Angus Crichton reckons Jared Waerea-Hargreaves’ legacy could be one of the greatest in the Sydney Roosters’ history.
“It’s huge,” Crichton tells AAP.
“I think it’s bigger than anyone is making it out to be. Bigger than he is making it out to be.”
Young half Sandon Smith is similarly effusive about the influence Luke Keary has had on him.
“He has been awesome for me,” Smith says.
“Both on and off the field he has helped me massively in regards to football, the mental side of it and the physical side of it.”
And while it’s possible Joey Manu could one day return to the Roosters after his days in rugby union, he too will go down as a club great.
“(His exit) is a huge loss for us and the game,” coach Trent Robinson said earlier this year.
“You can’t downplay losing Joey Manu. There’s not someone who will walk in and do that role.”
Yet the Roosters are in no mood for sentimental reflection ahead of Saturday night’s knockout semi-final against Manly at Allianz Stadium.
As far as they are concerned, the likes of Waerea-Hargreaves, Keary, Manu and Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii still have three games left in the red, white and blue.
Such is the desire not to make this a farewell party, Waerea-Hargreaves skipped media this week while on a different schedule on return from suspension.
But the reality is, at some point in the next few weeks, one of the great chapters in the club’s history will draw much closer to an end.
At least 780 games of experience between four players will walk out the door, in one of the biggest top-end roster hits to a club this century.
Waerea-Hargreaves’ exit to Hull KR will leave the Roosters without their most-capped player in history, but also one of the few remaining members of their 2013 premiership-winning team.
Of the 104 players to have run out for the Roosters in the Trent Robinson era, only winger Daniel Tupou has played more games.
Waerea-Hargreaves has helped to win three premierships for the Roosters in 2013, 2018 and 2019.
Keary and Manu took part in the latter two of those, amid a period of sustained success in Sydney’s east, with the Roosters playing finals in 11 of the past 12 years, missing only in 2016.
There’s a very fair argument that as a group, the Roosters of the past dozen years are among the greatest sides in the club’s history.
“I honestly haven’t thought about (that kind of standing) too much,” Keary said.
“I feel so lucky about some of the guys I have been able to play with in the time I have been here, and a lot of them aren’t playing now.
“I don’t know how we’ll be looked at as a big group. But I feel very lucky to have played with some of the guys though. I feel privileged.”
Sam Walker’s ACL injury will make replacing Keary that bit harder next year, with Smith currently set to start the season alongside Chad Townsend in the halves.
Rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase is set to come into the centres in a straight swap for Suaalii, while a fit-again Billy Smith is capable of replacing Manu.
But it is Waerea-Hargreaves who will leave the biggest hole, not only for what he brings on the field, but as the figurehead of the Roosters pack and playing group.
“He’s been such a major part of this team and club with the culture and as a leader and father figure for a lot of the boys,” Crichton said.
“He’s just been that guy for 15 years, the premier front-rower.
“You see guys come in and do it for two or three years, five years is impressive. But to be up the top and be one of those alpha front-rowers for 15 seasons is huge.
“If you’re a front-rower and see you’re up against the Roosters, you know you’re up against Jared and you’re in for a tough day.
“He’s going to make it personal, one on one and he’s not going to back down. He has done it in his way, which is the most impressive way.”
The Roosters are adamant their premiership window will not close at the end of this year.
But they are desperate to send their departing crew out winners, with a fourth title in the club’s great era.
“We’ve leant into it a little bit,” captain James Tedesco said.
“That sits in the back of our motivation. But it’s not going to help you win games.
“It’s a motivation in we know we’re not going to get the opportunity to play with these guys again.
“It’s hard to win a premiership. It was a bit of a setback for us (in the 30-10 loss to Penrith) on the weekend, but it’s not the end of the trail for sure.”