Tigers ahead Stefano Utoikamanu has revealed what he mentioned to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves that sparked a “totally unneccesary” act from the Roosters enforcer that has him dealing with a prolonged suspension.
Waerea-Hargreaves is dealing with a possible seven-game ban over two separate prices from the Roosters’ 26-8 win over the Wests Tigers on Saturday, one in every of which was for a headbutt on Utoikamanu.
The Roosters had been cruising to victory when the prop shot out of the road and picked up Tigers captain Apisai Koroisau’s head with the highest of his chest.
The hit sparked a fracas with Waerea-Hargreaves additionally charged with placing over what gave the impression to be a headbutt on Utoikamanu.
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The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield first revealed on NRL 360 that Waerea-Hargreaves was “baited” by a few of the Tigers.
“I got told a couple of the Wests Tigers boys said to him ‘you’re washed up, you’re yesterday’s man’, when they were in that scuffle there,” Rothfield mentioned.
“They revved him up and he fell for it.”
That was backed up by Utoikamanu himself, who mentioned he had “tried to get into his head” — and that tactic appears to have labored.
“I saw him do that hit on Api and I got angry,” Utoikamanu mentioned, per The Sydney Morning Herald.
“Api’s our captain, and I tried to have his back. I know Jared is a nice bloke off the field, but he’s a bit of a grub on the field. I wanted to get into him a bit.
“I might have said something [about his age], calling him ‘old’, but I didn’t mean it. I tried to get into his head.
“He split himself because he headbutted my tooth. That’s how he got the cut on his head.
“If he wants to go [next time], I don’t care, I’ll go.
“When it comes to my teammates, I’ll always have their back, especially Api, he’s our captain – you need to have his back even more.”
JWH probably dealing with pricey ban | 04:41
The newest revelation comes after it was reported the Roosters are privately “filthy” at Waerea-Hargreaves after the “totally unnecessary” act left the legendary entrance rower dealing with a prolonged ban prone to spill into subsequent season.
According to a membership assertion, the entrance rower has pleaded responsible to his grade one placing cost for the headbutt, that means he’ll settle for the primary three video games of his ban.
However, the membership will contest the severity of his grade two harmful contract cost.
If succesful, Waerea-Hargreaves will escape with a high-quality.
If he’s discovered responsible on the judiciary, he can have an additional 4 video games added to his confirmed three video games on the sidelines.
Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall mentioned post-match Waerea-Hargreaves “got what he deserved” after additionally being sin-binned for the act. The New Zealand worldwide dangers a fair larger ban ought to he unsuccessfully contest the costs.
Rothfield strongly condemned Waerea-Hargreaves for leaving his group brief at such an important time with useless actions.
“Gosh it’s disappointing,” Rothfield mentioned on the Big Sports Breakfast on Monday.
“I put him in the top 10 front rowers I’ve ever seen in the NRL and that’s back over 40 years … but that game was in the bag, they’re playing the Wests Tigers, he’s 34 years of age. He’s played nearly 300 games and it was just totally unnecessary.
“He now looks like he won’t play any part in the finals if the Roosters make it and it’ll cost him a trip to Las Vegas next year.
“I’m told the club are quite filthy on him.
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“Look, he has been such an enforcer there. He’s like the bodyguard for their young halves … and he’s played such an important role for such a long period of time but I’ve suggested this morning he’s become a liability for the club.
“This happened at the backend of last season as well and for a guy who has been around as long as he has he’s got to learn to control his emotions.”
Rothfield mentioned it was the newest of a number of regarding incidents for the Roosters when it got here to self-discipline.
“There’s been a discipline problem at the Roosters for some time. Victor Radley, another player who has spent so much time on the sideline,” Rothfield mentioned.
“At the end of the year, I’m not sure if the Roosters are going to make the finals or not but when we do the wash-up on the Roosters’ season we’ll look back on ill-discipline and moments like this Wests Tigers game that they had in the bag.”
Source web site: www.foxsports.com.au
