Clarke, an assistant at North Melbourne, has been named as coach of the Indigenous All Stars side for the February 15 showdown with Fremantle at Optus Stadium.
The number of Indigenous players featuring in the AFL has experienced a worrying fall in recent years, going from an all-time high of 86 in 2020 down to just 63 ahead of the 2025 campaign.
It represents the lowest number since 2006, when only 58 Indigenous players were on AFL lists.
Only one Indigenous player was selected in last year's national draft - Cody Anderson at pick No.64 by Hawthorn.
Two other Indigenous players were later added as Category B rookies.
Clarke says it's been disappointing to see the numbers drop, but he's optimistic about what lies ahead.
"I think the pandemic had a lot to do with disconnection - whether it's community football, participation - I think there's been a slower uptake on the back of that," Clarke says.
"But from what I can see and hear, local clubs, junior clubs, and state league programs are now fully back up and running, as well as the talent programs.
"Hopefully that starts to pick up more and we start seeing not only more Indigenous players, but also more participation and more talent coming through."
Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander players often face far greater life challenges, putting them at a huge disadvantage to realising their AFL dreams.
But Clarke dismissed the notion AFL clubs are turning away from players who come from disadvantaged backgrounds or communities.
"I've seen it first hand, clubs are crying out to draft more players and talent," Clarke says.
"Clubs now are really well resourced in terms of drafting Indigenous players, or drafting interstate players, and being able to have the support around those players and get them settled in and play at the professional level.
"It's better than I've ever seen it.
"Clubs are now - with their Academy programs and Next Generation programs - actively out there trying to seek more talent."
Gold Coast speedster Joel Jeffrey, who was born in Darwin and snared by the Suns in 2020 as part of their Academy Zone, said the drop in Indigenous numbers hadn't gone unnoticed.
"We did speak about it, us Indigenous boys, it is a bit concerning," Jeffrey says.
"We want to see more drafted."
Jeffrey said leaving home was the hardest part for most Indigenous players - an aspect clubs are working hard on to make the transition as smooth as possible.
It's hoped the recent tweak to the Next Generation Academy rules, which gives teams priority access to players in their zone, will give clubs greater incentive to invest in Indigenous players in their area.
In recent years, clubs only had priority access to those players if they weren't chosen in the top 40 picks of the national draft.
Now, clubs can match a bid on one of their NGA players at any point in the draft, even if a rival opts to select that player with the No.1 pick.
"We believe removing restrictions on access to AFL NGA talent will incentivise our clubs to invest and develop in their Indigenous and multicultural talent programs," AFL executive general manager of football Laura Kane says.
"We have seen over the past 25 years that when list rules have been amended to provide greater access, we have seen increases in Indigenous playing numbers on lists."
The AFL are also working with their stakeholders to invest more in Indigenous talent pathways.
More than 25,000 tickets have already been sold for next week's Indigenous clash, meaning the game will break the previous record of 17,500 that attended the All Stars' 73-point demolition of Carlton in Darwin in 2003.
The last time the match was held was in 2015, when a sellout crowd of 10,000 fans watched West Coast triumph by eight points at Perth's Leederville Oval.
With Optus Stadium boasting a capacity of 60,000, the AFL have invested big this time around, and Perth football fans are expected to rock up in their droves.
Callum Ah Chee, who kicked four goals in Brisbane's 60-point grand final win over Sydney last year, hopes the match will inspire a new generation of Indigenous players.
"Hopefully we'll put on a good show, and the big thing behind it is it'll be good for young Indigenous kids to see their role models playing in a game together, to show that they can do that as well," Ah Chee says.
"It's good to see Indigenous faces in high places."
Clarke echoed those sentiments.
"I'd be surprised that if we have another conversation (about low Indigenous numbers) in five years' time," he says.
"I'd like to think that we'll see that number go up."
Getting more Indigenous coaches involved is also on the AFL's agenda.
There have only been two Indigenous senior coaches in VFL history - Graham "Polly" Farmer (Geelong, 1973-75) and Barry Cable (North Melbourne, 1981-84).
There is yet to be an Indigenous senior coach in the AFL era, but it's hoped Clarke - or one of his cohorts - will be able to break that mould.
