THE FLIGHT from Mount Gambier to Adelaide takes 70 minutes and is bumpy on a 30-seat plane. Angus Clarke knows the route well.
He flew to and from Adelaide nearly a dozen times during a season where he rose from obscurity to be on the radar of AFL clubs across the land.
Not many, if any, draft prospects have travelled further or dug into their own pocket more than Clarke has this year. But that dedication and sacrifice paid dividends at the 2024 Telstra AFL Draft, where Clarke was selected by the Bombers with pick No.39.
The 18-year-old hails from the tiny farming town Tantanoola, 30 minutes out of Mount Gambier, four and a half hours away from Adelaide. Less than 500 people live in this neck of the woods, where Clarke has grown up working on the family dairy farm.
Clarke has risen from no chance in the pre-season to be a top 40 selection this month, following a stellar campaign for South Australia and Glenelg. But the on-field only reveals a fraction of this story. Getting picked for the state team required a level of commitment from not only the defender, but from Clarke's parents Michelle and Stuart.
Nine-hour roundtrips in the car to Adelaide were part of the winter routine, but not always feasible. Flights from Mount Gambier airport were the other option – the more expensive alternative – which is why Clarke started a side hustle selling cut firewood to help cover some of the expenses.
"My Pa has a scrub on his farm, so after school when I'm free, I cut wood with a chainsaw, split the wood by hand and go and sell it,” Clarke told AFL.com.au at the AFL Draft Combine in October.
"I sell stringy bark loads of wood to help pay for my flights up to Adelaide. I halve whatever I sell with mum and dad to help cover the costs of the flights. I flew up every Friday when I was playing for the state team and it's about $250 per flight and I sell a ute load for $200.
"I came up with the idea when someone came up to me and asked, 'Do you sell wood?' I thought, you know what, I can do that. It just grew from there. Word of mouth in a country town."
Sitting on level three of the MCG a week after the 2024 Grand Final, where the last semblance of the footy season is Brisbane's fading logo on the broadcast wing, Clarke is close to realising a childhood dream. He can't believe he is sitting here. And he knows he wouldn’t be without the staunch support of his family.
"I wouldn't be in this scenario right now if it wasn't for my parents. It is a big commitment, 4.5 hrs drive each way," Clarke said.
"When the state program started, my dad took me up every Wednesday. We'd leave at 10.15am and we would make it just in time. Then the next day we would leave at 4 in the morning to get back for work. I helped dad on the farm to start the day because I don't start school on Thursdays until 10.15. I would cut wood and drop a load of wood off."
Unlike Glenelg teammates, Ben and Lucas Camporeale, who formally nominated to join Carlton as father-son selections last month and grew up in the city, where the twins attended Sacred Heart College, Clarke was out of sight, out of mind for a long time.
The 188cm half-back played 17 games for the Bays in the under-18s in 2023, but seldom at the level he reached in 2024. A switch was flicked earlier this year. He settled in defence. His confidence grew by the week. He methodically crossed off one goal at a time, and when he shone for South Australia against Vic Country and Vic Metro, interest from recruiters spiked.
"I've probably flown under the radar a bit with my footy. I started with little confidence coming into the state program. My goal was just to make the pre-season program. I made that and I was over the moon," he said.
"Then I ended up playing some good footy between the pre-season and when the state footy started. I ended up making the side and was even more over the moon then. We got into the meeting and didn't think I'd be getting a game with the state side. Then I played every game and I was absolutely stoked. Played well and ended up being here at the Combine.
"The goal as a four-year-old running around the oval back home in the country was to make it to the big league."
Clarke's steep improvement during his time with the South Australian program showed AFL clubs the height of his ceiling. He didn't train with Glenelg when he played 10 games in the under-18s this year. The travel made it too hard around school commitments. Recruiters know he will be a big beneficiary of a full-time environment.
Clarke hasn't had to look too far for inspiration. Essendon star Mason Redman grew up down the road in Millicent, before relocating to Adelaide in his draft year. The teenager models his game on the 27-year-old, who has played 124 games for the Bombers since being selected at pick No.30 in the 2015 AFL Draft.
"I've practically gone his pathway," he said. "I try and base my game around him. He is that half-back with the run. He grew up 15 minutes away."
Clarke has been preparing to leave home for some time.
"It doesn't hold any fears for me," he said.
"Dad has always said the farm will always be there. Go live your life first and you can always come back. Dad was an accountant first and then he came back to the farm. He likes to tell us he is the most knowledgeable dairy farmer in the south-east."
Clarke is out of Tantanoola and might not be back permanently for a long time. If his AFL career goes to plan, there will be endless flights to come. But none will be as bumpy as the flight in and out of Mount Gambier.
