How Clarke became Swans' shutdown specialist

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[{"selector":"#anim-15d6ae0e-cc7d-4e31-ad08-206ad82e401b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-5a6b7241-8706-4005-a8df-3017982e0fe2","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-05e251e1-638b-436e-aaf5-fe26a3458090","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.66102%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e5bd184c-1c7a-4f58-a1e5-f106163f3480","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-76aeb397-71c4-4e77-b0b0-63e2ebc75031","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(111.67192%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Ryan Clarke wouldn't be human if he didn't contemplate life after footy, having been out of contract and unable to crack Sydney's AFL side for the better part of two years. Video: YouTube | Sydney Swans

[{"selector":"#anim-56219a34-21d2-42be-8a6e-a3c10437697b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-bffba339-b57c-422a-8338-106b2f31d125","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d31e5a28-51df-47d3-b1b6-9a4bbcc196f1","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-116.02564%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-116868c2-9be7-4ec3-ad8c-5caad3c94ad9 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-30.54883903698698%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Clarke, who effectively joined the Swans in exchange for Gary Rohan as part of deals brokered in the 2018 trade period, remains uncontracted beyond 2022.

"I'm not contracted. I haven't really thought about it. Haven't really been trying to think about it. I've just been — well, all I've ever wanted to do is win a premiership. So that's front of mind at the moment."

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[{"selector":"#anim-08a15250-4abc-4fe9-8f32-226c963f9888","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-2bf8e6fe-eec5-4a3e-8315-0d84ceb6c8f6","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f23eb2fd-08f9-435c-abef-cd356e483403","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-121.52777%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-991bea3d-c5f2-4a8e-8258-7b7bf695e99e [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(15.734948667729073%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":9000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] The 25-year-old has had a recent resurgence in his footy career, becoming the club's shutdown specialist since curbing the influence of Jack Sinclair in round 15.

[{"selector":"#anim-7e8ae1af-2295-4ffe-8cb9-1301158e13ec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-33570fd1-d821-4b03-a278-ad557e4e2de4","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-56431df6-296a-4dd4-b042-44b244f4d7f0","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-112.80487%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-6901a1bd-e0c6-4f40-8d1e-490f9c47beec","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8be24330-dc07-4944-8164-309319eccf55","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(111.11112%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Sydney has hosted countless career reboots though coach John Longmire isn't one to gift games. Video: YouTube | Sydney Swans

[{"selector":"#anim-f23f410f-d1be-4bcd-a324-270fa1c1b54b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-13ef0cd6-9418-45f6-a333-e9367e5e939e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b0d8d05d-b939-4c1f-9a99-7d5af274f690","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-114.375%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-59eb36e5-3057-4105-91b5-84ab891a3b58","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0477c946-2803-43e3-aaae-fdd2b93a57b7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(111.99999%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":1500,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Clarke mainly remained as the Swans' reserve player but both Longmire and assistant coach Jarrad McVeigh hatched a career-changing idea to use him. Video: YouTube | Sydney Swans

[{"selector":"#anim-904a5d34-9413-4440-adba-a6adea26d3a0","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a0a0a9b4-b974-4d84-9975-5b1e7c285772","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-b9e32482-7a13-4c87-bda8-b2fbc27a996a","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-119.59459%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a4ffb606-aa9b-46ca-841c-2882bd8e343c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(50.69230742727153%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":5000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-e84718a3-feec-48f5-98a6-b33a312b4a75","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":6000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-a39f5b78-6674-45b8-b318-b437bd489a9a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":8000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0d691e4b-8352-4382-b8ac-932bc2a22438","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":10000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-8ca89b64-bd5f-429a-a2e3-de4d01dda6de","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":12000,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Clarke has since been used to shutdown the likes of Nick Daicos, Christian Salem, Bailey Dale, Jordan Dawson, and Harry Himmelberg.

"He's come in and done a role for us. He's smart. He helps organise. He's got pretty good footy IQ. The boys enjoy having him in the team."

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[{"selector":"#anim-d20838a8-bb2e-4c1b-97d1-c51c359b92a5","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-27e50f5d-adb0-44f4-bf7e-7c145b07820e","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a21cc2d-2758-462b-bb83-d3cf89d94b32","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-123.57143%, 0px, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-51a2a40b-b7a3-45a5-947b-a2d3a6d08351 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(19.95384607353633%, 0, 0)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":8000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"both"}] Clarke has proven he could be the ace up Sydney's sleeve that they need to bring home premiership glory.

Producer: Stefan Centofanti

[{"selector":"#anim-da9629b6-3f7f-41c2-b0df-f9383da0e7af","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-557c3fd1-170d-49f5-bc8d-12f1c77944bb","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":1500,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-90440c12-b157-428e-af20-095b22c5bcfe","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":600,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.4, 0.4, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The thought behind sport Learn more Opening https://www.codesports.com.au/afl/sydney-swans/ryan-clarkes-sydney-swans-rise-recasts-gary-rohan-trade-narrative/news-story/a7d3650b3784318bd690f882526bf5de

How Clarke became Swans' shutdown specialist

BY Rob Forsaith

"I'm not contracted. I haven't really thought about it. Haven't really been trying to think about it. I've just been — well, all I've ever wanted to do is win a premiership. So that's front of mind at the moment."

"He's come in and done a role for us. He's smart. He helps organise. He's got pretty good footy IQ. The boys enjoy having him in the team."

Producer: Stefan Centofanti