Carlaw Park Die Hards Podcast Episode 4 Clayton Friend

CLAYTON FRIEND — THE MAGNIFICENT #7** Kia ora whānau — welcome back to the Carlaw Park Die Hards Podcast! I’m Troy Hardy, joined by my co-host, the walking rugby-league almanac himself… Gordon “Gordy” Gibbons. And today… mate… we have cooked up an absolute beauty. This is Episode Four, and we’re sitting down with one of the great entertainers of New Zealand rugby league — Clayton “The Magician” Friend. A Kiwi icon. A North Sydney Bear. A UK journeyman who carved up at Carlisle Rugby League and tore it up at Whitehaven. A man who lit up tests, tour matches, and club footy with the kind of natural flair you just cannot coach. Clayton didn’t just wear the seven — he made it sparkle. Today, me and Gordy dive deep with him into: • His unforgettable days in the New Zealand Kiwis jersey • The old-school Carlaw Park battles where the terraces shook • His time with the North Sydney Bears and why that era was so special • Life and league in the UK with Carlisle and Whitehaven • The test matches where Clayton was on fire, carving up edges with those dummies, steps and pure instinct • The players he rated, the moments he lived, and the magic only he could produce This is pure rugby league gold — the stories that shaped the game on both sides of the world. So buckle up, settle in, and let Troy & Gordy take you back to the places and moments that made Clayton Friend a name etched forever in league history. Episode 4 — Clayton Friend Where legends were born… and warriors were made. Let’s go.