Newcastle Thunder sign Wigan Warriors forward

[josie andrews]

Newcastle Thunder have secured the services of Mitch Clark for the 2022 Betfred Championship season, as the powerful prop moves to the North East from Betfred Super League side Wigan Warriors.

Born in Pontefract, Clark is of the son of former Bradford player Trevor Clark and has plenty of pedigree on his playing CV.

Playing Toyota Cup and Holden Cup level for Penrith Panthers, the 28-year-old cut his teeth in the Betfred Championship with Doncaster, Bradford and Hull KR, before making his move into Super League.

Signing for Castleford on a two-year deal, Clark made a total of 24 appearances for the club and bolstered these with games further games in the second tier for Featherstone Rovers and Halifax.

Agreeing a three-year deal with the Warriors that commenced in 2020, he made nine of his 16 Super League appearances for the club in that first year, as Wigan secured their first league-leaders shield in eight years.

With opportunities proving limited at the DW Stadium in 2021, Clark agreed to a release from the final year of his deal allowing Thunder to strike and bring him back to the North East.

Commenting on his switch to Newcastle, Clark said: “I played two games here last season and really enjoyed being part of the setup.

“It was a great experience, I enjoyed playing in those games and I enjoyed the place too. I spent time in the city, Ukuma [Ta’ai] and I spent a lot of time down at the beach, it was good times.

I’m looking forward to being part of the journey Newcastle are setting out on and to enjoying playing rugby with a good group of players.

Head coach Eamon O’ Carroll said: “Mitch is chomping at the bit to get started and is one of a few players we have said to about making this club his own.

“He came up for two weeks last and made an incredible impact on the squad. He came in as what you would call a senior player and he thrived in that role.

Coming to us, Mitch brings some good standards with him and wants an opportunity to play week in, week out and that is an opportunity that we can give him.

“He is already doing things within our environment that are really impressing me not just with his work ethic, but the way he carries himself as a person and that is another reason why we signed him

I think he is going to be wonderful for the group and for the young lads as well and hopefully they will follow his lead.”

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