Werribee have secured their second mid-season re-signing in as many weeks, with captain Jesse Clark committing to the club until the end of the 2027 season.

The defender will enter his eighth season at the Werribee Football Club next year after putting pen to paper on a one-year contract extension.

The 25-year-old has led Werribee to second on the VFL ladder through 15 rounds in his second season as captain following the retirement of Nick Coughlan after the 2024 premiership. He has also continued to elevate his own game, producing career-best numbers across the board.

Clark is averaging 19.3 disposals per game, including 14.5 kicks, while using the football at an outstanding 81% disposal efficiency. He also leads the club with 7.8 marks and 5.3 intercept possessions per game, highlighting his importance in Werribee's defence.

Having missed just one game across the past three seasons, Clark has now played 82 matches for the club. After bringing up his 50-game milestone in Werribee's memorable 2024 preliminary final victory that secured back-to-back Grand Final appearances, this latest contract extension puts him on track to reach the 100-game milestone and earn Werribee life membership during the 2027 season.

Clark began the season in outstanding form and was rewarded with selection in the VFL State Team after a brilliant performance in Round 3 against Geelong, where he collected a career-high 27 disposals despite the defeat. He was one of five Werribee players selected in the representative side, while senior coach Dan Lowther served as an assistant coach, as the VFL recorded consecutive victories over the SANFL.

Speaking on his decision to re-sign midway through the 2026 season, Clark said he was excited to continue his journey at Werribee.

"I am really excited to have signed on for 2027. The club continues to strive for sustained success and it's an environment and culture I want to be involved in."

Despite securing his future, Clark said the group's attention remains firmly on the remainder of the current season, with six home-and-away matches still to play.

"In saying that, the focus is on the back end of this year. We have put ourselves in a really good position to challenge at the pointy end and I think there is still room to improve, which is a great sign."

Clark's journey at Werribee has been one of resilience and persistence.

After being limited to just 13 games across his first three seasons due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an ACL injury, he enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2024, playing a personal-best 20 matches. Averaging 15 disposals and seven marks per game, Clark produced an outstanding finals series to rise from equal eighth after Round 20 to finish third in the Bruce Montgomery Trophy count as Werribee claimed the premiership.

In his first season as captain in 2025, Clark was one of five Werribee players to feature in all 18 games. He again set career highs for disposals (15.9), kicks (12.4) and rebound 50s (3.8) per game, while finishing sixth in the club's best and fairest.

Clark joins fellow 2027 re-signing Charlie Lazzaro in extending his stay at Werribee, with the pair announcing new deals within the space of a week. The announcement follows Saturday's 20-point victory over Southport, which extended Werribee's winning streak to six matches.