Mitch Clark joined Castleford in the off-season from Hull KR; after playing just 15 times for the Robins in their promotion-winning season, the move left many Tigers fans scratching their heads. Despite playing for NRL side Penrith Panthers at youth level, Clark never made it into the first-team and instead sought more regular Rugby in England. He moved to Doncaster in 2015, scoring three tries in 23 appearances, before joining Bradford Bulls ahead of the 2016 season. Following in his father Trevor Clark's footsteps, Clark registered 25 appearances for the Bulls, scoring five tries.
Yet again, though Clark was on the move after just one season, this time to Hull KR for the Humberside's club first season in the Championship in 2017. Despite showing promise in his 15 appearances for Rovers, the Pontefract-born Kiwi was rumoured to be surplus to requirements at KR and so when Daryl Powell came calling, it was an obvious decision to join the Tigers on a two-year deal.
Few chances at Castleford
Clark looked decent in pre-season for the Tigers, but when the Super League fixtures began, he was shipped out on loan to Featherstone. With Castleford suffering from injuries in the pack for a good deal of 2018 - indeed, Alex Foster was even given a run out in the front row - many questioned why Clark, who had been performing excellently for Featherstone, was not given a chance to impress.
In fact, Clark actually made 11 appearances for Rovers in the Championship before Powell finally gave him his opportunity in Castleford's superb 30-34 victory away at Warrington in early June.
Impressive at Super League level
From that first game, it was clear that Clark could offer something different for the Tigers. With the likes of Grant Millington, Jesse-Sene Lefao, Liam Watts and Junior Moors all being ball-handling and skilful props, it was perhaps refreshing to see Clark drive the ball as good old-fashioned props used to do - hard and straight.
In almost every tackle, the 6 ft, 106kg monster takes three men with him and has been effective at getting the Tigers a quick play-the-ball. But, Clark does not his shirk his defensive duties either despite his energy-sapping runs in attack.
Against Leeds on Sunday, Clark was involved in almost all of the tackles in one particular set, busting a gut to bring the Rhinos' forwards down.
He is a committed player, determined and very strong and is showing just why the Championship is a breeding ground for Super League-quality talent. In his four appearances thus far, Clark has offered impact and enthusiasm off the substitutes' bench and, at the age of just 25, has the potential to be a real star in this already formidable Castleford pack.
