It was strange, he thought, especially given it was his birthday. But Shane Richardson was not there to offer his birthday wishes. He was there to tell him his boyhood club was letting him go at the end of the 2018 season.

“I didn’t know what to say, I was just in shock,” 29-year-old Clark said. “I called my dad and my wife but I didn’t really know what to think.”

Clark will play the remainder of this season for the Bunnies before relocating his family to the north of England to play for the Warrington Wolves.

It’s been quite a journey for Clark, who was only ever going to play for one team. Brought up in Botany, his dad works on the wharves and, as a boy, he was among the 80,000 who marched on Sydney Town Hall in 1999 to call for the Rabbitohs’ reinstatement to the NRL. Clark has the cardinal and myrtle running through his veins. So preparing for life away from Redfern has been tough.

“Every time I play this season I make sure I walk around, say thank you to everyone and soak it all in. I know any game could be my last,” he said.

Looking back he’s thankful for Richardson revealing his fate more than a year ago as it enabled him to plan for the future.

Clark started out at age four with the Coogee Randwick Wombats.

He remembers staying in his kit after training on Saturday mornings and playing on the pitch at halftime at Rabbitohs’ home games. As it is for many, footy growing up was a father, son experience. “We would go to the games together and he took me on the town hall march. I remember walking the whole way and us stopping off to get lemonade.”

He went up through the grades and played in the National Youth Competition for the Rabbitohs as a teenager. In 2009 he made his debut in the NRL in the Souths’ 41-6 win against the Dragons.

He’s made more than 150 appearances since then, although it hasn’t been easy.

Clark has never been flashy, never a star player. He is a workhorse who has had to fight for his place.

“It is tough mentally being in and out of the team,” he said. “Sometimes you get dropped and you have no idea why. I just tell myself ‘you’re not the first person this has happened to and you won’t be the last’. It’s a rollercoaster.”

Clark has always turned to his family for support, who have been with him every step of the way.

“Rain, hail or shine they are there. My dad sits behind the posts on his own so he doesn’t get distracted. My mum sits on the side usually with my sisters. I can always hear her when I’m playing.”

Then there is his wife, Lauren, and their three girls Milla, Andi and Billie.

“It is a big burden on her. When we play away sometimes we can be gone for three, four days a week. I miss them but Facetime is great. I always like to see them in the morning and when I go to bed.”

Clark’s career highlight is Souths’ Premiership win in 2014.
He missed the first four weeks of the season through injury but then went on to play a key role in the club’s first Premiership since 1971.

He remembers the day of the Grand Final as if it were yesterday.

“We had a team breakfast in Clovelly, there were 10 to 13 of us there. Then we just went home and got everything ready as if it was any other game. Madge (Michael Maguire, then coach) did really well to keep us in check.

“When we got out there the Bulldogs took a while to come out. I think that worked really well for us.

“It gave us time to have a look around and work it all out.”

The Rabbitohs romped home 30-6 winners with Clark coming off the bench.

“It was a great day but it went so quickly.

“I remember when we went back to the Juniors and the whole road was blocked off. There were so many people there, it was like the march back in 1999. It had been 43 years since our last so it was very special.”

Like every NRL player Clark has had his fair share of injuries with bent fingers, a shattered ankle, damaged knee and multiple cuts and black eyes.

Perhaps the worst — and one that only raised his standing among fans — was the horrific gash to the head he suffered against Paramatta in 2016.

He felt a trickle of claret running down his face after a clash of heads with Isaac De Gois.

But Clark picked himself up and carried on. Little did he know the huge gash had left part of his skull exposed and the Rabbitohs’ trainer made it clear he was taking no further part in the game.

“It wasn’t too bad,” Clark said. “The doc stitched the muscle and skin up at half time. The biggest problem was the swelling. I couldn’t close my eye.”

The resulting photo of a stitched up Clark went viral with the obvious comparisons to a baseball.

But Clark was determined not to lose his place in the side and lined up the following week.

One of the many reasons Clark loves playing for the Rabbitohs is the club’s close connection to the community.

“That is really important to me,” he said. “It doesn’t matter who you are, we all do our bit. Madge helped put that in place.

“Whether you are Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds or one of the new players, you go and do the school visits and the hospital visits. I think that is really important.”

When it was announced Clark was being let go, Bunnies fan Toby Strace launched a petition, which to date has more than 4500 signatures. It was an incredible reaction as by his own admission he is no Inglis or Burgess. But supporters recognised his passion, his loyalty and his skill. As one signatory argued “every club needs a Jason Clark”.

“It was incredible. Deep down I wished it could have helped. I just want to say thank you to all the fans who have been amazing over the years. They’ve stuck by me.”

Clark is preparing for the next chapter of his life, having signed a two-year deal with Warrington.

“I’ve been speaking to our Pommy boys and they keep telling me how cold it’s going to be. But I’m really looking forward to it. It’s a great opportunity and I hope I can take my game to the next level over there.

“They’ve been great over there. I’ve had the owner, CEO, coach and one of the ladies who looks after those at the club getting in touch to make sure everything is going well.”

What he does when he retires he doesn’t yet know. “I’ve got my carpentry and I’m about to do a coaching course.”

Whatever he decides, and wherever he ends up, he’ll always be one of us.

QUICK FIRE QUESTIONS

Best player you’ve played with?

That’s tough. I’d say Greg Inglis or Sam Burgess. They play different positions so I think I can get away with two.

Best player you’ve played against?

Cameron Smith or Jonathan Thurston. They always seem to have so much time on the ball.

Hardest hitter?

Greg again. If you are near him or the twins in training you get out the way.

Who is the best trainer?

Adam Reynolds, especially with his kicking, He’s very diligent.

Where do you keep your Premiership ring?

At my mum and dad’s house.

What would you do if you weren’t a professional footy player?

I’ve got my carpentry so I’d probably have been a carpenter.

If you could rescue one thing from your house in a fire (your family are already safe)?

My daughter Milla’s art. She writes me letters and draws pictures of us together. Or my wife’s ThermoMix. It cost $2500.