BLOOD BROTHERS
They lived together. They partied together. They were “thick as thieves”. They “loved each other”. But Reece Clarke (left) is dead, and his brother Ethan (right) has been charged with his murder. reports P4-5
REECE Clarke is described as the “quintessential Gold Coaster” – a sporty, prankloving “larrikin” who’d do anything for you.
Like younger brother Ethan – now charged with his murder – and elder brother Bodie, he was a talented rugby league player.
A first-choice A grade forward for the Runaway Bay Seagulls club last season, Reece chose mostly Reserve grade this year due to work commitments and so he could play alongside mates.
The Seagulls A grade team and his former teammates at Tugun stood as one yesterday honouring his memory with a minute silence prior to their qualifying final.
He had also excelled at non-contact Austag, representing Queensland while eldest sibling and sister Katina, 30, said he’d taken up cricket this year “just as a challenge to himself”.
Runaway Bay Seagulls seniors president Graham Gleeson said the players were taking Reece’s death very hard.
“He was a full larrikin and well regarded among the guys as a good mate.
“He was just one of those guys who would walk up and say ‘G’day’ to you and the next minute he was friends with you.
“You couldn’t meet a nicer guy, if you wanted anything done he would do it for you. He was a really good bloke.”
Mr Gleeson said all three of the Clarke boys were highly-regarded players and Ethan had been attending to watch Reece play at times this season.
Katina said a knee injury in high school had cruelled representative opportunities for Reece while Ethan had a stint with the Gold Coast Titans and Bodie had a stint at West Tigers.
Katina said all three brothers went through Nerang State School then Kebra Park State High and the four siblings were all nippers growing up at Kirra surf club, doing volunteer patrols together.
“They were very tight. Reece was a quintessential Gold Coast boy – a natural sportsman who loved to party and play the practical jokester.”
Friends recalled one of his more outrageous pranks was once convincing all Facebook friends – plus members of his family – a young nephew was his child.
“He was that type of outrageous and you’d be like ‘What is he up to now?’ but you had nothing but good thoughts about him,” Katina said.
“He could get away with so much because he was so charming. Definitely the epitome of a Gold Coaster – loves going out with his mates, loved his sports, loved life, he really did.”
Friends recalled Reece and Ethan being out together socially earlier this month with no sign of trouble to come, their intermingled social circles now reeling from Reece’s death.
“They were the kind of brothers who did everything together,” one friend recalled.
“Reece was so real with everyone and always taking the piss out of himself. He would wear the most ridiculous outfits, always trying to make people laugh – and didn’t care what people had to say or thought about him.”
Katina posted to Facebook yesterday in tribute, saying Reece and his larger than life personality would be “epically missed”.
She also sent the family’s thoughts to his sizeable friendship group.
“We know there are a lot of you as there were very few people he didn’t like – except as Bodie point out, Reece did not like the one and only boyfriend I introduced to the family (that was an obvious sign it wasn’t going to work out for both of us)”.
The family are still deciding on funeral arrangements.
REECE WAS A QUINTESSENTIAL GOLD COAST BOY – A NATURAL SPORTSMAN WHO LOVED TO PARTY AND PLAY THE PRACTICAL JOKESTER KATINA CLARKE