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Clark unfazed by Gold Coast homecoming
Jaxin Daniels • August 20th, 2025 3:38 pm
Erin Clark might have to leave his kicking boots behind when he faces his old Titans team | Photo: Brett Phibbs/Photosport
The NZ Warriors' round 25 clash with the Titans marks the first game back on the Gold Coast for Erin Clark since departing his former club. But the lock forward isn’t too focused on the idea of returning to the place he spent the previous five years of his career.
“As cliche as it sounds, you just go there to do a job," Clark said.
“It’s kind of easy to get caught up in the lifestyle over there, we’re there to get the two points and get home.”
And surprisingly, Clark isn’t even missing the Queensland weather.
“I love this cold weather, I get to cuddle my kids.
“I’m a person who sweats a lot in the sun, so I’d rather be rugged up in the cold than sweating in a singlet.”
Something that will be missing this week is the kicking game of Clark, with Warriors Head Coach Andrew Webster making it clear that is not the gameplan.
“Yeah, we don’t want Erin kicking every week, but there’s worse options I can promise you.” Webster joked.
“We give people kicking licences and he doesn’t have one.
“But sometimes you’ve got to drive unlicenced.”
A major talking point out of the Warriors camp this week has been the suspension of hard-working middle forward Jackson Ford.
Photo: Brett Phibbs / Photosport
Ford copped a three-match ban for his third minor infringement in last Friday’s win over the Dragons at Mount Smart, which rules him out of contention until the finals -assuming the Warriors clinch their post-season berth - roll around.
Webster is not impressed with the decision, citing more inconsistency from the judiciary.
“Really disappointed with the outcome of that," he said.
“If it was his second offense it wouldn’t have even been a one match suspension, he would’ve been given a fine.
“I just think if it’s your third offense for a minor incident, then I don’t get how you go from a fine to three games.
“My feedback to Jacko is three offenses isn’t good enough. But at the same time, I think the punishment is huge.
“No one even knew what happened until you go back and you search, and you slow it right down.
“It’s frustrating.”
When it comes to preparation, Webster hopes a change of scenery, training at Eden Park, can lift the energy ahead of the team's road trip to Cbus Super Stadium.
"When it's an away game we don't get the opportunity to train on Mount Smart," he noted.
"We wanted to give the boys that colosseum feel, this is a world class facility.
“The boys got a real kick out of it and a boost.
“You’ll probably see on the footage at the start of training they were yahooing and carrying on.
“That’s what we are after, and the boys trained with great intensity.
Warriors training at Eden Park | Photo: Alan Lee / Photosport
The Titans have been a thorn in the side of the Warriors the last couple of meetings, beating the Kiwi outfit six of the last seven times they’ve faced.
But Webster has identified where their recent struggles against the Titans lie.
“We’ve had a lot of performances, barring one where we got absolutely smacked, where we looked good and looked like the team on top," he said.
“Then we’ve lost our way a little bit and they’ve capitalised.
“We’ve got to play for the whole 80, because if you have one play off against this team, they’ll crucify you, and I reckon that’s been a reason why they’ve had so much success.”
With their top-four fate now in their own hands, Webster insists he isn’t thinking towards where they want to finish, he’s hoping the team can just continue to build on their form.
“We’re not focused on where we want to finish.
“We’re playing tough, with so much spirit, a lot of determination, but we’re just not playing our best brand of football.
“I don’t think we can look ahead at what could be if we don’t fix it.
“The team we play this week is a real threat, so we're not focusing on three in a row, we've got to get our game right.”
Tune into Sport Nation this Saturday for live and free commentary of the Warriors vs Titans from 7.05pm NZ time, kick-off 7:30pm.
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