Jai Arrow: Warriors lock Erin Clark sick to his stomach after learning of former teammate’s MND diagnosis
New Zealand Warriors forward Erin Clark said he was sick to his stomach when he heard South Sydney’s Jai Arrow retired from the NRL after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease.
Arrow and the Rabbitohs announced the decision after the player had gone through months of testing and treatment for the illness.
“On medical advice, I am not currently medically cleared to train or play at the required level, and I will be stepping away from those duties while I focus fully on my health, treatment and rehabilitation,” Arrow said.
Erin Clark and Arrow played together at the Gold Coast Titans and the Kiwis forward said he was shocked to hear the news.
“To be honest, I was sick to my stomach,” Clark said.
“I didn’t see it until this morning, I got no social media, and then one of the boys spoke about it.
“The type of person Jai is, he looked after me as a young fella coming through and just to see him the way he was, it didn’t make me feel too good and if he sees this, I just want to wish him all the best and all us players support him all the way, so I hope he beats it.”
Clark and Arrow played together for the Titans in 2020, when the Kiwi made 10 appearances for the Gold Coast-based side, while Arrow made 18 appearances, with the team finishing in ninth place.
Arrow has played 178 NRL games since his 2016 debut and represented Queensland in State of Origin 12 times, winning the series in 2020, 2022 and 2023.
The 30-year-old thanked fans for their support over the past few months and asked for support, understanding and privacy while he and his family navigated this period of his life.
Rugby league has seen some high-profile cases of motor neurone disease (MND) diagnoses recently, with former Maroon Carl Webb having died of the disease in 2023 aged 42.
Former England halfback Rob Burrow died in 2024, five years after his diagnosis, but raised millions with former teammate Kevin Sinfield to help build a new care centre for MND patients.