Clarke’s passion to stamp out racism in sport and every-day life has ramped up following a verbal attack from a supporter during a senior clash with Illabarook (now Smythesdale) last season.

The 28-year-old has opened up about the slur on the eve of the club’s special indigenous fixture, which he described as the worst directed at him over a long playing career.

Clarke said the incident overshadowed Rokewood-Corindhap’s only victory of the 2013 season, but he remained thankful his two young children did not hear the abuse.

“It was obviously pretty hurtful and a lot of the boys saw how emotional I did become,” Clarke said.

“We all went to go out for dinner as a team that night and I pretty much sat on the couch the whole night until my wife kicked me out the door.

“I didn’t come to work on the Monday, either, so it was pretty hard to get up and do stuff for the next couple of days.”

Clarke said he expected his children would, one day, be exposed to the same “garbage” that he has had to endure, but hoped measures to prevent it would help in the long term.

“It’s always going to happen to the majority of the Aboriginal footballers running around, but it’s just a matter of us getting together and making a stance to help prevent it,” he said. “It’s probably never going to go away, but if we can start doing something now to slow it down and eventually, one day, stop it, then obviously we are doing something right.

“It’s something that I don’t want my son or daughter to be exposed to and that’s another reason why I want to do this indigenous round.

“I’ve been exposed to it my whole football career and hopefully if my son or daughter want to play football and netball, by the time they start, that’s stuff we won’t have to worry about.”

Clarke will be one of a number of indigenous players to step out in football and netball today when the Grasshoppers host Smythesdale at Rokewood in round seven of the Central Highlands Football League. All senior football and netball teams will wear specially designed jumpers and dresses during the afternoon – designed by Clarke and titled Marngrook Corroboree – and best players will receive awards to mark the occasion.

The Aboriginal flag in the design represents the gathering place, the five paths signify the different paths that everyone is taking to meet at the common place and the dots alongside the path acknowledge the people.

A welcome to country and traditional smoking ceremony, conducted by Aboriginal elders, will also be a highlight of the day.

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