Noel Clarke
Melbourne
AFL career
77 games155 goals
- Debut
- R6 1951 v CAR2 June 1951
- Most recent
- GF 1955 v COL17 Sept 1955
Stats
Bio
A highly touted recruit from North Launceston, Noel Clarke arrived at Melbourne in 1951 after a protracted clearance dispute that required league intervention to resolve. The high-marking, left-footed full-forward made an immediate impact, topping the Demons’ goalkicking in 1952 and 1954 despite battling persistent knee issues throughout his time in the VFL. His career culminated in a dramatic 1955 season where, plagued by injury and form slumps, he famously went to the cinema to avoid the stress of team selection only to discover he had been recalled for the Grand Final. Clarke repaid the faith with three goals in the premiership victory over Collingwood, his final game for the club before retiring at just 25 to return to Tasmania, where he cemented his legacy as a state league icon.
Profile
- Born
- 26 Dec 1930
- Died
- 07 Aug 2022 (aged 91y 224d)
- Deathplace
- Glenorchy, TAS
- Height
- 180 cm
- Weight
- 81 kg
Teams
Honours
- Premiership1955
Bio
1 revisionA highly touted recruit from North Launceston, Noel Clarke arrived at Melbourne in 1951 after a protracted clearance dispute that required league intervention to resolve. The high-marking, left-footed full-forward made an immediate impact, topping the Demons’ goalkicking in 1952 and 1954 despite battling persistent knee issues throughout his time in the VFL. His career culminated in a dramatic 1955 season where, plagued by injury and form slumps, he famously went to the cinema to avoid the stress of team selection only to discover he had been recalled for the Grand Final. Clarke repaid the faith with three goals in the premiership victory over Collingwood, his final game for the club before retiring at just 25 to return to Tasmania, where he cemented his legacy as a state league icon.