Justin Clarke

Justin Clarke (born 18 November 1993) is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League (AFL) from 2012 to 2016.

Clarke grew up in the small town of Booleroo Centre in the southern Flinders Ranges region of South Australia.

Throughout his childhood Clarke had a strong interest in aviation, but his application to join the Air Force was denied as he was too tall.

He completed high school with an ATAR of 99.95.

In 2009 he submitted an essay for the Premier's Anzac Spirit School Prize and was one of six students selected for a two-week trip to Europe, where he attended a number of ANZAC services, commemorations and memorials in Belgium, France and the United Kingdom.

He was school vice president in his penultimate year of high school and SRC president in his final year.

He achieved an ATAR of 99.95, the highest possible score.

Clarke had an interest in aviation from a young age.

At the age of around 15, Clarke began studying aviation, and flew his first solo flight before obtaining his driver's licence.

Clarke has described flying as providing an "awesome sense of freedom, being able to leave the bounds of the Earth".

Clarke applied to be a pilot in the Air Force, and despite passing his aptitude tests, he was told he was too tall.

Clarke has stated that throughout his younger years he identified as more of an "academic person", and only began to seriously consider a career in the AFL at 18.

Clarke's performances for his local club, Booleroo Centre/Melrose/Wilmington (BMW), impressed scouts at North Adelaide Football Club, who attempted to convince Clarke to move away from his family farm to play SANFL games in Adelaide.

Clarke eventually played one game for North Adelaide in the SANFL reserves, before returning to Booleroo Centre to continue playing for his local club.

His performance for North Adelaide attracted scouts from a number of clubs to the Northern Areas Football Association (NAFA) semi-final, in which Clarke and BMW faced Crystal Brook.

Clarke's performances in the NAFA drew comparison to Dustin Fletcher, due to Clarke's ability to maintain a low centre of gravity.

North Adelaide coach Josh Francou noted Clarke's resilient attitude, stating that "he copped a whack in the face and got a blood nose but he just got on with it" after Clarke's first training session with the club.

He attended Booleroo Centre District School, graduating in 2011.

He was recruited from the Booleroo Centre/Melrose/Wilmington (BMW) Lions in the Northern Areas Football Association (NAFA) with the 4th selection in the 2012 Rookie draft.

Clarke spent his first year at the Brisbane Lions on the rookie list and the three years following as a consistent member of the senior team's backline.

Clarke was selected by the Brisbane Lions at pick No. 4 in the 2012 Rookie Draft.

He spent his first year on the Lions' rookie list, leaving him ineligible for senior games.

His impressed his coaches enough to be able to secure a consistent spot in the backline of the reserves team, playing the most NEAFL games of any Lion that year.

The Lions made the grand final, in which Clarke was tasked with marking Eastern Conference Team of the Year full forward James Kavanagh.

Kavanagh scored only a single goal, with Clarke moving forward in the closing stages to kick a goal himself.

The Brisbane Lions achieved a 75–144 victory over Queanbeyan and won the NEAFL championship, despite the Lions placing last the previous year.

After continuing to impress the Lions' coaches in his preseason games, Clarke was elevated to the Lions primary list, making him eligible for senior football with the Lions.

He had 7 disposals in his round 5 debut, where the Brisbane Lions were victorious over Melbourne.

In his third game, Clarke took 12 marks while obtaining what would become his career-high disposal count of 22.

The Lions lost this game to West Coast.

He held his place in the senior team until he was suspended for charging Essendon's Elliot Kavanagh, with Clarke arriving late to a marking contest.

He missed the Lions' round 9 game against Carlton.

He played in the famous Miracle on Grass against Geelong, in which the Brisbane Lions overcame a 52-point deficit to win after the siren.

He made 8 disposals and led the Lions in one percenters, with 12.

Clarke cited this game, and the final passage of play, as a standout memory in his AFL career in a "Message to Fans" upon his retirement.

Clarke announced his retirement on 31 March 2016 after suffering a severe concussion during a preseason training session.

Multiple doctors had advised Clarke to completely abandon contact sport.

Since his retirement, Clarke has been involved as an ambassador for the Queensland Brain Institute, and has worked as an assistant coach at QAFL team Western Magpies.

Upon graduating from The University of Queensland with a Bachelor of Engineering (Honours) (Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering) and a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) he was selected as a Rhodes Scholar for 2021 and will complete a Doctor of Philosophy at Oxford University in Engineering Science.

Clarke grew up on his family's farm just outside of Booleroo Centre, located in the southern Flinders Ranges region of South Australia.