FREMANTLE defender Jordan Clark made a resolution when he returned home from Geelong at the end of 2021. No matter how his football was going, he wouldn't let it affect the person he was away from the game.

During three seasons with the Cats that saw him play 32 games and watch 10 finals from the sidelines, Clark had become consumed by the game, especially when he wasn't breaking into the Cats' team.

His new approach during an impressive 18 months as a Docker has been to focus and develop as much as possible during his days at the club before clearing his mind of football when he heads home.  

It is clearly working for the talkative and affable 22-year-old, who has played every game since his club debut in round one last season – including his first two finals – and established a clear and important role in the back six.   

"I've played a lot of games here now at the Dockers and strung them together and even when things aren't going so well, I think it's a good approach," Clark told AFL.com.au.

"There were times when I was a bit younger and in and out of the side at Geelong and getting dropped, I would go home and just think about footy.

"It consumed me a little bit and was almost changing the person I was.

"I wanted to make it my approach, especially when I got home, that no matter if I was in the side or out of the side, I wouldn't let footy affect the person I am away from the club.

"That's just my approach and how I'm doing it at the moment."

Clark, who said he had matured during his time at Fremantle and found what worked for him as an athlete, has the look of a player who is enjoying his football this season.

While there have been less of the dashing runs out of defence from the speedster, he has developed as a defender who can play deeper when required, adding flexibility to the Dockers' backline.

WHO MAKES FINALS? Play the Ladder Predictor NOW

"It's been a little bit different this year. I haven't been up as high as much, with opponents and match-ups sometimes not allowing for that," Clark said.

"But just having the ability to vary my time between playing high and a bit deeper in defence has added another string to my bow.

"I've felt really good and developed some more areas of my game. I've still got a lot of areas to improve, but I'm looking forward to doing that and my progress has been very much influenced by Matthew Boyd and 'JL' (Justin Longmuir)."

Clark said flexibility was important as a member of the Dockers' backline, which approaches games with the mindset of "our six versus their six, not six individual match-ups".

The group's ability in round 15 to restrict Essendon to just 61 points – the Dockers' second lowest tally conceded this season – represented a clear bounce back from the group after a 70-point loss to Greater Western Sydney.

"We had a disappointing game against GWS as a whole group, we were all pretty bad," Clark said.  

"We pride ourselves on our fight and our effort, and it was hard to hear during the week that it wasn't up to scratch.

STREAM YOUR TEAM Watch every VFL, SANFL and WAFL game LIVE

"As a group, we wanted to bounce back and put in a really good performance, and it felt like we did that.

Now it's about finding that consistency and bringing that every week."

In a diverse backline that includes personalities like the "relaxed" Brennan Cox and Heath Chapman, the "loud and bubbly" Luke Ryan, and the "more serious" Alex Pearce and Hayden Young, Clark described himself as the teammate who "has always got something to say and is never really chilled out".

While other players engage in relaxation practices during the pressure of an AFL season, Clark said he had found Australia's cricketing tour of England for the Ashes series was doing the trick for him right now.  

"People have their mental skills, and mine is probably just watching cricket. It relaxes me, I'm in my own little world," he said.

"To be honest, I watch it as long as I can and then fall asleep. I think that's something I really enjoy, and I think it helps me with my footy life."