark played the second half of the game and was lively. Whether it was kicking goals or assisting his teammates, his sublime vision and disposal on the day was critical to Coburg’s victory.
“You always want to do well against your old club, so I guess that was a positive driving force.” He claimed.
This shouldn’t reflect Clark as a particularly unsympathetic figure. He exudes a positive light on the situation and it’s a testament to his character.
“I didn’t want to leave on bad terms. Obviously I have some close mates over there and it was a bit of a weird feeling running out. But having said that, it was definitely enjoyable to play against them” Clark recalled.
Whilst he didn’t totally enjoy his on field tenure with the Blues, Clark’s lack of opportunities hasn’t crushed his passion for the game.The Macleod junior will be looking to cement a position in the senior side with his all around forward 50 presence. At this stage, he looks like a lock-in selection for Round 1.
“I want to play as much senior football as I can. But being pretty young there’s still a lot of learning to be done.” He stated.
A player’s true test at this stage of their career is how he can mature and develop into a footballer. A youngster needs the right fit in terms of a club and a coach, and Clark agrees that coach Peter German is the man for the job.
“He’s very intense and stern, which I like and enjoy.” He commented.
“I like coaches that will give you a kick up the butt and are honest and upfront with you and I think that’s going to be good for a lot of the young boys in the club this season.” Clark affirmed.
On the field, Clark looks towards the captain for inspiration.
“Watching how Nick Carnell goes about his footy is great. He always has his head over the ball and always doing the right thing by the team” admired Clark. He also expressed his admiration for Ben Clifton.
“Just having these guys around helps you to do your best, and making sure you’re doing the right thing week in week out.”
As the season approaches, we cannot say for sure whether Clark can fully maintain the level of play that he’s displayed so far in the pre-season. What will be the true test for the sneaky forward, is whether he can compete with the bigger bodies of senior VFL football and be a constant threat in attack.
But from what we’ve seen, there’s a lot to look forward to.
Written by Jason De Vincentis
Last Modified on 12/03/2014 11:35