NRL star Jake Clifford will go into this weekend’s finals series with a massive spring in his step – after he became a dad on Father’s Day.
The 23-year-old Newcastle Knights playmaker was driven 1300km to arrive by his wife Stephanie’s side just 55 minutes before she birthed their beautiful baby girl, Naivy, at Mater Mothers’ Private Hospital Townsville on Sunday.
The North Queenslander, who transferred to the Hunter-based club from the Cowboys mid-season, was granted an exemption from his team bubble to travel back to Townsville for the birth.
“The couple had been expecting Naivy to arrive today [Monday],” obstetrician Sally Aubrey said.
“But, she came a day early to give her dad the best possible Father’s Day surprise.”
Clifford only just made the birth after he began a 15-hour journey from Brisbane to Townsville, straight after his team’s loss to the Broncos on Saturday afternoon.
A Knights employee drove him to Rockhampton, where the goalkicking half’s father met him and drove the dad-to-be to Townsville.
He then arrived at Mater Mothers at 9am – just 55 minutes before Naivy was born.
His daughter weighed 2.6kg and Mater midwives say mum and baby are both doing well.
Clifford, who was born in Cairns and raised in Tully, will leave his new family this evening to return to the Knights’ bubble on the Sunshine Coast in a two-seater chartered plane.
Newcastle will take on the Parramatta Eels in Rockhampton on Sunday in the first week of finals.
“We are very excited Naivy was born at Mater Mothers’ Townsville on Father’s Day,” Mater Private Hospital Townsville executive officer Libbie Linley said.
“We wish Jake the best of luck this weekend.
“He can be sure that Mater will take great care of his precious young family.”
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