Maroons great Gorden Tallis has compared NRL enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to former teammates and NRL legends Shane Webcke, Petero Civoniceva and Glenn Lazarus in a glowing endorsement ahead of this weekend’s record-breaking appearance.
Waerea-Hargreaves will become the most-capped Roosters player in 116 years when he runs out against the Dragons in game 307 at Allianz Stadium on Sunday surpassing club stalwart Mitch Aubusson.
“Webcke, Petero, Lazo, I think he’s equal with all those guys,” Tallis said on NRL 360 on Wednesday night.
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JWH 307 – ROOSTERS RECORD BREAKER
Monday 7.30pm, a Fox League Exclusive – Cooper Cronk speaks with enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Trent Robinson & Nick Politis about JWH’s journey to a record-breaking 307 games for the Roosters.
“He intimidates. When you’re playing you’ve got a front-rower who sets the standard and he sets the standard.
“No matter what game he plays, no matter who he’s playing, Jared’s always setting the standard. I heard Nick Politis talk about him and he’ll be up on the wall with Arthur Beetson who played at that club.”
It’s a staggering record for a prop to set, let alone at a foundation club.
The 35-year-old debuted for Manly in 2009, playing six games before being lured to Bondi ahead of the 2010 season where he’s since claimed three NRL Premierships (2013, 2018,2019).
Premiership-winning teammate and club legend Boyd Cordner said Waerea-Hargreaves epitomised everything the Roosters stood for.
“I can remember it was the end of the game (2018 Grand Final) and I just saw him and everything coming out all at once and to have it with him that moment was just crazy,” Cordner said.
“And I was so glad to reach the mountain with him and to go on and do it the next year as well.”
Regarded as one of the NRL’s hardest men, Corder said Waerea-Hargreaves’ mere presence was enough to inspire the best from his teammates.
“Running out beside him you just feel ten feet taller and that much more confident that you’re going to win the game because he is in your team,” he said.
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“Jazza’s presence, I’ve never felt anything like it from another player. His personality and who he is as a person.
“He can be this big gentle giant off the field and this big cuddly bear but when he gets on the field he’s just a different beast.
“And for him to be able to separate the two it’s hard to believe.”
Roosters chairman Nick Politis said Waerea-Hargreaves’ transformation from his arrival as a cocky newcomer to club patriarch had been a pleasure to witness.
“When he came over from Manly he was pretty fancy with some of the gear he was wearing,” he said.
“He had the sleeveless basketball jersey and was even wearing a little diamond stud (in his ear) – we’ve sort of moved on from that and now as you see him he struts around like a true warrior.
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“Jared’s a man who is a fantastic person. People see him as a bit of a maybe a dirty player, but he’s not a dirty player.
“He plays it tough and off the field he’s a gentle giant and a beautiful person, great family guy, great leader in the club on and off the field.
“He mentors a lot of the young players who join the club and overall is a great person to have around.”
In a fitting tribute to the prop his New Zealand teammates performed a moving Haka in his honour to an eerily empty Allianz Stadium.
Waerea-Hargreaves is currently in his final NRL season and will join UK Super League club Hull KR for their 2025 campaign.