The form of the Sydney Roosters’ “heart and soul” Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has highlighted a salary cap predicament for the club amid talk he should continue playing on beyond this season.
The 34-year-old is off contract at season’s end and with many expecting he would be close to retirement, the Roosters have already begun planning for the future by signing Penrith’s Spencer Leniu from next season.
However veteran Daily Telegraph reporter Phil Rothfield said Waerea-Hargreaves’ sensational form — he ran from 180m in Thursday’s win over Parramatta — should force a rethink.
“Jared is the heart and soul of that club and you can see when he’s on the field and ready to come on, he’s the security blanket for that side as well. He means so much to that football team,” Rothfield said on the Big Sports Breakfast on Monday.
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“… It’s a really, really tough one for the Roosters because .. his contract finishes this year and the club has already spent his money on Spencer Leniu from Penrith.”
Rothfield suggested Waerea-Hargreaves playing on could mean another veteran prop, Matt Lodge, does not get offered a contract extension beyond this year.
“They also have Matt Lodge off contract so it may have to come down to Jarrod staying on because he’s been such a wonderful player since joining the club in 2009 .. maybe Matt Lodge is going to have to be the one that misses out,” Rothfield said.
“Even the Roosters have a salary cap squeeze every now and then .. Suaalii leaving frees up a lot of money but that’s not next year.
“Jarrod deserves to stick around there … He’s playing some sensational football, he’s the heart and soul of that club but there’s a lot of thinking to do there for the Roosters retention committee.”
NRL legend and Big Sports Breakfast co-hot Laurie Daley said Waerea-Hargreaves could be a key component in the Roosters’ premiership bid.
“I think whileever he’s there they think they can win and without him they probably lose that a bit,” Daley said.
