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'Wants an Origin gig': Startling claims about NRL referee moment

Riley Morgan
·Sports Reporter
·3-min read
Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (pictured right) arguing with referee Gerard Sutton (pictured left).
Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (pictured right) was sent to the bin by Gerard Sutton (pictured left) during his team's loss to the Panthers. (Getty Images)

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has escaped a ban for his rant at referee Gerard Sutton on the weekend, despite NRL great Michael Ennis calling out the pair over the incident.

Waerea-Hargreaves received 10 in the bin during the Roosters' 32-12 loss against reigning premiers the Panthers.

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Collecting James Fisher-Harris high as the Panthers prop crossed to score late, Waerea-Hargreaves exploded as he was called out to be placed on report and told Penrith would be awarded a potential eight-point try.

Waerea-Hargreaves was not charged for the tackle by the MRC.

He could be heard accusing Sutton of having a vendetta against him, claiming his reputation has contributed to the call.

"Do you reckon every opportunity you get to put me on report (you do). Don't you reckon? I'm just saying," Waerea-Hargreaves could be heard telling Sutton.

"Every time, bro. Every f***king time. It's not fair.

"Every f***ing time, every time."

Following the incident, Fox Sports commentator and NRL great Ennis has claimed Sutton might have been cracking down on the back chat ahead of a potential State of Origin role.

“Jarrod certainly clipped him high there is no doubt about that. I don’t think it was ever going to be a sin bin, but the fact that Jared approached him in the manner that he did, Gerard Sutton wasn’t having any of that," Ennis said on Fox Sports.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (pictured middle) is sent to the sin bin by referee Gerard Sutton (pictured left).
Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (pictured middle) is sent to the sin bin by referee Gerard Sutton (pictured left).(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images) (Matt King via Getty Images)

“Gerard checks everything leading into Origin because he wants an Origin gig and he will check everything, every try, every penalty.

“He doesn’t want to be the centre-piece of any controversy that could potentially have a grand final or Origin game taken away from him.”

The veteran forward was only fined $1800 after the Match Review Committee on Sunday handed him a grade one contrary conduct charge.

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Ennis suggested Roosters coach Trent Robinson would be disappointed in Waerea-Hargreaves' conduct towards the referee.

And Robinson admitted it warranted a punishment.

"You can't speak that way ... he didn't swear at him, he didn't abuse him," Robinson said.

"But he obviously swore in that bit there, and if that is unacceptable, then that is fine.

Retiring NRL player Michael Ennis (pictured right) thanks the crowd before the 2017 NRL Grand Final match.
Former NRL player Michael Ennis (pictured right) weighed-in on the drama during the Roosters and Panthers match. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images) (Cameron Spencer via Getty Images)

"And Jared is also right.

"Guys hits guys around the chops all the time, how many eight-point tries have we seen from guys diving in the corner and getting hit in the head?

"If that is James Tedesco doing that he is not on report, that's not a reportable high tackle."

with AAP

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