CLARKE, Jack

Jack Clarke was one of Essendon's greatest players. He was a great centreman and then rover who joined Essendon straight from Essendon High School at the age of 14 in 1947. He was vice-captain of the Thirds in 1949 at the age of 15 and was runner-up in the Morrish Medal for Best and Fairest in the League Thirds in 1950. He won Essendon Thirds Best and Fairest award in both 1949 and 1950.

Clarke was a sporting natural and one of the smartest football thinkers of all time. Although he was lightly built, it didn't stop him diving into packs and his fearlessness also led to him receiving more than his fair share of knocks.

He was a superb Essendon captain from 1958 until he retired as skipper at the end of 1964. His time as captain was the second-longest (equal with Bill Hutchison) behind Dick Reynolds, until passed by James Hird's tenure from 1998 to 2005.

He won the Best and Fairest award in 1958 and 1962 and was runner-up an incredible six times in 1953, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1960 and 1963.

Clarke was also Essendon's second top goalkicker in 1960 and 1966 (equal). His best goalkicking effort was six in a game in 1960.

He led Essendon superbly as first rover in the 1962 premiership victory and, as centreman, was also amongst the best in the 1965 premiership win.

He polled 116 Brownlow Medal votes which is the fifth most of any Essendon player behind Bill Hutchison, Dick Reynolds, Simon Madden and James Hird. He led the Essendon Brownlow Medal votes four times, had the second-most votes three times and third-most also three times.

Clarke played for Victoria in every year from 1953 to 1962 and won three All-Australian blazers, in 1953, 1956 and 1958.

He captained the State side in 1959, 1960 and 1962 and played in 27 interstate games (which is second only to Bill Hutchison at Essendon).

Clarke also won the Outstanding Services award in 1959 and 1963 and the Most Consistent Player award in 1954.

His career at Essendon ended sensationally when he was dropped in early 1967 and promptly retired.

He had early coaching aspirations and had been an applicant for the Essendon coaching position in 1961 but the Club chose legendary player John Coleman. However, Clarke did act as assistant coach when Coleman was ill with hepatitis later that year.

His senior coaching career began in 1968 when Coleman retired. His new approach to training had immediate results when the Club finished runners-up to Carlton, losing the Grand Final by only three points. But this success was short-lived and after a disastrous year in 1970 he was sacked.

Clarke returned to Essendon as a specialist coach in 1978 and 1979, before becoming assistant coach at St Kilda from 1981 to 1983.

An architect, he designed the Memorial Stand at Windy Hill, which opened in 1963 and was re-named the W. H. Cookson Pavilion in 1972.

His father, Tom, had also been an Essendon star in the 1930s and his brother, Ron, was a champion athlete.

He was named in the centre in Essendon's Team of the Century and at number 8 in the Champions of Essendon (2002). He was inducted as an inaugural Legend of Essendon's Hall of Fame in 1996 and an inaugural member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in the same year. He was awarded AFL Life membership in 1999.

Jack Clarke died on 3rd December, 2001, after a six-month battle with cancer.