Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is expected to make a big impact on the field for Hull KR in 2025, but he has already been making one off it.
The former New Zealand international was the Robins’ marquee signing for the upcoming Betfred Super League season and is set to make his highly anticipated home bow in Friday’s season opener against Castleford Tigers.
Waerea-Hargreaves had his first competitive Hull KR outing in the 44-2 win away to Betfred Championship side York Knights in the Betfred Challenge Cup third round last week and head coach Peters believes he has already elevated the levels in the squad.
- Hull KR head coach Peters wants new duo to unleash aggression
- Like and subscribe to rugbyleaguehub.com on YouTube
“He’s been huge,” Peters told rugbyleaguehub.com. “It was his presence about him and his aura initially, but just watching him train and seeing how he goes about his business, he’s only got one level and that’s 100 percent.
“That’s what you want because you want your sessions to be like that.
“He’s lifted others around him to be better with their training standards and the younger guys, so that’s what he brings that people don’t see.
“But they’ll obviously see what he can bring on the field with changing the momentum of games with his physicality and carry and that sort of thing.”
Along with earning 33 caps for the Kiwis, Waerea-Hargreaves is a three-time NRL champion and has over 300 games in the competition from 15 season playing in Australia’s top competition with both Manly Sea Eagles and Sydney Roosters.
Peters believes that level of experience will help further develop the likes of reigning Man of Steel Mikey Lewis and Hull KR’s emerging forwards.
“He’s played for New Zealand and the Roosters and at the highest level for years, and to be able to get him to come to our club was a huge tick for us,” Peters said.
“To have him play with guys like Mikey and our younger forwards, the experience they’re going get from Jared and the learnings are going to be huge.
“He brings a lot on the field, but he brings a lot off it as well.”
