St Mary’s aiming for 33rd Premier League flag on another big night for the Clarke football family

ST Mary’s key position player Raphael Clarke has been a Saint for a long time, even playing through 85 games in the red, black and white of AFL club St Kilda with the same theme song

St Mary's coach Anthony Vallejo and joint skipper Raphael Clarke were all smiles at the club's last training session before tonight's 2019-20 Premier League grand final against Nightcliff. Picture: Grey Morris

ST Mary’s key position player Raphael Clarke has been a Saint for a long time, even playing through 85 games in the red, black and white of AFL club St Kilda with the same theme song ringing in his ears.

Tonight he’ll play in his seventh Premier League grand final wearing the green and gold jumper he has worn since following in older brother Xavier’s footsteps.

Tonight he runs out against Nightcliff in pursuit of his sixth premiership medal and 33rd for the 67-year-old club that has carried his family name for more than half a century.

“I’m hoping it’s lucky No.7 for me and a sixth flag,’’ he told the NT News.

“We’re pretty upbeat as you would expect in the last week of March at the end of the footy season. Every other club would want to be in our shoes.

“The confidence is there for us, if it wasn’t the case you’re wasting your time.’’

Clarke said beating Nightcliff in the major semi-final who have been the best side all year and entering the grand final first had got the players up and about.

“We’ve had a tough draw but kept turning up and getting the wins, something we wanted from our players, has been the key,’’ he added.

“We didn’t expect any superstars to win us games, we all played well together and in the semi-final we knew jumping out quickly was a key to us doing well.

“To do that against any club will most likely win you the game and you also have to play four quarters of footy this time around.

“We let them back in during the third quarter and it’s something we have to be sure, if we do get a good jump, that we go out there and get it done.’’