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How suspended Waerea-Hargreaves almost cruelled Watson’s Origin hopes
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves finished Sunday’s game against the Dragons with six stitches to a nasty cut on his head – but it could have been so much worse for his Sydney Roosters teammate Connor Watson.
Waerea-Hargreaves was hit with a four-match ban at the judiciary on Wednesday night for a high shot on St George Illawarra’s Max Feagai.
The front-rower would have been fined $3000 had he succeeded in having the tackle reduced to a grade one, but the grade-two offence increased his suspension from three matches to four matches.
This masthead can reveal it was Watson – not St George Illawarra Dragons prop Ben Murdoch-Masila – that left the Roosters’ record-breaker with blood streaming down his face before half-time on Sunday.
A couple of plays before Waerea-Hargreaves and Murdoch-Masila collided, the front-rower and Watson tried to stop Max Feagai.
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves after suffering a head injury against St George Illawarra.Credit: NRL Photos
Watson’s right hand landed straight on the top of Waerea-Hargreaves’ head, which caused the bloody mess.
The knock, however, caused Watson’s hand to immediately swell, and he arrived in NSW Origin camp with an ice pack to help with the swelling.
Watson has had a wretched run with injuries his entire career, and it would have been cruel to miss next Wednesday’s decider as a result of accidental fire with a teammate.
The utility is in no doubt for game three against Queensland, and was just grateful Waerea-Hargreaves – who played a record 307th game for the Roosters – did not take things personally.
“We thought we had a head clash when I got him, but after the game, the docs were telling me I got him with my hand,” Watson told this masthead.
Wipeout: Connor Watson in action at Urbnsurf on Tuesday.Credit: Nikki Short
“He even asked me if we had a head clash. It was a bit of payback for all the times he’s smashed me. I’m glad I got one back up on him.
“Every time I’ve split my head, he calls me ‘sausage skin’. I got into him for having sausage skin. My hand is sweet. It just filled with fluid. The ice was precaution. I’ll be sweet.”
Waerea-Hargreaves had just returned to the field after being sent to the sin-bin for a high shot on Feagai.
Watson was delighted his good friend and former housemate Kalyn Ponga had been picked to return for Queensland after one game back from a Lisfranc injury. To prove how close the pair are, Ponga was ready to fly to Melbourne to watch Watson make his Blues debut last month, only to stay behind to focus on his rehabilitation.
Like Watson, Ponga has endured more than his share of injuries.
“We’ve both been on these different journeys but similar ones in ways, and I’m excited to play against him next week,” Watson said.
“I know how hard he’s worked. He almost had to give it away last year because of head knocks, then he had the Lisfranc, so he’s shown a lot of resilience. When he’s played football for Newcastle, he’s been such a great player.”
The only injury concern for NSW is Bradman Best who pulled up with hamstring tightness, but is in no doubt.
Waerea-Hargreaves will return for the final three games of the season against the Gold Coast, Raiders and Souths.
The Bondi favourite refused to speak after the hearing. It was the 11th time Waerea-Hargreaves had fronted the judiciary and his seventh defeat.
His overall career record now features 27 matches in suspensions – or an entire NRL season. He has been charged 37 times.
The judiciary panel of Bob Lindner and Greg McCallum needed 20 minutes to reach a verdict.
NRL counsel Lachlan Gyles argued the tackle deserved to be a grade two because of the moderate level of force, that the degree of carelessness was at the higher end of the scale, and that there was a “moderate risk of injury because of the force”.
The fact Waerea-Hargreaves’ left leg came off the ground was further proof he had “lost control” in the tackle, said Gyles.
New Zealand Warriors forward Mitch Barnett’s high shot on Canberra’s Jordan Rapana was used as a comparable tackle.
Waerea-Hargreaves’ lawyer James McLeod said Barnett’s tackle was worse because it involved a swinging arm, and the Roosters’ enforcer’s initial contact with Feagai was “body on body”. He said there was “minor secondary force” to the head.
The Roosters prop was not required to give evidence during the 80-minute hearing.
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