Clarke captained the Ballarat Wanderers’ division one team in the NAIDOC football and netball carnival over the weekend.

However, his campaign came to a premature end.

With only a few minutes remaining in the opening match, Clarke went in to gather the groundball as an opponent slid in and connected below his knees.

The opponent’s shoulder made heavy contact with Clarke’s right leg and the result will have him facing around two months on the sidelines.

Clarke received the free kick. Those types of incidents the exact reason the rule was brought in, ala Lindsay Thomas on Gary Rohan in the 2012 AFL match.

Clarke initially thought he had reinjured his ankle, the only significant injury he has had previously.

Clarke said while it was unfortunate an incident out of the once-a-year koori carnival would impact on his training for the Central Highlands Football League season, he would never miss the carnival that is a highlight of his year.

“To happen in the first game was a bit of a kick in the guts,” Clarke said.

“I’m not too sure on my chances of that (making day one of pre-season), it will just depend on how the physio stuff goes – fingers crossed.”

The Grasshoppers’ pre-season is expected to begin late-November.