Panthers coach Ivan Cleary accused Sydney Roosters enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves of “looking for trouble” after tempers boiled over in Saturday night’s 30-6 win at Allianz Stadium.
Waerea-Hargreaves and Penrith prop Spencer Leniu, who will be joining the Roosters next season, were sinbinned in the 73rd minute and Panthers team-mates had to escort the NSW Origin hopeful from the field to stop the incident escalating.
A clearly angered Leniu was gesticulating for Waerea-Hargreaves to continue the fight, which begun after the Kiwis enforcer squirted a water bottle and then threw it at the Penrith players.
However, Cleary said Waerea-Hargreaves was to blame after a series of incidents in the last 15 minutes of the match, including striking Penrith prop Moses Leota with his elbow as he carried the ball into a tackle.
Leota was forced from the field for a HIA, but match officials reviewed the incident and decided no action was warranted against Waerea-Hargreaves – much to the frustration of the Panthers.
"It started with Jared, he was looking for trouble and he found it,” Cleary said.
“I think in the balance of probability Jared was the one initiating it.
“It was a little condescending I thought, just unnecessary. Spence doesn't like it and that's what he showed. I'm not sure why he was put in the bin, but it's probably a good thing in the end I suppose.”
Asked if he had an issue with the Leota incident, Cleary said: “I do. I think it was very questionable, the way it looked, the way it was cocked”.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson defended Waerea-Hargreaves and said the incidents near the end of the match had been “good theatre”.
"It was great for footy, that's why people enjoy watching footy,” Robinson said. “There was nothing in it, I don't think from either end. There wasn't much to it.
“It was heated there, but I don't think Jared did anything wrong.”
The Panthers also lost NSW Origin forward Liam Martin after his head collected the hip of Waerea-Hargreaves in an attempted 65th minute tackle.
Martin stumbled as he got to his feet and the incident was ruled a category 1 HIA, putting him in doubt for Origin II at Suncorp Stadium on June 21 under the NRL’s 11-day stand down policy.
Liam Martin off with a HIA
“There were guys trying to race out of the line and hit him,” Robinson said of Waerea-Hargreaves. “That's really unfortunate for Liam, he just copped a hip.
“Then Jared was getting his bumpers up like every guy does in every tackle they run in to and hit Moses there. Good theatre, move on.”
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