Market Watch: Jared Waerea-Hargreaves opens up on NRL future
As he nears the midway point of his 15th NRL campaign, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves speaks about his plans for next season and how often he thinks about retirement.
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It is the Sydney Roosters or bust for Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
“I’ve been here 14 seasons now, it’s a club I really love and I’m passionate about, and hopefully I can continue to enjoy my footy,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.
“I know my role, I still get a massive kick off these younger boys. I’m probably the most immature out of all of them.
“I still love it, I really (do). I’m at an age where I just want to enjoy each week, and I’m really loving my footy.
“I can see myself playing on next year. It’s about staying mentally fresh, and hopefully the performances take care of (the future).”
Waerea-Hargreaves is coming to the end of his 15th season of his first grade. He has played more than 280 games at the top level and remarkably remains one of the most intimidating front rowers in the NRL.
Told he still puts the fear of God into his rivals, Waerea-Hargreaves said: “That’s because I’m an ugly bugger — I’m a scary-looking dude.
“I’ve been doing it a long time. I enjoy my role. I know what my role is in the team and at the club, I stay in my lane, and you get good at what you are good at. You don’t try and fake it or be someone you’re not.
“I remember (Steve) ‘Blocker’ Roach telling me when I was 22 or 23 how you don’t really know you’re game until you’ve hit 150 or so games.
“At that age I didn’t take it too seriously. Now I’m here, he was so right. You mature, you know your means and stay in your lane and try to get good at what you’re good at.
“When you’re younger you think you’re invincible. When you get older, you stick to what you know.
“I’ve thought about it (retirement) the past two or three years. But it’s also a really nice feeling. A lot of people put a lot of stress on themselves but I’ve found I have a lot of support around me and people who care about me, so it made the decision [to try and play on] easier.
“Going into the pre-season … I wanted to give myself the best opportunity, whether it was finishing up this year, or playing another year, you want to finish on your terms.”
At one point, it looked like that could finish his career in France. There was talk about a move to Super League with Catalans - coach Steve McNamara is a former Roosters assistant.
“But I have three young kids, they’re all in primary school, we have a lot of support with our family,” he said.
“As nice as the south of France sounds, it’s a big ask to go over there. The Roosters is all I know, it’s what I’m passionate about and I could definitely see myself going again, for sure.”
Family aside, the lure of 300 games in the NRL is tempting. He may even get there this season, although it would require the Roosters having an impact in the finals.
Waerea-Hargreaves will have something to say about that. If they Roosters are to go deep into September, they will need their front row enforcer fit and firing.
“It would be nice,’ Waerea-Hargreaves said of 300 games.
“It’s the last thing on my mind. Winning a comp is the priority. It would be nice to look back and say you reached a special number like that.
“Playing in the front row, as hard as it is every week, it would be nice. I’ll let my footy do the talking for now, and enjoy what I’m doing.
“I’ll make a decision over the next couple of weeks and go from there.”
TIGERS CONFIRM INTEREST IN WARRIORS STAR
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens has confirmed his club’s interest in Warriors veteran Shaun Johnson as they look to bolster their halves stocks for next season.
Johnson described the interest as “flattering” as the Tigers prepare to formalise an offer to Johnson whose deal with the Warriors expires at the end of this year.
“I haven’t heard anything (from the Tigers),” Johnson said. “It’s flattering. I’m off contract so everything is an option. All I will say is I’m loving my footy right now, I’m loving being a part of this group, I’m loving being a part of this environment, and what will be will be.”
The Tigers view Johnson as a short-term fix as they wait for some of their young halves to be ready for first grade. They have Luke Brooks and Brandon Wakeham off-contract while Adam Doueihi could miss the entire 2024 season as he makes his way back from another knee reconstruction.
Sheens confirmed the Tigers’ interest in the 32-year-old.
“Shaun Johnson has been discussed but that’s because we’ve lost Adam,” Sheens said. “We are down to two halfbacks of first-grade calibre. We aren’t talking about this year but I don’t think Adam will play much next year just quietly.
“Hopefully that isn’t the case, but we can’t count on him for next year. Whether or not he’ll leave New Zealand is another thing.
“It’s only one of a few discussions to be quite honest that we’ve got planned.”
Johnson has reinvented himself at the Warriors this year after a poor homecoming last year. There was talk he would retire but now it looks like he could play on.
Warriors coach Andrew Webster said they were yet to open discussions with their playmaker.
“Shaun and I have a good relationship,” Webster said “When the time comes to be brought up we will sit down and have a good conversation. We’re not crossing that bridge.”
SCHUSTER’S RE-SIGNING PLEA TO SEA EAGLES
Dean Ritchie
Under-fire from every direction, Manly’s Josh Schuster is “motivated by criticism” and would “absolutely entertain” being re-signed by the Sea Eagles long-term.
And it can also be revealed Sea Eagles teammate Haumole Olakau’atu was given a pay increase for this season worth nearly $200,000.
Schuster has endured another difficult week with critics targeting his attitude, weight and desire.
He wasn’t considered for Friday night’s Magic Round match against Brisbane with an ongoing quad injury and hasn’t been given a definitive return date.
Schuster’s contract for 2023 is worth $600,000 but lifts to $800,000 for next year, the final season of his deal at Brookvale.
“If anything, the criticism motivates Josh. He cops it sweet. He is happy at Manly and has ambitions at Manly to win a premiership. He is definitely staying,” said Schuster’s manager Mario Tartak.
“Clubs can talk to him from November 1 but he is at Manly against next year, 100 per cent. Josh isn’t going anywhere.”
Asked if Schuster could be a long-term Manly player, Tartak said: “I believe so.
“If the clubs want to re-sign Josh before November 1, we will absolutely entertain it.
“He is working his hardest to get back on the field but when he’s back is tricky. It could be next week, it could be the week after.
“I don’t know but it’s definitely not long. He is back running. I think his body just needed a reset to make sure he was ready to go again before hits the field.
“As Daly Cherry-Evans said, we are a better team with Schuster in it.”
If Manly isn’t negotiating the release of Josh Schuster, they should be.@DaveRic1 on why Manly must sever ties with $800k gun: https://t.co/rH1zZPOYJ3pic.twitter.com/5OnaWZ1qm0
— Telegraph Sport (@telegraph_sport) May 1, 2023
Manly struggled last week against Gold Coast without the attacking skills of Schuster and injured fullback Tom Trbojevic.
“We will have ‘Schuey’ back before Origin,” said Cherry-Evans. “I know he won’t be back this week or next week.
“Hopefully he is getting himself right. He’s working really hard at the club. He’s going really well so hopefully (his return) isn’t too far away.”
Olakau’atu, a NSW State of Origin candidate, comes off contract after 2025.
Aware his current deal was modest, given his blockbusting form, Manly agreed to a hefty pay rise for this season.
That figure can be revealed as nearly $200,000.
“Manly gave him an increase this year for 2023,” Tartak said. “It was a gesture of goodwill.
“We haven’t moved on ’24 or ’25. There aren’t any increases for those seasons just yet.
“But we would expect an increase for ’24 and ‘25 and that has been told to me.”
Olakau’atu is poised for another powerhouse display against the Broncos on Friday evening.
RAIDERS SET TO LOCKDOWN STARS AFTER WIGHTON LOSS
The $6m post-Jack fightback has started.
Canberra is locked in negotiations with five key first graders – and one boom colt – as the club looks to bounce back after Jack Wighton’s shock defection to Souths.
The development comes ahead of Friday night’s Magic Round game against Canterbury in Brisbane.
Raiders management hopes to lock down Emre Guler, Hudson Young, Sebastian Kris, Albert Hopoate and Tom Starling in coming weeks in a clear sign there is life after champion Wighton.
And talks are progressing about retaining young gun, Chevy Stewart.
Canberra is refusing to be caught flat footed after the Wighton setback.
Some of the players are off contract after this year, some following 2024, but the club wants to lock away the six players as soon as possible.
They have been offered deals varying from two to three years. Some are extensions and upgrades.
The combined cost of the six contracts is between $5m and $6m. Some players are further advanced in negotiations.
“We are moving forward,” said Canberra CEO Don Furner.
“We’re a development club and we would like to retain and extend these young players we have developed through our system.
“They are terrific young men and we would like to keep them as part of our future.”
Talks with these six players had commenced before Wighton announced he was leaving.
Young has become an established NRL player over the past two years and has been touted as a future representative player.
Starling has matured into a dangerous dummy half while Kris is proving elusive at centre and fullback.
“Seb has been one of our best this year,” Raiders forward Joe Tapine said on Wednesday.
“The stuff he does off the footy that people don’t probably notice, it’s huge. He’s got huge wraps from senior boys for what he has been doing.”
Hopoate will miss the Bulldogs game due to his sister’s wedding and will be replaced on the wing by Xavier Savage.
Stewart, 17, is a former Cronulla and Australian Schoolboy fullback. He has played SG Ball and NSW Cup.
Canberra continues to work hard to build and enhance their pathways systems.
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