One player from the Saints side who is capable of adding an extra element of strength to the team defence has been missing since Round 12.

Injuring his hamstring early against Fremantle in Perth, Raph Clarke has been working hard to overcome his injury and get back the good form he had found half way into the season.

Speaking exclusively to saints.com.au, Raph said his recovery process is taking some time but he is almost at full fitness once again. “The hamstring is feeling ok, it’s been quite a long injury for me but it is almost 100% again.”

“I was pretty happy with the year so far with the games I played, bar one or two. I feel as if I have worked out in my mind how to play good footy and what it takes to be consistent.”

“I was disappointed with the injury itself as I’ve had a lot of history with hamstring problems. But when you’re playing relatively good football, that is not something that happens with a flick of a switch, so it was disappointing to get injured when I was feeling so good.”

Working closely with St Kilda’s Elite Performance Manager, David Misson, Raph explained the process they have been going through to rebuild his injured hamstring and hopefully strengthen it to prevent further problems.

“I’ve been doing lot of running to get the kilometers back in the legs and rebuild the strength. It has mainly involved a lot of fartlek and distance running to coincide with strength work in the gym.”

Hoping to return over the next couple of weeks, Clarke suggests he may make his return via the Saint’s VFL affiliate, Sandringham Zebras.

“I’d say it is likely that I will come back via the VFL given it’s been a longer injury. You certainly need to get that bit of touch back in your game so one or two games in the VFL will help with this.”

“In saying that however, if the boys keep playing like they have been, before the Magpies game, it will be hard to get a spot back in the side.”

This year is Raph’s first year at the Saints without brother Xavier, who moved to Brisbane at the end of the 2009 season. Although he certainly misses his older brother, Raph says Xavier’s departure has encouraged him to become more independent with his life.

“You don’t realise how lucky you are to play with your brother until he’s not here anymore. We always spent so much time together, whether it was just going to get a coffee or just hanging out, so now there are a lot of phone calls between here and Brisbane.”

“But it has been good for me, as it is my first opportunity to live on my own and take responsibility for everything so I feel I have grown up a lot more outside of footy.”

Moving from the Northern Territory at the end of 2003, Clarke says the transition was helped by his brother already being at the Club.

“It definitely made things a lot easier for me when I got drafted. I was able to move straight in with Xavier. Unlike other new boys that start, they have to learn everyone’s names and get to know the place, but I was lucky as I knew Xavier and had also been down to train with the Club the year before.”

Learning to handle the pressure of a defensive player, Raph said he has been working on a number of elements with the coaching staff to ensure he remains prepared down back.

“There’s obviously also a lot of pressure coming out of the back so kicking is a major element that all the defensive players work on to make sure we are able to use our foot skills out of the backline.”

With only six weeks left of the home and away season Raph’s main aim now is to get back to top form as soon as possible, and maybe break back into the senior side before September.

“It is certainly disappointing to miss out on the last five games, but hopefully I can get back soon and get a solid two or three games under my belt before possibly having a run at the finals.”