Bruisbane Lions lock in Justin Clarke BRISBANE has re-signed young defender Justin Clarke for another three AFL seasons. The 19-year-old agreed to a new contract that will keep him at the Lions until at least the end of 2016. Clarke played 14 games for Brisbane after making his senior debut in round five against Melbourne. But his year was cut short in round 20, with a shoulder injury ruling him out for the remainder of the season. The South Australian, drafted to the Lions with pick No.4 in the 2011 AFL Rookie Draft, said he was looking forward to picking the brains of new coach Justin Leppitschs - a former key defender himself. "The Lions took a massive leap of faith in drafting me, so I feel a massive sense of loyalty towards the club for giving me this opportunity," he said in a statement. I'm obviously really excited about where this group is headed, and I can't wait to be part of its future. Lions general manager of football operations Dean Warren said Clarke's re-signing was a significant boost for the club's key defensive stocks. "He's really applied himself since arriving in Brisbane and has reaped the benefits," Warren said. We see him being a key pillar of our backline for a very long time.