Rabbitohs star ready for brutal clash with former club
SOUTH Sydney star Jai Arrow is preparing for the Titans to “take my head off” when he returns to the Gold Coast for the first time since his $3 million move to the Rabbitohs.
Arrow will make his first appearance against the Titans in Rabbitohs colours at Cbus Super Stadium on Friday night.
The Queensland Origin forward has been one of South Sydney’s
best this season, helping the Rabbitohs notch up a fivegame winning streak since losing their Round 1 clash to Melbourne.
In late 2019, the Titans refused to enter a bidding war for Arrow, leading the Gold Coast product to ink a four-year deal with Souths from this season.
Arrow was savaged by some Titans fans following his defection, but played out the 2020 season on the Gold Coast before heading south.
Now he is expecting his former teammates to target him in his return to the Gold Coast.
“I have no doubts they will probably want to take my head off but that’s okay,” he said. “They will be out for blood and I will be trying to do the same. I want to be smart about it. After the game we can shake hands.
“It gives me that little extra ‘oomph’ to get stuck in and play smart but aggressive. Once you cross that white line it’s different to what you’re like off the field.
“I will be up for the challenge. They’ll come after me and I’ll go after them. Hopefully we can get the two points.”
A product of Keebra Park on the Gold Coast, Arrow made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos in 2016 before joining the Titans in 2018.
He became a Maroons representative during three years on the Gold Coast and had dreams of captaining the club, but the Titans were not willing to match the huge offer on the table from Souths.
The Titans signed Melbourne’s Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (suspended this week) shortly before Arrow committed to Souths and later landed the prized signature of David Fifita from the Broncos.
Arrow said he gave the Titans everything in 56 games and had no ill feelings towards the club.