Raphael Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Raphael Clarke |
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| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Raphael Clarke | ||
| Date of birth | 24 September 1985 | ||
| Place of birth | Yirrkala, Northern Territory, Australia | ||
| Original team | St Mary's (NTFL) | ||
| Draft | No. 8, 2003 National Draft, St Kilda | ||
| Position(s) | Defender | ||
| Career highlights | |||
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Raphael Clarke was born on 24 September 1985. He is an Australian rules football player. Raphael played for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He played from 2004 to 2012. His brother, Xavier Clarke, also played for St Kilda.
Playing in the AFL
Raphael Clarke started his AFL journey in 2003. He was chosen by St Kilda as pick number eight in the 2003 AFL Draft. He came from a club called St Mary's in the Northern Territory Football League.
Raphael played his first AFL game in 2004. This was against the Essendon Football Club. In 2005, he was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award. This award celebrates young, talented players.
A Strong 2008 Season
In 2008, Raphael had a great start to his fifth season. He helped St Kilda win the 2008 NAB Cup. This was a special pre-season competition.
Later in 2008, Raphael faced some personal challenges. Despite this, he finished the year very strongly. He played a key role in St Kilda's win against Collingwood in the semi-final.
Grand Final Appearance
In the 2009 AFL season, St Kilda finished first. They won the minor premiership. Raphael played in 12 games that season.
St Kilda then made it to the 2009 AFL Grand Final. Raphael played in this big game. However, St Kilda lost the grand final by 12 points.
Raphael Clarke finished his time with St Kilda after the 2012 season. After that, he played for St Albans Football Club in 2013. He also coached the Flying Boomerangs. This is a national team for young Indigenous players. He coached them during their tour in South Africa.
