A football career may never have eventuated for Zac Clarke if a state selection had gone a different way.

In 2007, Clarke was living in Box Hill deciding on whether he would pursue AFL or basketball as state selections for both codes rapidly approached.

As Clarke prepares to play his 100^th game for Fremantle on the weekend, he reflected on the decision to play football.

“Back in 2007, 2008, I was kind of making the decision and I made the state team for the football not the basketball,” he said.

“That kind of pushed me one way, which made it (the decision) easy.”

He said the skills learned in basketball have helped him play AFL.

“A lot of young basketballers are really good with their hands and in tight spaces they can stay pretty composed, so that really helps,” Clarke said.

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The 203-centimetre ruckman has faced some hurdles in his eight-year career, suffering a number of knee injuries, the latest being in round one of 2016, where he injured his knee at the first ruck bounce.

“Sitting in rehab nursing some sore knees, swimming laps of the pool probably a low-light, but there are some highlights in there as well,” he said of his past few seasons.

He said the finals wins the club enjoyed in the past couple of years were a high point in his career.

“2013, 2014, we had some really good wins on the road and obviously the grand final was a highlight,” he said.

Clarke has spent his career learning from one of the best ruckman of the past decade in Aaron Sandilands and said he has been a great influence.

“From day one I’ve really got along with Aaron well,” he said.

“On and off the field he has been a great mentor.”