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NOBODY has said publicly, but the Roosters forward pack is aware of what has been said behind their backs.
That the only way to beat the tri-colours is to run through the middle of them.
Now Roosters hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has revealed he and his fellow forwards have been stung by criticism they are "soft" and are using it as motivation as they make their bold attempt to snatch the premiership.
"Everyone has been talking about the way to beat the Roosters was through the forwards, up the middle," the 21-year-old Kiwi international told The Daily Telegraph last night. "That's where to get us. But in the last month we've come together and talked about earning some respect by giving it back to them.
"The criticism did sting us. No forward pack wants to be known as soft up the middle. You don't want to hear that. It stings you a bit but we feel like we've improved a lot."
Indeed, the Roosters pack has muscled up at the pointy end of the season but their have been doubts for most of the season.
In the first half against the Wests Tigers last weekend, they were simply steamrolled in possession.
They can expect a torrid time in Saturday night's semi-final against Penrith at the Sydney Football Stadium.
While the Panthers are reeling from season-ending injuries to back-rowers Frank Pritchard and Trent Waterhouse, they are sure to be inspired by the return of captain Petero Civoniceva from a two-game suspension.
Waerea-Hargreaves knows the skipper well. Playing for New Zealand against Australia in the Four Nations opener in London last October, the rookie sledged the veteran prop as an "old man".
While some Kangaroos players privately considered the remarks disrespectful and promised retribution later in the tournament, Civoniceva laughed it off.
"We had a beer a week after and he said to me he respected me and he respected players that front up and don't take a backward step," he recalled.
"Words from a bloke like that is breathtaking.
"I wasn't trying to be dis- respectful. I said it to be respected. I wasn't going to take a backward step. We're not playing to lose, we're playing to win. I was doing what was best for the team."
Asked if he intended to sledge Civoniceva again, he grinned: "I'll do what's best for the team. He'll be up for a big one."
That endorsement has only encouraged Waerea-Hargreaves to become the enforcer that has emerged throughout this season.
He insisted he had shaken off the ill-effects of the 80th-minute tackle from Tigers replacement Simon Dwyer - and that the tackle many believed was high was a "good, clean and legit hit".
But he scoffed at claims from Manly and Bulldogs hitman David Gillespie that it was "the most brutal tackle of the last decade".
"I didn't think too much of it," he said. "It was a great hit but I can't believe the hype about it."
NOBODY has said publicly, but the Roosters forward pack is aware of what has been said behind their backs.
That the only way to beat the tri-colours is to run through the middle of them.
Now Roosters hardman Jared Waerea-Hargreaves has revealed he and his fellow forwards have been stung by criticism they are "soft" and are using it as motivation as they make their bold attempt to snatch the premiership.
"Everyone has been talking about the way to beat the Roosters was through the forwards, up the middle," the 21-year-old Kiwi international told The Daily Telegraph last night. "That's where to get us. But in the last month we've come together and talked about earning some respect by giving it back to them.
"The criticism did sting us. No forward pack wants to be known as soft up the middle. You don't want to hear that. It stings you a bit but we feel like we've improved a lot."
Indeed, the Roosters pack has muscled up at the pointy end of the season but their have been doubts for most of the season.
In the first half against the Wests Tigers last weekend, they were simply steamrolled in possession.
They can expect a torrid time in Saturday night's semi-final against Penrith at the Sydney Football Stadium.
While the Panthers are reeling from season-ending injuries to back-rowers Frank Pritchard and Trent Waterhouse, they are sure to be inspired by the return of captain Petero Civoniceva from a two-game suspension.
Waerea-Hargreaves knows the skipper well. Playing for New Zealand against Australia in the Four Nations opener in London last October, the rookie sledged the veteran prop as an "old man".
While some Kangaroos players privately considered the remarks disrespectful and promised retribution later in the tournament, Civoniceva laughed it off.
"We had a beer a week after and he said to me he respected me and he respected players that front up and don't take a backward step," he recalled.
"Words from a bloke like that is breathtaking.
"I wasn't trying to be dis- respectful. I said it to be respected. I wasn't going to take a backward step. We're not playing to lose, we're playing to win. I was doing what was best for the team."
Asked if he intended to sledge Civoniceva again, he grinned: "I'll do what's best for the team. He'll be up for a big one."
That endorsement has only encouraged Waerea-Hargreaves to become the enforcer that has emerged throughout this season.
He insisted he had shaken off the ill-effects of the 80th-minute tackle from Tigers replacement Simon Dwyer - and that the tackle many believed was high was a "good, clean and legit hit".
But he scoffed at claims from Manly and Bulldogs hitman David Gillespie that it was "the most brutal tackle of the last decade".
"I didn't think too much of it," he said. "It was a great hit but I can't believe the hype about it."
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