A certain type of sports narrative is rare; it is one in which the physical metamorphosis takes a backseat to everything else that is going on beneath it. That’s precisely what Cooper Clarke’s story is. A young man did indeed lose fifty kilograms. However, the actual events are far more fascinating than the scale’s number.
When the world practically came to an end in 2020, Clarke was in Year 8 at St. Gregory’s College in Campbelltown. Schools were closed. Footy came to a halt. And like millions of teenagers worldwide, he ended up at home, aimless, and using the PlayStation to eat his way through long days. He was pushing nearly 150 kg by the end of that year. A child who had been an avid Parramatta Eels fan since birth and had grown up completely engrossed in rugby league was straying from the one thing he really loved. Please excuse the expression, but it’s difficult not to feel the weight of that.
It wasn’t a program, a coach, or a well-funded development pathway that held him back. It was his elder brother. During that same COVID period, Zakauri Clarke, who is currently grinding through the Panthers’ NSW Cup system, was working tirelessly—training, maintaining discipline, and refusing to let the pandemic be an excuse. Cooper observed him. Something changed. He recently stated, “My brother was probably the main one,” and when you hear him discuss it, there’s real appreciation rather than just a polished soundbite for a press conference.
It wasn’t a tidy, Instagram-worthy makeover. Clarke has been refreshingly open about the strategy, which involved intense training and fasting, while also acknowledging that it was probably not the best course of action. He laughed and said, “Don’t do it that way, that’s the dumb way to do it,” on the One Six Seven podcast. After relocating to the Sunshine Coast, he gave up chocolate, stopped going shopping with his friends on the weekends, and started working. That kind of discipline for two or three years at a time when most teenagers are acting oppositely.
The narrative took a different turn when Clarke, who weighed between 130 and 140 kg at the time, was cut from his Harold Matthews Under-16 team at Wests. That would have been the end for a lot of people. It seems to have been the turning point in Clarke’s life. He trained more assiduously, fasted harder, and eventually gained admission to the Melbourne Storm Academy, which has produced some of the most intelligent rugby league players of the contemporary era.
By most accounts, his 2026 NRL debut season has been outstanding. After 14 games in his career, Cameron Munster of the Storm has publicly acknowledged Clarke’s engine and work rate, despite criticizing his young teammate’s diet. Clarke has a quality that feels out of the ordinary for a forward of his age. “His engine’s there, just got to work on his diet a little bit more,” Munster smiled. It’s the kind of taunting you reserve for someone you have faith in.
The setbacks caused by injuries have also been significant. Clarke was sidelined for eight months due to an ankle injury sustained during his Academy days. During this time, his weight gradually increased to 120–125 kg, prompting the club to take action. In response, he worked hard during another pre-season fast. Although the long-term sustainability of that cycle is still unknown, the results are clear enough for the time being.
The RLPA Players’ Rookie of the Year award, which was chosen by the players themselves and is arguably the most significant kind, solidified what the NRL public had been witnessing throughout the season. Andrew Johns asked Clarke on 100% Footy what he discovered about himself during his weight loss journey. With a smile, Clarke revealed that he had “very bad eating habits.” The audience chuckled. Beneath the self-deprecation, however, was something real.
Observing Clarke carry the ball, absorb contact, and endure the kind of physical strain that breaks less dedicated players gives one the impression that the discipline he developed during those quiet, unglamorous years still underpins everything he does on the field. No football player who just so happened to lose weight was found by the Melbourne Storm. They discovered someone who already knew how to endure hardship to achieve his goals.
The story is just getting started at age 20.
FAQs
Q1: How much weight did Cooper Clarke lose?
Clarke shed approximately 50 kilograms, dropping from around 150kg to 100kg.
Q2: Why did Cooper Clarke gain so much weight as a teenager?
COVID lockdowns left him inactive, spending days playing PlayStation and overeating.
Q3: Who inspired Cooper Clarke to turn his life around?
His older brother Zakauri’s relentless work ethic during the pandemic motivated him.
Q4: How did Cooper Clarke actually lose the weight?
He combined aggressive fasting with hard training over two to three years.
Q5: What award did Cooper Clarke win in 2026?
He won the RLPA Players’ Rookie of the Year, voted by fellow players.
