Bewick calls ex-AFL club to release draftee for Grand Final

A former AFL club great is calling his club to release a star player to school footy, like they did with Dustin Fletcher, so that she can play in the Rowville Secondary grand final.

MELBOURNE. 28/06/2022.. AFLW draft prospect Amber Clarke ahead of tomorrows AFLW draft . Photo by Michael Klein

Rowville Secondary coach and former Essendon star Darren Bewick has called his old AFL club to release Amber Clarke who they drafted from the school last month so she can play in the Herald Sun Shield Grand Final on Thursday.

Clarke was drafted to Essendon at pick number four on June 29 but Bewick who coaches the school football team is hopeful that the youngster can be granted one last game with her school teammates.

“We had Amber Clarke who got drafted a few weeks ago, she didn’t play,” Bewick said following their team’s semi-final win.

“We are a little bit hopeful that Essendon might release her for the day.”

Bewick, who won two premierships for Essendon in a 238 game career for the club mentioned that the club should give Clarke an exemption to school football like they did with Dustin Fletcher early in his career.

“She deserves to play, it is her final year, it is her final game of school footy,” Bewick said.

“I said to her, when I was playing Dustin Fletcher was allowed to play school footy and senior footy for Essendon, he actually played school footy instead of AFL one day so I think that it a good precedent that we have.”

Bewick said his connections to the club should do him a favour.

“We are trying our hardest, hopefully with the few connections I have there it might help us out so we will see how we go,” he said.

“She has been tremendous, she was there supporting yesterday and I know she is really keen to play but obviously we will just be guided by what her AFL club says.”

Rowville defeated Melbourne Girls Grammar on Wednesday in a thrilling match which saw them comeback from 20-points down late in the third quarter to win.

They were able to come away as three-point winners although in a rare finish to the game which ended three minutes prematurely as a player suffered a bad knock to the head which sent her to hospital.

Rowville will take on Caulfield Grammar on Thursday and Bewick said that if the clearance on Clarke didn’t come through, he may have to pick up the phone.

“We might have to make a few phone calls early next week if we don’t get the right answers,” Bewick said cheekily.

“We will she how we go.

“Whatever happens, she has got the full support of us, she will be there supporting.”