📰 Kiwis great Jared Waerea-Hargreaves announces rugby league retirement

Former New Zealand international Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has announced he will retire at the end of the English Super League season, bringing an end to a decorated 18-year career in rugby league.

The 36-year-old will hang up the boots having played a club-record 310 appearances for the Sydney Roosters, where he won three NRL grand finals, four minor premierships and three World Club Challenge titles.

He also played 33 tests for the Kiwis, including appearances in multiple Rugby League World Cups, playing a key role in the Kiwis’ run to the final in 2013. His last test came in 2022 at the World Cup against Ireland.

Waerea-Hargreaves also played six matches for the Manly Sea Eagles in his rookie NRL season in 2009, and he is currently with Hull Kingston Rovers in England, where he has made nine appearances.

“As I reflect on my journey and 18 seasons in rugby league, I have so much gratitude for the game itself,” Waerea-Hargreaves said.

“Rugby league has given me the honour of representing my country, life-long friends and memories that I’ll cherish forever.

“To Manly, thank you for giving me my first opportunity as an 18-year-old. To the Roosters, my home. Thank you to Robbo [Roosters coach Trent Robinson], [Roosters chairman] Nick [Nick Politis] and everyone who was a part of my time at the club, your support and guidance has shaped me into the player and more importantly, the man I am today.

“To my current club Hull KR, thank you for giving my family and I this opportunity. It has already exceeded all of our expectations and I am looking forward to finishing off the 2025 season with the lads.

“To the fans, I’ve been incredibly lucky to have been supported wherever I’ve played. Thank you for your support over the years.

“And finally, to my wife, kids and family. Thank you for your unwavering support every step of the way. I love you very much and look forward to our next chapter.”

Hull KR coach Willie Peters believes Waerea-Hargreaves should be considered one of the best props in the professional era of rugby league.

“He’s arguably one of the best front-rowers of all time,” Peters said.

“Jared’s standards are up there with the best I’ve seen. He helps drive our culture and intensity levels every day at Hull KR.

“This is fully Jared’s decision to retire at the end of the season. We were actually going to Amsterdam and that was the first time we spoke about it. When we spoke about 2026, Jared said he’d made his decision and he said by the end of the season it would be time.

“Jared deserves to retire on his terms. He certainly needs to go out on top of his game and he’s doing that at the moment.”

Waerea-Hargreaves won his three NRL titles in 2013, 2018 and 2019.

He’s also one of just seven New Zealanders to have played in over 300 NRL games, alongside Simon Mannering, Kieran Foran, Ruben Wiki, Adam Blair, Jesse Bromwich and Benji Marshall.

This article was first published on nzherald.co.nz and is republished here with permission