For a good while there, it seemed like every time Hunter Clark stepped out onto the field, his evening would end in a hospital bed.

Three major surgeries in the space of six games from Round 13, 2021 to Round 16, 2022 to repair a broken jaw, AC joint and a facial fracture respectively have spelled more than a torrid run for the No. 11, with a concussion in his return match from the first setback curbing his time on-field even further.

The smooth-mover, although proving his ability to dance through danger on-field with ease, was unable to escape from what the past two seasons have thrown at him.

Any one of the collisions he’s been involved in – eyes solely for the ball and courage undeniable – are enough to make the skin crawl; the behind-closed-doors images taken of his gruesome pair of facial injuries while awaiting surgery even more so.

For Clark, the journey has understandably been of one frustration. At times he’s been forced to eat through a straw, unable to lift his arm above his eyeline and perhaps most of all, be limited to just 21 out of a possible 44 matches.

Now the skilful Saint has reason to feel confident in his own skin, finally in the midst of a sustained injury-free patch as he looks to shrug off the past two injury-addled campaigns and write a much more optimistic sequel heading into 2023.

“It’s been pretty tough on me, but that’s part of the game. It’s just nice to be out there now to get a bit of continuity over the summer, so hopefully that can carry into the year,” Clark told saints.com.au.

“I’d say my confidence was rattled last year. For close to three games in a row I was going into surgery after a game, so getting back out there my confidence probably was a bit lower and I wasn’t playing how I wanted to.

“It’s been challenging to be honest. They’ve been pretty high-contact injuries that have been quite painful, but I’ve had great support around me both at and away from the club so that’s definitely helped.”

Line coach Lenny Hayes, while a newcomer in Clark’s troubled stretch, has been among those in the young Saint’s corner.

The three-time Best & Fairest signalled his intentions to help the No. 11 – who at the time had garnered significant interest from North Melbourne during the Trade Period – reach his full potential and leverage his “enormous upside” last November, since putting in the hours to get him back up and running through the midfield.

St Kilda’s increased loads of high-speed, high-intensity running this pre-season to facilitate a faster game style slots right into Clark’s wheelhouse, in particular his seemingly effortless ability to slip past his opponents like a hot knife through butter.

“Lenny’s been awesome. He’s an unreal person and you can see that in the way he coaches us,” Clark said.

“I’ve had a fair few injuries the last few years, so it’s just nice to feel that confidence he’s given me. I feel like the way we’ve been training with the things he’s been teaching me – bodywork and things like that – it’s starting to pay off a fair bit.

“He wants to get to know you and cares about you, but obviously he’s one of the best players in… oh, forever really. Just to have someone with that knowledge and who’s competed and been the best at what he does, I’m not taking it for granted.

“I think everyone would be able to say the same how he’s been able to put lots of confidence into us. I’m feeling really good about everything so far.”

Clark hopes Season 2023 will not only bring about a change in his fortunes on-field, but also a reunion with fellow draftee classmates Nick Coffield and Ben Paton.

The trio haven’t played a game together since the Saints’ 2020 semi-final against Richmond – a season which marked career-best, breakout seasons for all three – with Paton snapping his tibia and fibula in February of 2021 and Coffield rupturing his ACL almost a year later to miss the entirety of last season.

“We do talk about those little things in the locker room and away from the club and it does get you excited,” Clark said.

“It’ll be a good boost for everyone when Coff gets back to training fully, and Pato’s been going well too. We’ve all had some big injuries and all had different paths, but it’ll be cool just to get out there together again.

“I just want to focus on being healthy and I know what I can do on the footy field. With a bit of clean health, I’m sure I’ll be able to play some good footy.”