Comment on Daryl Clark's departure from Warrington Wolves

The fact it has come with the team in the midst of poor form as well will only increase the angst many feel about it.

“How could this have been allowed to happen?” many have asked. “Why was more not done to keep him?”

Valid questions from an already-frustrated fan base as news breaks of them losing a player who has consistently been among their best to their near neighbours.

Daryl Clark in action against St Helens - the team he will join from next season (Image: Mike Boden)

In truth, though, this was a tipping point Warrington were always going to reach.

In Clark and Danny Walker, they have two international-class hookers on their books – one who has been among the competition’s leading number nines for several years and another whose career is on a steep upward trajectory.

While Wire would have dearly loved to keep both as they have done for a number of years, doing so gets harder and harder as time went on.

In a salary-capped sport, there was always going to come a point where it was going to be one or the other.

That is not to say Warrington have stood idly by while Saints have swooped for their number nine – it is believed Clark was offered fresh terms to take him past the Testimonial threshold – but it is clear their faith in Walker to step up and be the club’s undisputed first choice is absolute with Brad Dwyer – a proven Super League performer in his own right – is set to re-join to provide an interchange option.

Only time will tell whether or not it proves to be the right move, but Wire are clearly looking to the future in backing the younger man in Walker to take them forward.

Only Clark will know the true reasoning behind his decision to leave, but the likelihood is that it will be something very simple and not at all sinister.

Maybe Wire’s offer was good, but Saints’ was simply better? Maybe after nine years at one club, he fancies a new challenge? Maybe the prospect of being anointed as the man to replace a true icon of the northern hemisphere game in James Roby was too good to turn down?

All would be valid reasons for moving on but as mentioned at the top of the piece, none of them make the news easier to stomach for supporters who have marvelled at his dummy-half wizardry for the best part of a decade, even if they have had several months to make peace with the idea.

While Walker has been among the team’s best and most consistent performers this year, Clark would also fall into that bracket despite spending a good portion of the campaign playing out of position.

Wire’s structure and organisation with the ball appears better when Clark is in his natural position and despite being troubled by his fair share of injuries, there still appears to be plenty in the tank and his presence in the dressing room is a pivotal one.

It is a lot to lose, but a man of Clark’s character and drive will no doubt double down on efforts to make sure he leaves the club with whom he has spent the majority of his career with more than just a Challenge Cup winner’s medal from 2019.

His long-term future may lie elsewhere, but he remains a key part in ensuring his last season in primrose and blue ends up being one to remember.

Daryl Clark is mobbed after capping his Lance Todd Trophy-winning display in the 2019 Challenge Cup Final with the winning try against St Helens (Image: Mike Boden)