Subiaco Mature Aged Draft Prospects Again In Demand

Subiaco’s reputation of producing mature age AFL footballers is set to grow over the next fortnight with a duo of former Dockers in the mix for a second chance lifeline at the AFL level.

Zac Clarke and Josh Deluca rebounded to the disappointment of being delisted by Fremantle at the end of 2017, producing outstanding individual seasons as Subiaco won the 2018 premiership.

Over the past decade Subiaco has proven to be the number one state league club at producing mature age AFL players with Liam Ryan, Liam Baker, Sam Menegola, Shane Yarran, Kyal Horsley, Greg Broughton and Callum Sinclair among the group of players who have excelled coming out of the Subiaco program.

Clarke and Deluca are set to follow in those footsteps after they were two of the key inclusions and reasons behind Subiaco being able to complete an unbeaten WAFL season and helping drive the Lions to a premiership success that was three years in the making.

For Clarke, he continues to firm as becoming an Essendon player for 2019, with the Bombers seeking clarification around updated AFL list management guidelines to ensure they could add the ruckman to their list without going through the traditional national draft process.

Clarke is seen as a key addition to a thin Essendon ruck division, with Tom Bellchambers the only other recognised ruckman on the list.

It has been a crucial 12 months for Clarke who after 18 months without playing a competitive game, returned emphatically for Subiaco, playing every match in 2018, averaging over 15 disposals and nearly 40 hit-outs per contest.

At Subiaco in 2018 Clarke kicked 28 goals while resting forward, showing he also has the versatility to play in two ruck sets.

His outstanding season was rewarded on Outridge Medal night where he finished in third place in Subiaco’s best and fairest count.

Clarke is set to be picked up in the newly created Supplemental Selection Period, with this period opening on December 1^st.

Meanwhile Deluca is firmly on the radar of AFL clubs after producing his most consistent and outstanding season of football in his first year back with the Lions since 2014.

Deluca thrived in an inside midfield role, with his ability to win his own ball as well as put immense pressure on the contest in the middle pivotal to Subiaco’s midfield success.

Deluca finished the season averaging nearly 28 disposals and seven tackles a game proving to be one of the WAFL Competition’s most pivotal inside midfielders.

If not for a three game suspension early in the season, Deluca would have been in the running to take out Subiaco’s best and fairest, having an equal votes per game output to eventual winner Kyal Horsley, highlighting how good his season was.

After being initially drafted as a forward with outstanding defensive pressure capabilities, Deluca now looms as a ready made, big bodied midfielder who can apply that outstanding defensive pressure around the contest.

His ability to influence around the contest means that Deluca remains a possible target to a number of AFL clubs who are lacking within this area.

Other Subiaco league premiership players who have continued to draw attention are Angus Litherland, Lachlan Delahunty, Ben Sokol and Kyle Halligan.

Though this quartet of players are probably less likely to receive an AFL draft opportunity, their continued outstanding form at Subiaco indicates that they would be able to grasp any AFL opportunity that may arise.

The Subiaco Football Club wishes all of its senior players, headlined by Josh and Zac the best of luck at the upcoming draft and rookie periods.