NRL Odds: Roosters Looking Strong
January 15th, 2015 by TJ DilferTo even think about winning a game of Rugby League in the modern NRL, you have to go in with confidence that your big men can put you on the front foot. And that’s even more true if you’ve got ambitions of grabbing one of those top eight spots and maybe winning a title. Take a little look at the NRL odds for the coming season, and you’ll see that there are plenty of people – bookies included – who think that the Roosters are strong in that area: strong enough to be the favourites before a ball is kicked.
And the buzz coming out of the training camp of the 2014 minor premiers (and the 2013 winners, remember) is that they look to have strength to spare up front. Or, at least, Jared Waerea-Hargreaves does. It goes without saying that he’s a monster of a man. Have a little google of him if you don’t believe us – or maybe watch some footage of him bringing that physique to bear on the pitch. In this era of conditioning coaches and tightly-controlled training regimens, the work that the Roosters players get through in the gym is pretty much a state secret, but it’s fairly obvious that Waerea-Hargreaves lifts lots of heavy things. According to the insider who broke the story, though, he’s set a new club record for the powerclean – an incredible 160kg! And that’s at least as good as you’ll see anywhere: ‘if there’s anyone lifting more than 160, I certainly haven’t seen it. Someone like Paul Gallen might go close. But it’s a huge lift for an NRL player. Jared is obviously a beast in the gym and, unlike some guys, he takes that power into games with him.’ (We can’t share the name of our source for reasons of serious journalistic integrity, obviously…)
Of course it’s all very well picking up heavy stuff in the pre-season, but Waerea-Hargreaves is a man who brings real power to the Roosters outfit on match days, as well, and it’s good signs for them and their fans to see him working hard to get ready for the 2015 season. The Roosters are seeing NRL odds of $6.00 to win the Grand Final this year, and there’s one very strong man who’s going to be a big part (literally!) of that effort…
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