Down's Clarke set to rejoin Collingwood

GAA:Down forward Martin Clarke is set to return to Aussie Rules football later this year and rejoin AFL side Collingwood in a deal reported to be worth AUD$250,000 per season.

The 23-year-old first played for Collingwood in 2006 and after three years he turned down a lucrative deal and decided to return home and played a pivotal role in Down reaching last year’s All-Ireland final where they lost to Cork.

Although Down lost to Armagh in the Ulster SFC at the weekend, Clarke will see out the remainder of this campaign, via the qualifiers, before he takes up with Collingwood for pre-season training in September.

A Down source said Clarke had notified management of his decision to return to Australia several weeks ago.

The Melbourne based club are the current AFL champions after winning the 2010 title for the first time in 20 years and in coach Michael Malthouse’s 11th season in charge.

Malthouse is understood to be a big fan of Clarke and was keen for the An Riocht club man to return to Melbourne.

Promising Down minor, Kieran Mooney from Rostrevor, is also expected to join Clarke at Collingwood with negotiations over contracts for the 2012 and 2013 seasons currently in discussion.

Clarke won an All Star for last season.