The 25-year-old defender came back to Australia - and the Magpies - this season after spending two years in Ireland playing Gaelic football for County Down.
His decision to initially return home to Ireland came after three AFL seasons between 2007 and 2009.
He played 17 senior games this year but fell out of favour in the second half of the season and was unable to regain his spot after round 21.
Eade said the Pies considered the season as a positive for Clarke, who impressed early on when he successfully tagged Essendon midfielder Brent Stanton in the Pies' one-point win on Anzac Day.
He also said the Pies believed the year as a whole would leave Clarke in good stead going into 2013.
"In his own words, it was about how much the game has changed in two years since he's been away," Eade told AFL.com.au.
"He did some really good jobs for us and was pleasing early on, especially with the injuries and how he and Simon Buckley were able to play roles for us.
"Marty, just towards the end started to lose his form, and missed out on the finals but he played 17 games and in many ways, it was a positive year.
"He's got areas he needs to work on, and knowing the work he puts in, I've got no doubt he'll get through that.
"I would like to think he'd improve again next year and become a good player for us."
Clarke was omitted for the Pies' round 14 clash with Fremantle, but impressed when he went back to the VFL with 31 touches and two goals in a win over Frankston.
He was recalled the following week to face Carlton, and managed another four senior games for the season.
Eade said Clarke's attitude to his omission had proven he had matured since his last AFL stint in 2009.
"He handled it better. When he went back [to the VFL], he got best on ground and got back in the next week," he said.
"I think Marty in the past has struggled if there were hurdles put in front of him but he coped ok with that.
"His attitude didn't drop away and he was actually very good, and he was a bit of a leader to the young blokes.
"I think there's a big upside to him. He's been out of the game so I don't think we can expect he's going to step straight back in because the game's changed a lot but I think he adapted pretty well.
"I think the signs there are pretty good."
The younger Magpies return to training on Wednesday this week with the rest of the list to follow on November 28 before they travel to Utah for a pre-season altitude camp on December 4.
Jennifer Witham is a reporter for AFL Media. Follow her on Twitter @AFL_JenWitham.
