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 September 24, 1985. He is an Australian rules football player. He played for the St Kilda Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). His career in the AFL lasted from 2004 to 2012. Raphael's brother, Xavier Clarke, also played for St Kilda.
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Raphael Clarke's AFL Journey
Raphael Clarke started his AFL career after being chosen in the 2003 AFL Draft. He was the eighth player picked overall. Before joining the AFL, he played for the St Mary's club in the Northern Territory Football League (NTFL).
He played his first AFL game in 2004. This was in Round 17 against the Essendon team. In 2005, Raphael was nominated for the AFL Rising Star award. This award recognizes the best young players in the league.
Playing in 2008
The 2008 season was Raphael Clarke's fifth year with St Kilda. He had a great start to the year. He was part of the team that won the 2008 NAB Cup. This was a pre-season competition.
Raphael faced some health and personal challenges during 2008. Because of this, he played in only five of the first 20 games. However, he finished the season very strongly. He played exceptionally well as a defender in the semi-final win against Collingwood. He was also one of St Kilda's best players in the preliminary final. St Kilda lost that game to Hawthorn.
The 2009 Season and Grand Final
In the 2009 AFL season, Raphael Clarke played in 12 of the 22 regular season matches. St Kilda finished in first place that year. This meant they won the club's third minor premiership.
St Kilda then made it to the 2009 AFL Grand Final. They won their qualifying and preliminary finals to get there. Raphael Clarke played in the Grand Final. However, St Kilda was defeated by 12 points in a close game.
After His AFL Career
Raphael Clarke finished playing for St Kilda at the end of the 2012 season. After leaving the AFL, he played for the St Albans Football Club in 2013. This club is part of the Geelong Football League.
Later, Raphael became a coach. He coached the Flying Boomerangs. This is a national Indigenous youth team. He led them on a tour to South Africa.
