Dylan Clarke Biography

Essendon delists Dylan Clarke but has offered the hard-running midfielder the opportunity to train with the club through the pre-season.

If Clarke impresses and a list spot remains available, the Bombers haven't ruled out re-signing him in the Pre-season Supplemental Selection Period (SSP).

Essendon select Dylan Clarke with pick No.21 in the 2020 Rookie Draft.

Essendon delist Jacob Townsend and Henry Crauford.

Martin Gleeson and Dylan Clarke have also been cut from the Bombers' list, but with the promise of being re-rookied in the upcoming 2020 Rookie Draft.

Dylan Clarke signs a new two-year deal with Essendon to remain at the club until the end of 2021.

“I’m really excited to sign a new deal at Essendon. There’s an enormous amount of belief amongst the group that we are building towards something special,” Clarke said.

“My focus is on continuing to work hard and learn from our experienced players to put myself in the best position to play senior football."

Dylan Clarke is the 2019 round 13 AFL Rising Star nominee.

Over the past fortnight, Essendon youngster Dylan Clarke has kickstarted his AFL career with two giant-killing performances as a tagger, taking down both Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps and Hawthorn jet Jaeger O'Meara.

"My long-term goal is to become the type of midfielder where opposition players are coming to (tag) you," Clarke said.

"I don't want to look too far ahead – at the moment I just want to establish myself as an AFL player and play my role for the team, whether that be playing a tagging role or not – but in the future I want to be a ball-winning inside midfielder like some of the premier midfielders in the competition."

Dylan Clarke signs a one-year contract to remain at Essendon until the end of 2019.

Dylan Clarke makes his AFL debut for Essendon at the MCG with 9 disposals (5 kicks and 4 handballs), a mark and 5 tackles in a 34-point win over Geelong.

Jordan Ridley and Dylan Clarke will both make their debuts for Essendon this week against Geelong.

"I think we both went our own way a bit in terms of just putting our heads down and getting the work done, so I think we should both be pretty proud of how we’ve been playing," Clarke said.

"To get rewarded on me and Rids' form in the VFL is really positive, so we both feel pretty good at the moment and we’re hoping to have a good impact on Saturday."

Dylan Clarke admits to a sense of panic as he waited for his name to be called out during draft night.

"When they started speeding through the draft in the later rounds and you're not having your name called, the anxiety levels raise and you start to question if you're going to get picked up and what it might be like if you don't get drafted," Clarke said.

"I thought I had a pretty consistent season but leading into the draft I had no idea what was going to happen. It was getting really stressful. A few clubs where I thought I might be a chance picked other people and when clubs started to pass, the nerves really kicked in."

Relief set in with Essendon picking him at No.63 as their fourth-round selection at the draft.

"Getting picked up by Essendon, staying in Victoria and going to a great club with a few of my mates has been the perfect result," Clarke said.

Essendon select Dylan Clarke with pick No.63 in the 2016 National Draft.