FORMER Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse believes a more mature Marty Clarke will return to the Magpies a better player in 2012.
Clarke played 46 games for Collingwood from 2007-2009 under Malthouse, before a bout of homesickness took him back to his native Ireland to play Gaelic football for County Down.
But the Magpies lured their man back to the AFL earlier this week via a trade with Greater Western Sydney.
The trade saw Collingwood give up pick 25 in the NAB AFL National Draft in exchange for Clarke, Murray Bushrangers' junior Jamie Elliot and pick 67.
Malthouse said those people thinking Clarke might struggle with a second stint in the AFL better think again.
"He's a ripping young bloke. Marty Clarke is one of those blokes you just love having around, he's a delightful young man," Malthouse told afl.com.au's Trade Week Radio.
"I wouldn't call it a punt, he's played close to 50 games and it's not as if he's been inactive. He's been playing at the highest level you possibly can in Ireland and quite frankly I don't think we understand this, but he's a superstar over there. He really is an absolute superstar.
"There's been a lot of people suggesting he may struggle, but I see it the other way. I think his maturity will bring him back (better)."
Malthouse said the lure of his tight-knit family, girlfriend - who studied in Australia before going back to Ireland - and proving to his homeland he was a star player, were all factors in taking him back to Ireland two years ago.
"He's ticked the boxes that were perhaps leaving him a bit hollow. He probably won't have that pull to take him back now. Really I think he's going to be an excellent player," he said.
Malthouse said he initially spoke to Clarke last year when Australia toured Ireland for the International Rules series, and the 23-year-old hinted he was keen to return then.
However, Malthouse said it was too close to the draft to make a move, and felt after narrowly losing the All Ireland final, Clarke still had unfinished business.
He returned to Melbourne "in the last two months" where the pair caught up and had a chat to discuss what Clarke needed to do to return.
While confident on Clarke's return being a success, Malthouse would not be dragged into talk on the future of current Magpies Alan Toovey, John McCarthy and Brent Macaffer, who are all rumoured to be potential trade targets.
However, he did pay a huge compliment to the Magpies' administration.
"Collingwood has been more serviced by non draftees than any football club and that's a testament to Derek Hine's ability to find a player outside the system," Malthouse said.
"Andrew Krakouer's a classic. We won a premiership and ended up with Andrew Krakouer. How does that work out? That's just because of very, very fine management."
Malthouse also gave huge raps to young Magpies Tom Young and Jarrod Witts who came from within their academy system.
He said Young would be a "very good footballer" but saved his biggest praise for Witts.
"I've seen (Aaron) Sandilands develop, I've seen (Dean) Cox develop, and I know this is a big statement, but he'll be in their class, and they've got him for nothing through the scholarship squad," Malthouse said.
"He's six foot eight now, 108 or 109 kilos, and he's 17 or 18. Because you're big doesn't make you a league footballer, but he's got aggression, he can kick, he can mark.
"Our seconds struggled, but he was a regular two and three goal forward and good ruckman so he's going to be a beauty."
No trades are official until paperwork has been accepted by the AFL and formally recognised after 2pm on Monday, October 17.
Follow our complete coverage of the 2011 AFL exchange period from October 10-17. Join the AFL trade conversation on Twitter: use #tradeweek in your tweets
The views in this article are those of the author and not necessarily those of the AFL or its clubs
