Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to challenge tripping charge at NRL judiciary
Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will head to the NRL judiciary — again — just a week after escaping another charge.
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Sydney Roosters star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will head to the NRL judiciary for the second time in a week after pleading not guilty to tripping.
Waerea-Hargreaves will on Tuesday night challenge the grade-one charge that threatens to rub him out of the club’s preliminary final in a fortnight.
Should he be successful, he will be available to face Melbourne or the team that wins the second elimination final between Parramatta and Brisbane.
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If Waerea-Hargreaves is unsuccessful, he will miss one match, meaning he would be available for the grand final if the Roosters progress.
The Roosters prop was charged despite not being penalised for an apparent trip on South Sydney centre James Roberts in their qualifying final.
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The charge normally attracts a fine, however, Waerea-Hargreaves has already accrued the maximum amount of monetary punishments this season.
Waerea-Hargreaves’ fate will again be in the hands of the judiciary panel, having last week overcome a high-tackle charge to face the Rabbitohs.
Meanwhile, Canberra forward Joseph Tapine is set to avoid suspension despite being charged with dangerous contact in Saturday’s upset of Melbourne. Tapine was on Sunday slapped with a grade-one charge for an alleged chicken-wing tackle on Storm utility Brandon Smith in the 40th minute.
But he can escape a ban with an early guilty plea and be free to play in the Raiders’ preliminary final against South Sydney or Manly.
“It was accidental,” Tapine said.
“Brandon’s arm went back a bit and they said report for chicken wing. We’ll have a look at it, there was no intention or anything, he’s a good mate. I hope it doesn’t cost me.
“It’s an important time of the year and some people get off with worse than that, so we’ll see.”
Canberra teammate Jordan Rapana was not charged despite being put on report for a lifting tackle on Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster.