Gold Coast Titans middle forward Erin Clark is coming back to the NZ Warriors after signing a three-year deal to the end of 2027.
The Manurewa Marlins junior is closing in on 100 NRL games after reviving his first-grade career with the Titans.
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His NRL debut for the Warriors as a 19-year-old in 2017 was his only appearance before leaving the club midway through the season to take up a three-year contract with the Canberra Raiders.
He stepped aside from top-level rugby league later that year, coming back to Auckland to play local football for two years ahead of making a fresh start with the Titans in 2020.
“After five years away, Erin wanted to come back home for compassionate reasons,” said Andrew McFadden, the Warriors general manager of recruitment, pathways and development.
“Now he has the chance to reconnect with the Warriors where it all began for him in the under-20s. The start of his career didn’t pan out the way he planned but he has been so impressive since having a second shot in the NRL.”
Used in the halves in his NYC career with the Warriors, Clark made his NRL comeback in 2020 when he started at hooker or was on the bench in 10 appearances for the Titans.
Since late 2022, he has operated as a middle forward, predominantly from the bench, a role which has seen him in career-best form in 2024, averaging 100 metres and 22 tackles a game (only 14 missed tackles all season).
“Erin was coming through our NYC system when I was first here and was a player with lots of ability,” said Warriors head coach Andrew Webster.
“It didn’t work out for him initially but the way he has taken his second chance has been outstanding. He has developed into a tough middle forward, durable with a great work ethic, intensity and aggression.
“He’s going to add real edge to our squad. It’ll be exciting having him back home.”
Clark was named in the Kiwis’ extended squad for the mid-year test against Mate Ma’a Tonga in Auckland in 2022.
He finished with 94 matches for the Titans, including 84 of a possible 96 games over the last four seasons (and all 24 this year). He made 45 NYC (under-20) appearances for the Warriors in 2015-17, plus 15 New South Wales Cup games in 2016-17.