Sydney Swans recruit Ryan Clarke is relishing the opportunity to have “one of the best defensive players” mould his game as a tagger.
North Melbourne’s Shaun Higgins and Collingwood’s Steele Sidebottom are among the star midfielders Clarke has blanketed in his first season as a Swan, and the 22-year-old could be set for another lofty assignment as Sydney meets Hawthorn on Friday night.
Prolific Hawthorn ball-winners Jaegar O’Meara, Isaac Smith, Liam Shiels and Ricky Henderson are set to descend on the SCG, so there’s every chance Clarke and midfield mentor Brett Kirk have been scrupulously studying the gun Hawks in the lead-up to Round 14.
Kirk built a reputation as one of the game’s most merciless defensive midfielders in a decorated 241-match career with the Swans, and the dual Club Champion is now showing the way for Clarke.
“I’m really enjoying the defensive type of role. Whatever the coaches have got planned for me, I’ll happily do whatever. I’m loving being taught by Brett Kirk, who was obviously a superstar player and one of the best defensive players in the game,” Clarke told SwansTV.
“He’s been a really good mentor, and I’m really looking forward to playing either defensively or offensively on Friday night.”
Clarke chalked up 40 games in Kangaroos colours and didn’t become a Swan until last October’s trade period, but he was never a stranger to the ferocity of the Sydney-Hawthorn rivalry.
The Swans and Hawks squared off in the 2012 and 2014 Grand Finals, and an average of just 6.8 points have split the two sides in their five most recent matches.
In season 2018, a seven-goal Ben Ronke haul spearheaded an eight-point Sydney victory in Round 8, before Hawthorn clinched a nine-point win in Round 23.
“We’ve all seen the Swans and Hawks go head to head in really fierce games a number of times,” Clarke said.
“We all know Hawthorn-Sydney and Hawthorn-Geelong are two of the biggest rivalries in the competition, and I’m looking forward to hopefully being a part of a big clash on Friday night.”
Clarke featured in eight of the Swans’ 12 games before last weekend’s bye, including their 45-point victory over reigning premier the West Coast Eagles at the SCG in Sydney’s most recent outing.
The 48-gamer was among three players the Swans locked in via last year’s trade period, with Geelong’s Daniel Menzel and Jackson Thurlow also donning the red and white.
Clarke says the Harbour City is beginning to feel like home.
“I’m really enjoying it. At the start it took me a little bit to get settled in, but I’m loving the weather, loving the beaches and all the boys have been really welcoming,” Clarke said.
“It’s been a really good transition and I’m really glad I made the move.”
