Zachary Clarke Biography

Essendon delist Zac Clarke, Jake Long, Tom Jok and Trent Mynott.

"On behalf of the club, I would like to extend our thanks and appreciation to Zac, Trent, Jake and Tuth for their contribution to the red and black," Essendon football manager Dan Richardson said.

"It is always a difficult time of year saying goodbye to quality people, so we wish all four gentlemen the best for their future endeavours."

Zac clarke believes there is room for him and Essendon's No.1 ruckman Tom Bellchambers in the same team, saying they both have the attributes to have an impact while resting in attack.

"He had a really strong season this year, so it's obviously his spot and if I have to play second ruck or whatever role that is I'm happy to do that," Clarke said of Bellchambers.

"One of my focus areas at Subi was being able to go forward and impact on the scoreboard, which I think I did, so I'll back myself in to be able to do that."

Zac Clarke confirms he will become a Bomber in the AFL's new pre-season supplemental selection period.

"After I was delisted with Fremantle, I mapped out where I wanted to go in my career, but with the opportunity Essendon has presented, I'm ready to start the next chapter of my AFL journey," he said.

Former Docker Zac Clarke looks a serious chance of reviving his AFL career, just one year after it appeared in danger of being over.

Two clubs have spoken with Clarke's management and two others are understood to be doing their due diligence on him after his standout WAFL campaign for Subiaco.

Delisted free agent Zac Clarke has had interest from up to five AFL clubs, including one that is considering him as a No.1 ruck option.

The 27-year-old ruck-forward did not add to his 101 games and 46 goals at Fremantle this year as he recovered from two surgeries and related complications with the patella in his left knee.

"It's been tough on him, because he's played injured for the last couple of years, hence the surgery, and then the complications around the surgery pretty much wrote off his year," Clarke's manager, Jason Dover, of Stride Sports, said.

"So, he's had to pony up and tough it out and now focus on the rehab and build into the season, and he is telling me he feels as good as he's ever felt."

Zac Clarke is likely to be sidelined until the second half of the home-and-away season after another setback with his troublesome knee.

Clarke has been forced to have surgery for the third time since the end of last season to fix fractures in the patella of his left knee.

The 26-year-old big man played through significant pain last year and underwent a knee operation after playing in Peel Thunder's maiden WAFL premiership.

He then aggravated the injury in the gym last December, which required him to spend six weeks in a brace.

Clarke hoped to make his comeback during the JLT Community Series but is now facing a lengthy stint in rehabilitation.

"The medical advice we were provided after Zac’s recent surgery is that his rehabilitation phase means he will be available to resume full training in the second half of the season," Fremantle general manager of football operations Chris Bond said.

"We will continue to monitor and assess Zac’s progress regarding his likely return date."

Zac Clarke has signed a one-year contract extension with the Dockers to remain at the club in 2017.

Clarke had knee surgery at the end of the season and won't join in full training until around Christmas.

"I'll be back at the club in a fortnight and training in some aspects but I won't be training just yet," Clarke said.

"I had knee surgery straight after Peel's (WAFL side Peel Thunder) Grand Final, so I'll just work my way through rehab, but I don't think I'll be that far behind the rest of the group.

"I should be ready and raring to go by round one. I'm hoping to join the main group just before Christmas."

Zac Clarke has undergone knee surgery and won't enter full training until early next year.

Fremantle has confirmed that Clarke had surgery to repair medial ligaments in his right knee after playing out most of the 2014 season in significant pain.

Zac Clarke damages his right knee in a freak accident at a music festival on New Year's Eve and is in doubt for the Western Derby this week.

Fremantle coach Ross Lyon has hinted that he would like big man Zac Clarke to spend more time in the ruck to unburden veteran Aaron Sandilands.

"Zac's really developing as a forward. He did a lot of damage as a forward on the weekend and he did a lot of damage the previous two weeks as a forward," Lyon said.

"So he's grown, his mobility, he's elite. We know he's really capable in the ruck and he's building towards his best form in there as well.

"At some point it's going to keep shifting and it'll help Aaron, and Aaron's a real weapon forward. They're starting to work together really well."

Zac Clarke will miss up to eight weeks of pre-season after injuring his knee at a music festival.

The 23-year-old, who has played 53 games, injured his posterior cruciate ligament on Tuesday at The Falls Music and Arts Festival in Victoria.

"At this stage Zac is not expected to require surgery and will undergo a normal rehabilitation program for the injury," Fremantle football manager Chris Bond said.

After plenty of thought, Zac Clarke signs a contract extension that will see him stay a Docker until the end of 2015.

"The way the team is going, and the coaches and playing group we have, it really wasn't a tough decision," Clarke said.

"To get to play another two years under Ross and with the boys, I'm stoked."

With Fremantle's ruck stocks diminished, Zac Clarke is rushed back into the side despite being underdone due to a calf injury.

"He's done an enormous amount of training," Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said.

"We know he's a gifted runner. We know he can handle up around 90 per cent (of game time), so that will be the aim.

"If it doesn't work we can always sub him out and bring on a runner."

Zac Clarke becomes the AFL's 2011 Round 20 Rising Star nominee after amassing 26 hitouts, 15 disposals and five tackles in a loss against St Kilda.

"He's going to get more scrutiny and be watched and dissected, so he knows that he needs to keep improving. But there's a lot more development left in him and that's really exciting," Dockers coach Mark Harvey said.

"Zac's nomination is a just reward for the way he has evolved during the past three years."

Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands expects to spend more time up forward while fellow ruckmen Jon Griffin and Zac Clarke get more opportunities this year.

"We've had 'Griffo' come in now [and] Zac Clarke's taking big steps and training really well, so I can see those guys getting a lot of games this year," Sandilands said.

"Hopefully I can spend a little bit more time forward and those guys can spend a bit of time in the middle."

Fremantle's Zac Clarke will take over the No. 1 ruck role for the Dockers against the Crows after Aaron Sandilands was omitted from the side due to a minor hamstring strain.

"It's always difficult for the guy in his first couple of games and his first year of league football, but the kid started to evolve last week," Harvey said.