Why Jared Waerea-Hargreaves faces nervous wait over tackle that could end career
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in action for Hull KR in 2025
Hull KR star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ season – and indeed career – could suffer a premature end, with his fate now in the hands of the Match Review Panel.
Waerea-Hargreaves will retire at the end of the season, bringing the curtain down on an illustrious career which began back in 2009 with Manly Sea Eagles.
The Kiwi icon will turn 37 in January, and has spent the last year of his career in Super League with KR.
Having already lifted the Challenge Cup, the Robins went into Friday night’s clash at home against Warrington Wolves just needing to avoid a defeat to lift the Super League Leaders’ Shield for the first time ever.
And though it looks like they will get the job done, it may have come at the cost of his career for Waerea-Hargreaves after his first half high shot on Wire winger Josh Thewlis.
Why Jared Waerea-Hargreaves faces nervous wait over tackle that could end career
Two mitigations saw the veteran escape any further punishment on the night than the penalty which was awarded against him, but the Match Review Panel will now decide whether or not that offence requires any penalty points to be added to his tally.
If the MRP decide it does warrant any points, Waerea-Hargreaves will be banned for two games as he will go back past the recurring tally of 12.
Ahead of kick-off on Friday night, having recently served a two-game ban, the prop had 11 penalty points on his record.
The minimum figure that can be added to a record by the MRP for one offence is a single point, but even that would take Waerea-Hargreaves back up to 12.
A tally of 12 points brings a two-match ban, and would see him suspended for both the Robins‘ semi-final tie as well as the Grand Final, should Willie Peters’ side make it that far.
There are no reserves games between now and KR’s semi-final tie, which will take place at Craven Park on October 4 as long as they see the job through and cement top spot.
The club could, of course, appeal any decision to hand Waerea-Hargreaves any penalty points for the incident.
