Geelong footballer Jhye Clark excited for national championships game against Vic Metro
Unphased by Joel Selwood comparisons, a Geelong wunderkind is relishing his own challenge ahead in grand final week in one of his last opportunities to impress before AFL draft day.
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He has been likened to Joel Selwood in his draft year, but Vic Country captain Jhye Clark said he was determined to forge his own path in football.
The Geelong Falcon and Queenscliff product will lead his representative squad on Thursday in the National Championships grand final against Vic Metro at Marvel Stadium.
Clark said it was a “privilege” to play a part and captain the side in the AFL grand final week.
“I’ve grown up loving footy and everything I’ve done has been with footy in mind, so to get a chance to play at Marvel Stadium with and against some of the country’s best players is really exciting,” he said.
“It’s been an awesome year of footy for both the Falcons and the Vic Country team, we’ve had a great season in the carnival and hopefully we can top it off with another win and go undefeated.
“It’s been really good to captain both Vic Country and the Geelong Falcons, that leadership side of things is something I’ve really focused over the past few years and tried to develop, so it’s great to see that paying off.
“I try not to listen to the media and all the comparisons and the talk about the draft, I’m just focused on getting better throughout the year and being lucky enough to earn a spot on a list.”
The clash between Vic Country and Vic Metro will serve as a grand final for the national championships, with both teams currently undefeated with three wins each.
It will be the final time Victorian prospects will be able to exhibit their characteristics and traits ahead of the draft combine and national draft.
Clark said the midfield crop in 2022 was loaded with talented prospects like Sandringham’s Will Ashcroft and Cam Mackenzie, Oakleigh pair George Wardlaw and Elijah Tsatas, and Gippsland’s Bailey Humphrey.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play some footy with and against boys like Will, George and Elijah through our junior footy, we played in the academy game this year against Collingwood’s VFL side,” he said.
“There’s some seriously good midfielders in this year’s draft crop, I think we’re all pretty similar in that we all share a real passion for the game and we all try to get better each session.
“There’s a bit of a rivalry between us Vic Country boys and the Vic Metro boys, we don’t chat much throughout the year off the field but I’m sure we’ll have a bit of a chat on the ground on Thursday.”
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