A star on the rise..

Dandenong Stingray Amber Clarke is making a marks. Picture: SARAH MORTON/AFL PHOTOS

Amber Clarke has turned heads when playing for the Dandenong Stingrays.

But as a junior, you can never forget your roots, the club that helped you along the way.

As a Narre North Foxes Junior Football Club product, Amber Clarke is this week’s junior footballer of the week.

After pulling on some different jumpers in recent years, that of the Stingrays and the Big V, Clarke still relishes her memories of the Foxes, and the long term friends she has made there.

“(The) Foxes is pretty important to me,” she said

“I’ve played there for nine years. I grew up playing with the boys for five years then moved across to the girls.

“The whole club is good because everyone is super friendly and great to chat with.

“You form some good relationships with not only the players but the coaches and everything.

“I really enjoy going back to local because of the girls I play with.

“They’re all a great bunch of girls who get along well.

“It’s just a fun environment to be in because it’s pretty relaxed and you form some really good friendships while playing the sport you love,” Clarke said.

Amber in action for the Foxes.

As for how good Amber can be, her Dandenong Stingray’s coach Nick Cox touched on what she can do in the future with her football.

“Her capabilities are that she could end up a really high draft pick in 2022,” he said.

“The level she plays at is a lot better than others, she just continued to show case week in week out her ability to be really powerful and strong around the contest.

“She hits the scoreboard, but wherever she plays she is going to be a good player.

“Unfortunately she got injured in the first nationals game, she wasn’t able to play much after that.

“You’ll be hearing that name a bit next year.”

Clarke hasn’t been able to play any matches for her home club this year due to the aforementioned injury that she suffered in representative football, but is hopeful of returning towards the back-end of the season.