Xavier Clarke: Probably forward at the moment, but hopefully push up in to the midfield during the year.
Jess_is_me: Hey Xavier! How ya going? Obviously the team’s going very well ... you must be happy! How do you reckon you’re going? Have you got what you wanted to get out of yourself after your whole Summer training? Great game on Saturday ... you got me jumping out of my seat a lot!!!!
Xavier Clarke: Yes, my diet is better and my endurance is 1,000 times better than when I first came to the Club - just little things like skin folds have improved a lot too.
marykateandashley: Hi X, are you enjoying having some family around you this year with Raph's arrival? How far off before he cracks an AFL game you think realistically?
Xavier Clarke: It's good to have him down and have family around ... we're living together and that's good - most of the time! It's pretty hard for Raphael to crack in at the moment with not many injuries, but I certainly think he'll play this year.
Number_5: Xavier, what are your favourite types of food, and can you cook?
Xavier Clarke: Good question - probably anything with chicken in it ... any chicken dish - and I can cook lots of things with chicken in it! KFC is always a weakness for me, but I can't go there!
Daniel_Sainter: Did beating Geelong feel better than beating them in the Wizard Cup?
Xavier Clarke: Yeah, the Wizard Cup was a great experience, but with all the talk by Geelong after it saying that they were better than us ... it made the win last week more satisfying!
Spelly: Xavier, what do you think are your strengths and weaknesses?
Xavier Clarke: Strengths - probably marking, speed and long accurate kicking. Weaknesses - probably still need to work on my endurance and strength.
st-cat: X, what has been the best thing about having your brother at the Club?
Xavier Clarke: He does my washing!
Daniel_Sainter: How long until Max comes back?
Xavier Clarke: Probably a little bit longer than we expected ... it's taking a bit of time to heal so probably not for another 5-6 weeks at this stage, but it will be good to have him back.
Number_5: Who are your best mates at the Club?
Xavier Clarke: I live with Allan Murray, Josh Houlihan and Raph, so we do a lot of things together. Also hang around with Barry Brooks and a lot of the younger boys too ... Nick Dal Santo and Brendon Goddard etc.
Daniel_Sainter: What possie will Raphael play do you think?
Xavier Clarke: Probably a half forward flank or maybe a tall defender ... or maybe a wing.
kyliepockets: Hi Xavier, how do you feel being in such an emerging team? Who do you think is improving the most in the Saints’ team?
Xavier Clarke: It's exciting for sure, and we're looking forward to hopefully playing finals’ this year. There are a whole lot of blokes who want to play together for a long time. As for the improvers ... Brendon Goddard has put on a lot of weight and muscle, and Sam Fisher is looking good for a senior game when his shoulder gets right.
Tassie_Saints_Chick: Hey Xavier, how are you? You came to Tassie in February ... how did you like it down here? We loved having you!
Xavier Clarke: I don't mind Tassie ... I’m great friends with Barry Brooks and he loves it – he wants to show me King Island.
Daniel_Sainter: Do you feel happy wearing number 3 on your back because of Nathan Burke?
Xavier Clarke: It's an honour to have it passed down by a legend in Burkey ... hopefully I can get somewhere near his status in my career, and get it to a Premiership and dedicate it to him!
marykateandashley: Probably a silly question, but do you feel any extra 'weight' in carrying around Burkey's number 3?
Xavier Clarke: I probably felt that when I got offered the jumper and took it on, but Burkey made it clear when he handed it over that I should make the number mine and not worry about the pressure ... so that cleared those thoughts from my head and helped me concentrate on my own footy.
PopPy: Does Grant Thomas ever smile?
Xavier Clarke: Good question! Very rarely! No, he does get in his good moods and cracks a smile ... and he doesn't mind a joke either!
riccardo: Hey Xavier, you took another great ‘speccie’ mark against the Cats’ on the weekend ... is that a learned skill, or is it innate?
Xavier Clarke: I practiced it when I was younger in the backyard with my Dad, but it's just instinct now during the game. Allan Murray can take a great grab too, so I hope we can get him in the ‘Ones’!
timbo: Do you have a footy tipping competition down at the Club?
Xavier Clarke: We don't actually, but I’ve got a job away from the Club and we've got a tipping competition there which I’m in. I work at Mental Health Australia, and do youth work with young indigenous kids in the community.
PopPy: How funny is Nick Dal Santo?
Xavier Clarke: He thinks he's funny! No, he can crack a joke and he is a funny bloke!
riccardo: Xavier, what would your year and career goals be at the moment?
Xavier Clarke: My year goal is just to play consistent footy in the Seniors and to contribute each week. Career goal - just to be a Premiership player and, no matter how many games I play, get the most out of myself.
PopPy: What is going on with all the shaved heads?
Xavier Clarke: I think it started in London ... Matt Maguire had a very rotten haircut and had to shave it off, and Luke Ball followed ... and then the rest! Some of them tried to cut their own hair and it was a disaster, so the only way was to cut it all off!
Munga: What do you think of Scarlett getting off? What **** aye!
Xavier Clarke: You can see what happened on the day, but I guess you have to trust the Tribunal's decision...
riccardo: Xavier, do you hear lots of crowd noise at Telstra Dome? Does it inspire you, or do you just block it out and concentrate on the game?
Xavier Clarke: You do get a lot of crowd noise at Telstra Dome with the roof closed, and if the game is tight and the crowd gets behind you, it certainly helps the boys’ out on the ground!
twaq: How is BIG Barry travelling?
Xavier Clarke: He's played 2 games now with Springvale, and he's taken a few big marks and is travelling pretty well. Hopefully we'll get him up in to the ‘Ones’ soon to help out Trent Knobel and free Kosi up. He does talk too much though...
carla_jose: Xavier, do you know my cousin Ross Hill? He played for St Mary's in his pre-season and was playing on Saturday. He comes from Victoria and plays for the Wangaratta Rovers. He told me he knows your Grandma and says she's St Mary's number one supporter!
Xavier Clarke: I know Ross Hill and you're right ... my Grandma is the number one supporter at St Mary's - she loves her footy!
BrookeG: Hi X, what is your favourite thing to do the day after a game?
Xavier Clarke: If it's a night game, I get someone to drive me home and have a beer! I love to sleep so I’ll get to bed as early as possible for recovery next morning. For day games, I’ll usually be really tired so I’ll just go home and watch a movie or something.
FootyTipperNET: Has our recent success put more pressure on the players for the rest of the year?
Xavier Clarke: I think during the pre-season it's been built up quite a bit that the Saints’ are the side of the future, but I think we've handled that pretty well so far ... there are expectations, but the boys’ are working hard to make those predictions happen.
Jess_is_me: Are the boys’ aware of how good they really are, and how much the other teams find you one of the biggest threats in the League? Michael Voss believes you guys are the best side in the competition at the moment!
Xavier Clarke: It's great to get a comment like that from the best midfielder in the AFL. We do realise how good we can be, but we're sticking together and we want to play in Premierships together. I think teams are taking us more seriously now, and teams are more aware of how we can play and what we can do.
Xavier Clarke: Thanks for the questions and coming to the website to have a chat - hopefully see you all down at the games ... and if you haven't signed up yet, now's a good time! Thanks again ... I enjoyed the chat!
Thanks to Spelly for the transcript!
