No tears this time: Arrow tips Titans to be 'out for blood' in homecoming

Jai Arrow shed tears when he picked up the phone to tell Titans officials he wanted out of the club before Justin Holbrook even had a chance to coach the Maroons representative last season.

He was emotional again when he told his former teammates he had inked a four-year deal with South Sydney less than two months into his third pre-season at the club.

Arrow will return to Cbus Super Stadium on Friday night in a low-key reunion compared to the uproar the former Titans forward created when he announced his departure from the club in 2019.

The Titans fended off requests from the Rabbitohs to release Arrow early throughout the 2020 season given their marquee man's future was in Redfern.

"As a Gold Coast kid I've always wanted to see my hometown club do well and they've been playing some great footy," Arrow told NRL.com leading into this week's clash.

"It was no disrespect to the boys or the coaching staff there when I decided to leave. I loved working with them for the three years I was there but I just needed a change.

"Whether they thought otherwise, who knows, but I've had this one circled in for a while and I'm sure the boys who I've played with and the coaching staff will be out for blood with me, no doubt.

"And that's OK. I left everything out there on the field and hopefully it was on good terms.

"I'm just looking forward to the challenge of coming up against your old club and that feeling you get.

It should be an enjoyable experience, especially with my mum and family still up there. I'd be happy to catch up with all of them after the game."

The departures of several forwards, including Arrow, Ryan James and Bryce Cartwright, allowed for the Titans to chase boom forwards David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui.

While Fa'asuamaleaui (suspension) will be missing from the Titans line-up, the threat of Fifita is enough to have Arrow wary of his side's ability on home turf.

Close friend Jarrod Wallace, who originally helped lure Arrow away from the Broncos in 2018, has also returned to peak form.

And if recent history is anything to go by, Arrow will have to wait until midway through the first half to get on the field with Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett using the forward off the bench this season.

"That will be my job throughout the year and I'm happy to do that when we're winning games," Arrow said.

"I am absolutely loving the move to South Sydney, I think it's been the best change for myself and to be under Wayne again.

"I'm enjoying coming off the bench, it's much easier on the body and I'm able to bring the energy."