Young midfielder Ryan Clarke continues to impress in his first season with North Melbourne.

The 19-year-old has been an integral part of VFL affiliate Werribee’s midfield, as the season passes the halfway point.

Clarke collected 33 disposals for the Tigers in Saturday’s loss to Werribee, as well as 11 clearances and six tackles on a greasy day at Avalon Airport Oval.

The young gun said he was happy with his performance against Coburg.

“I thought I competed all day, so that’s the main thing I go into games aiming for,” Clarke told NMFC.com.au.

“I hit my tackle count too, so pretty happy.”

The conditions at Werribee were tailor made for the midfielder on Saturday.

“I don’t mind the wet conditions, I enjoy these types of days,” the number 13 said.

Clarke said Werribee’s first half on Saturday was disappointing, ultimately falling 14 points short of an inaccurate Coburg side.

“We continued to fight on and had a pretty strong last quarter as a team,” he said.

With a bye for both North and Werribee, Clarke said the focus would be on finishing the year on a high.

“We’re pretty disappointed going into halfway through the year at four (wins) and six (losses). We have a bye this week, so hopefully we can bounce back in a couple of weeks.”

Development Manager Ben Dyer said Clarke’s performances were certainly being noted.

“He’s got a real desire to win the ball inside and then spread hard as well, so that’s a pretty good combination and certainly wrapt with the way he’s going at the moment,” Dyer said.

Clarke will certainly be looking to press his case for senior selection, but there was no doubt North’s midfield wouldn’t be easy to break into.

But Clarke need only look at teammate Corey Wagner’s elevation to the senior side for inspiration.

Dyer said Wagner’s call up was a reward for effort at VFL level.

“We certainly don’t gift games to young players,” Dyer said.

“He (Wagner) came in with the confidence that he’d been playing really, really well at VFL level and pleasingly he was able to bring those same attributes at AFL level too, so he should be quite pleased with the what he’s been able to do in those first couple of weeks.”