May 27th, 2019

May 27th, 2019

Penrith are set to approach the Roosters to release Jared Waerea-Hargreaves next year in a bid to add some ‘mongrel’ and leadership to their pack.

The club has had a brutal look at its poor performances to start this season and has decided that lack of a leader and not enough aggression up front are the main reasons behind their problems.

Waerea-Hargreaves still has a year to go on his contract but turns 31 next January and the Roosters may well allow him to leave and bring in some young blood.

Waerea-Hargreaves was the bad guy in Newcastle last weekend, with his conroversial hit that ended the night of boom boy Kalyn Ponga earning the wrath of the crowd.

But Penrith officials believe it is the lack of that sort of fiery approach that has cost them in several games this season.

The Panthers recently named prop James Tamou as skipper and he has done a fair job - but doesn’t have the aggression or inspirational qualities of Waerea-Hargreaves.

The big Kiwi was a key figure in the Roosters’ premiership win last season and Penrith believe he would be just what the doctor ordered for their many fine young forwards.

Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with Trent Robinson and Dylan Napa after last year's grand final win. (AAP)

HAYNE LINKS WITH WOY WOY

If Jarryd Hayne gets to play football again this year, it will be with the Woy Woy Roosters on the NSW Central Coast.

Hayne has moved up to the coast from Sydney and is living with his mother in Umina.

He has been a regular at Roosters training in recent weeks and onlookers have told me he looks fit and trim enough to play.

But Hayne still has to fight his legal battles and gain a clearance from the NRL to have any chance of pulling on the boots again.

Meanwhile, he has been helping mentor the Woy Woy’s young talent and love him or hate him, his profile would be a great boost for bush footy.

Jarryd Hayne has been training with the Woy Woy Roosters. (AAP)

THE STORY BEHIND DWZ EXIT

So what was behind Dallin Watene-Zelezniak’s dramatic decision to walk away from Penrith last week?

Watene-Zelezniak was unhappy at losing the fullback spot at the Panthers, but there is more to it than that.

Players and coaching staff tell me they have noticed a change in the talented utility back this year in the wake of his being named captain of the Kiwi team that toured Britain last year.

They described Watene-Zelezniak as being aloof and difficult to get along with, and he has been unhappy and restless.

Several clubs are keen on him, with a player swap on the cards.

DWZ on New Zealand Test duty. (AAP)

TEEN BEANPOLE A DRAGONS BOLTER

With the Dragons struggling for form and down on troops, don’t be surprised if coach Paul McGregor looks to an unknown teenager in coming weeks.

Former Australian Schoolboy winger Jason Saab, just 18, has been fast-tracked into the Dragons’ top squad and is knocking on the door of top grade selection.

At a towering 195cm tall - that’s three centimetres taller than Broncos colossus Corey Oates - Saab has been blitzing them in the NSW Cup since being given his chance in recent weeks.

He was originally pencilled in for the Dragons’ top 30 for the 2021 season, but is there now - and could be playing with the big boys before long if he continues to progress.