Pride to shore up defence

THE introduction of James Clark to the Intrust Super Cup will pave the way for older brother Graham to get back to what he does best for the Northern Pride this weekend.

The younger Clark, who averaged 28 tackles per game on his way to winning 2017 National Youth Competition Player of the Year honours at the Bulldogs, will make his debut in the second row in Emerald against the CQ Capras.

The family name is associated with toughness on the footy field and Northern Pride coach Ty Williams said they missed it when he moved the older Clark out of lock to cover Nathan Wales’ injuryenforced absence, allowing Easts to run riot in the middle third.

“The more I watch the video, the clean-up work ‘Tiger’ does was missed bigtime by our big fellas just due to the conditions so I threw him out on the edge, which I think we lost a little bit,” he said.

“So that’s the reason also why I’m bringing his brother in, it gives a chance to us to put Graham back in the middle.”

Williams was an impressed onlooker when set-to-be debutant Clark fought all the way to the 80th minute for Atherton in a CDRL clash against Brothers on Sunday.

Knowing the daily life of a Clark makes it all speak vol- umes to the coach.

“A lot of people don’t realise what these guys do.

“They’re contracted banana workers and they average 30km a day walking and then they come and train and they put performances out like that week in, week out,” Williams said.

“They’re tough boys and obviously their father when he was playing was a tough footballer as well and he proved that on the weekend, Jimmy, and he’s earned his right to wear the Northern Pride jersey.”