‘Heart and soul of this club’: JWH hailed as the best front-rower in the NRL era as he prepares to bring up mind-blowing milestone

Jake Friend spent a decade rooming with Jared Waerea-Hargreaves when the Roosters played away from home, which means he didn’t have to spend years tackling the warhorse who he says is the “best modern age front-rower” and will bring up 300 NRL appearances against the Rabbitohs on Friday night.

After a short stint with Manly in 2009, Waerea-Hargreaves has developed into one of the most feared and consistent forwards in the world, with the 35-year-old robbed of the 2019 Clive Churchill Medal in many people’s eyes.

Reaching 300 games is an incredible achievement for a middle forward who has had his fair share of suspensions and injuries, while he’s put his body through the wars like few before him have.

Plenty of opposition forwards have tried to take him on, and while others have been quick to write him off, the Kiwis international has answered every challenge thrown his way and will do exactly the same against the old enemy in his milestone match.

“I think he’s the best modern age front-rower,” Friend said.

“Being there next to him and seeing what he did every day at training, on the field and behind the scenes, he’s the best.

“He’s a club man, he’s a family man and he’s a larrikin, but he’s also an absolute professional and the hard man of the Roosters and the NRL.

“To be able to have all those traits and still be called a larrikin or a good bloke is what makes him so unique.”

Friend packed down next to the powerhouse prop countless times, with the former Roosters skipper praising his great mate for constantly evolving his game to keep up with the new rules and to ensure the NRL doesn’t pass him by.

“Front-rowers get touted as not being the smartest blokes, but he knows exactly what he needs to do to be an elite NRL player,” he said.

“He’s just gone about his business and done it, and whenever there was cause for change, he’d just go about it in the pre-season and do it.

“There have been times in his career when people have said he’s too old and he’s past it, but he just continues to prove them wrong. He refuses to bow down to anyone.”

Roosters skipper James Tedesco has spoken in the past about how he feels safe playing alongside the three-time premiership winner who has seen hundreds of rivals come and go since he debuted 15 years ago.

“He’s the heart and soul of this club, and he’s put his body through so much during those 300 games, so it’s hard to believe he keeps doing it week in and week out,” he said.

“If he misses half a session because he can’t run, then he’ll flog himself on the bike. For the age he is now, you’d think you could give your body a rest, but that’s not in his mindset.

“People probably counted him out after those rule changes and the game getting faster, but that just meant Jared worked harder and he got himself fitter and leaner.”

Waerea-Hargreaves has earnt a reputation as someone who crosses the line far too often, and while he has been charged more than he would have liked, his reputation on the field is nothing like the gentle giant you see away from the game.

“The opinion of him would have changed around Roosters fans over the years,” Friend said.

“If you’re at an event, then you’ll see that he’s the first one there and the last to leave. He chats to everyone and he has time for everyone.

“He’s the big, bad front-rower when you see him on the tele, but he’s a great family man who has the perfect blend of professionalism and when to have a joke.”