As Ryan Clarke made a name for himself in the junior ranks, a common description of the midfielder was ‘ball magnet’.

When he arrived at North Melbourne, Brad Scott noted how Clarke ‘played the same way’ regardless of which level he was at.

Combine the two and you have the recipe for what has become a hugely successful start to Clarke’s AFL career.

Collecting 70 disposals in his first three games, the 19-year-old has reached a mark only a handful of players have ever bettered.

Take out the handful of mature-age recruits above Clarke – Bradd Dalziell, Michael Barlow, Ed Curnow, former Roo Liam Anthony and Josh Smith, and the list of first-year draftees to manage the feat is an exclusive one.

Most disposals in their first three AFL games

1: Bradd Dalziell – 84 – 2008 (mature-age)
2: Michael Barlow – 84 – 2010 (mature-age)
3: Toby Greene – 78 – 2012
4: Ed Curnow – 73 – 2011 (mature-age)
5: Tomas Bugg – 72 – 2012
6: Adam Kennedy – 71 – 2012
7: Liam Anthony – 71 – 2009 (mature-age)
8: Josh Smith – 70 – 2016 (mature-age)
9: Ryan Clarke – 70 – 2016
10: Matt Crouch – 69 – 2014

The “surreal” three weeks by Clarke’s own reckoning only started after he was a late inclusion for the match against West Coast at Domain Stadium.

Now he’s every chance to be in the side as Brent Harvey breaks the VFL/AFL games record on Saturday night.

Remarkably, Clarke wasn’t born until nine months after Harvey made his debut.

“Boomer’s been playing for 20 years and I’m only 19, so it’s a little weird when you put it that way,” Clarke said.

“He never misses a beat and I love playing with him.

“I remember watching Boomer as a kid so it’s exciting to play with him this week hopefully.”