One more year at Roosters for Waerea-Hargreaves looking more and more likely

Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is close to putting pen to paper on a contract extension with the Sydney club he has spent the last 286 NRL matches representing, with expectations he will add at least one more year to his 14-year stay with the tricolours.

Whispers from around the powerhouse Bondi outfit—mostly recently reported by Nine Sports and The Daily Telegraph—suggest the New Zealand international will play on until the end of the 2024 NRL season on a 12-month extension.

The imposing prop was originally tipped to join Super League club the Catalans Dragons.

Waerea-Hargreaves staying will likely see fellow forward Matt Lodge left searching for a club with the Roosters already squeezed on the salary cap heading into next season. The Sporting Base has heard the impending departure of rugby-bound Joseph Sua’ali’i has done little to change things on the finance front and when it comes to Lodge (on around $800,00 right now) and Waerea-Hargreaves ($700,000) two simply don’t go into one.

The 34-year-old star is being paid around $700,000 this season as his deal comes to a close but will earn just a little less than that for 12 more months once he re-signs.

While the formal announcement is yet to be made, there is a palpable buzz around Sydney’s camp as Waerea-Hargreaves prepares to commit what is likely his final rugby league season to the club.

Just last week, the Roosters enforcer declared to the Sydney Morning Herald that he wants to see out his time with his Sydney club instead of one more year somewhere else in rugby league.

“I’ve been here 14 seasons now. It’s a club I really love, and hopefully, I can continue to enjoy my footy,” the 34-year-old said.

“The Roosters is all I know, it’s what I’m passionate about and I could definitely see myself going again.”

Incredibly, if ‘JWH’ continues his march with the Roosters until the end of next season, there’s every chance he could overtake Mitch Aubusson’s club record of 306 games. With 286 already under his belt as of May 10, the hulking 6’4” international star may well clear that by the time the mid-year State of Origin period rolls around in 2024.

He continued: “Going into the pre-season I just had, I wanted to give myself the best opportunity, whether it was finishing up this year or playing another year, you just want to finish on your terms. I’ll let my footy do the talking for now, and enjoy what I’m doing. I’ll make a decision over the next couple of weeks.

“I’m sore, but I’ve been sore for 10 years. It’s part and parcel. I love it. I fucking love it.”

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