Why Knights enforcers want revenge on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves

David Klemmer wasn’t on the field at the time but from the bench he just sat there shaking in anger, and Steve Roach reckons the Knights big man and Daniel Saifiti will be revved up.

David Klemmer will be fired up to take on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images

Steve “Blocker” Roach knows better than most what gets under the skin of an angry NRL front-rower.

And the former rugby league hard man reckons Newcastle coach Nathan Brown will have his NSW bookends David Klemmer and Daniel Saifiti revved up for revenge when they run out against Jared Waerea-Hargreaves at the SCG today.

With the Sydney Roosters enforcer’s recent dangerous tackle on superstar fullback Kalyn Ponga fresh in their minds, Roach predicted: “I think Brownie will probably show them the video of him going at Ponga and trying to take out the best player and Klem and Saifiti will be up for it.”

While the tackle ultimately ended in Waerea-Hargreaves serving a two-match suspension, on the field officials claimed “we don’t have a problem ... it was just contact on the ground”.

Jared Waera-Hargreaves didn’t miss Kalyn Ponga last time the two teams clashed. Picture: Getty Images

But the replays were damning with Ponga heavily concussed as an all-in push and shove escalated around him.

Klemmer wasn’t on the field at the time but from the bench he just sat there shaking in anger.

Waerea-Hargreaves has been in brutal form of late and also found himself in more strife after launching his head again at North Queensland firebrand Josh McGuire after he had steamrolled McGuire last Sunday in Gosford.

Despite facing another two-match suspension, Waerea-Hargreaves surprisingly beat the charge at the judiciary after claiming self-preservation.

Former Knights prop Tony Butterfield wrote in his Newcastle newspaper column this week that it was time for the Knights’ forwards to “exact their own retribution” with Waerea-Hargreaves today.

Roach has no doubt it will be personal.

“For sure. He sort of skates on the edge, Waerea-Hargreaves,” Roach said.

“The good thing about (Waerea-Hargreaves) is that he goes after blokes.

“A lot of people would probably shy away from that but that is what makes him so good I reckon.

“He picks out the opposition and goes, ‘righto, I will test myself against this bloke and let’s see how we go’.”

David Klemmer will be fired up to take on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images

Saturday’s clash is crucial for both teams with the Roosters now in fourth spot while the Knights are sitting seventh and looking a little shaky after losing their last two games against the Bulldogs and Warriors.

This will be the first time the Roosters have fielded their top spine of James Tedesco, Luke Keary, Cooper Cronk and Jake Friend since way back in round one.

Since falling 38-12 to the Knights in round 11, the Roosters have dropped four of six but Roach believes with the reigning premiers now back at full strength they will start to make charge.

“It happens when the season is so long, every side has that mid-season slump,” Roach said.

James Tedesco is back for the Roosters. Picture: Getty Images

“They have had problems with Origin and injuries but I am expecting them to get on a roll now. They have their spine back and Waerea-Hargreaves will look at this as a big challenge, because the Roosters have to start get going.”

It’s also Mitchell Pearce’s first game against Cronk since round three last year which the Roosters won easily.

Pearce has been in terrific form this year and starred in the last clash between the clubs which Cronk didn’t play and Keary suffered a serious concussion early in the match.

The Knights haven’t made the NRL finals since 2013 but a win today will keep them in the fight for a top four finish.

Originally published as Why Knights enforcers want revenge on Jared Waerea-Hargreaves