Clarke commits to Down

MARTIN CLARKE yesterday reaffirmed his loyalty to Down’s championship campaign while also leaving the door open for a possible return to the AFL in years to come.

The An Riocht star played 46 Premiership games for Collingwood before his shock announcement last September that he was returning home but talk of another U-turn arose again only last month.

Collingwood CEO, Gary Pert, was quoted as saying that the Melbourne club had been in contact with Clarke in the hope of changing his mind but the player himself expressed his ignorance when questioned about the reports.