Clark: We were written off

Correspondent

Warrington hooker Daryl Clark says many people wrote the Wolves off after the Challenge Cup but they have defied the critics to earn their place at Old Trafford.

After the disappointment at Wembley and with a large injury toll, few tipped Warrington to beat Hull away from home to win the League Leader’s Shield.

But the Wire did that and then knocked off St Helens to make the grand final.

“Wembley was very disappointing,” Clark admitted to Love Rugby League.

“It makes it more disappointing the position we were in – 10-0 up with 10 minutes to go. To think we were that close to winning it and to then throw it away.

‘To be in another final and to get another shot at winning something is what I’m looking forward to it.

‘The last couple of weeks we’ve been written off by a lot of people. But the young lads at Hull that stepped in, they’ve done a great job.

“They’ve really helped us out and stood up.

“And the same again the following week in the semi-final, to put a couple of young lads in there in two massive games and they’ve stepped up and done the job done, it’s a credit to Warrington and the system there.”

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Clark believes the future is bright for Warrington regardless of the result at Old Trafford with the likes of the King brothers, Declan Patton, Ben Currie, Sam Wilde, Jack Hughes, Matty Russell and Joe Philbin all of a young age.

“Over the last couple of weeks the average age of the team has been 24, 25,” he said.

“If you look at it that way it’s a very strong, young team.

“Season on season we’ll hopefully improve and get better and better.”

Clark joined Warrington in 2015 from Castleford. While the hooker may not be a Wire product, he can appreciate the club’s long wait for a grand final and knows what it mean to the long-suffering fans in they secured victory over Wigan.

“I’ve not been part of the ones that they’ve lost but to be part of the first team from Warrington that wins a grand final, obviously it puts you name down in history,” he said.

“It would be pretty special.”