MANLY have won the race to sign one of the best young rugby union talents in the country after yesterday securing 18-year-old Waratah Jared Waerea-Hargreaves.
In a blow to rugby union in the battle between the codes, Waerea-Hargreaves has rejected interest from four other NRL clubs as well as the NSW Waratahs, the Western Force and the New Zealand Rugby Union to link with the Sea Eagles on a two-year deal.
The New Zealand-born back-rower, who has been compared to Bulldogs second-rower Sonny Bill Williams and retired Manly lock Ben Kennedy, was apparently offered by the Sea Eagles up to four times more than the Waratahs were prepared to outlay.
The Watarahs offered him a four-year deal but two of those seasons would have been spent as part of their academy program.
Waerea-Hargreaves was dropped from the Central Coast Rays team to play the East Coast Aces this Sunday in the Australian Rugby Championship.
His manager, Mike Newton, denied the move was a "money grab".
"I wanted him to be in a professional environment next year," Newton said. "I believe his progress and form certainly warranted being a full-time professional, and the Waratahs couldn't offer it.
"He's certainly excited about it. He's always had a genuine interest in rugby league and he has an opportunity to be training with one of the top NRL teams in the competition."
"Being able to play under a bloke like [Manly coach] Des Hasler is a huge privilege for him. He hasn't played league since he was 10 or 11, but I'm sure he'll be well suited to the game."
Newton also said the lure of a State of Origin jumper was a consideration for the player whose teammates at Norths call him Sonny because of his likeness in look and talent to the New Zealand international.
"When I told him that he'd still be eligible for NSW under-19s next year, he said to me, 'does that mean I'll play at Suncorp, does that mean I'd play before the Origin'," he said. "He's always loved Origin, he loves the confrontation, he loves the physical stuff."
Waerea-Hargreaves moved to Australia on a golf scholarship (he has a handicap of two) in Queensland but then took up rugby union and was last year signed by the Waratahs for this season.
Wests Tigers, South Sydney, Cronulla and Gold Coast had been monitoring him, while a senior New Zealand rugby official had flown to Sydney to watch him play. But after yesterday discussing his future via satellite phone with his father, who is in Iraq serving as a contracted engineer with the US military, Waerea-Hargreaves opted for Manly.
