Rotorua NRL star hyped up for final

STAR FORWARD: Rotorua's Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is set to start in the front row for the Sydney Roosters tomorrow during the NRL Grand Final in Sydney.PHOTO/FILE

The mother of NRL star Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has asked her son to keep his tackles down ahead of the NRL Grand Final.

Karen Waerea, who lives in Tauranga and works at Western Heights High School, says she is very proud of her son, who will play in his second grand final tomorrow for the Sydney Roosters.

Rotorua-born Waerea-Hargreaves is one of the most feared front rowers in the game, helping the Roosters earn the title of best defensive team in the NRL this season.

His mother, Karen, said she spoke to him last weekend and asked him to keep his tackles down ahead of the grand final in Sydney against the Manly Sea Eagles.

"I spoke to him just on the weekend before the semifinal and had a bit of a chat," she told the Rotorua Daily Post.

"He was just so hyped up and looking so forward to the game.

"I just told him to keep all those tackles low and not to stop what he is doing, he can't hold back."

She said she had also been texting him during the week and he was really looking forward to the big game against Manly.

"I hope Jared just does what he does best and enjoys the game," she said.

"I've never seen anyone so pumped up when he gets on to the field."

She said Jared grew up in Rotorua before they moved to Brisbane when he was 8.

"He had a lot of talent [as a child]. He was very good with ball sports playing touch, rugby and a bit of soccer," she said.

Jared played junior rugby for Waikite Rugby Club and attended three local schools - Kawaha Point School, Western Heights Primary School and Glenholme School.

Karen, who is a member at Omanu Golf Club, said her son was also a talented golfer, working his way down to a single-figure handicap.

"My idea was probably for him to play for the All Blacks, but he has done the next best thing."

Karen said she would be watching the NRL Grand Final at the golf club with a group of her friends.

Jared has two half sisters who live in Wellington and Sydney while his father, Wayne Hargreaves, lives in Brisbane.

If the Roosters win tomorrow night, this would be his first NRL title after playing in the losing team during the 2010 grand final.