SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Referee Ashley Klein places Jared Waerea-Hargreaves of the Roosters on report during the round 25 NRL match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters at ANZ Stadium on September 05, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Sydney enforcer Jared Waerea-Hargreaves could be watching his side's first finals clash from the sidelines following a dangerous tackle on Rabbitoh Liam Knight.
Knight was left covered in blood following the collision as the Souths front-rower tried to break from an initial tackle against Roosters' Lindsay Collins.
Knight hit the turf shortly after the clash and was seen bleeding from his temple before being treated off the field.
Collins was also assessed for a HIA.
“I don’t know what Jaz could’ve done,” coach Trent Robinson said.
“He couldn’t take his arm off. It wasn’t clenched.
“They are penalties. You can’t hit the head, so I understand that, but I don’t know what else he could’ve done.”
The concerns around Waerea-Hargreaves' potential suspension add onto the Roosters' struggles heading into finals, after being kept scoreless in the second half in their defeat to the Rabbitohs.
Waerea-Hargreaves' report on Thursday night isn't his first caution for the season, with the Kiwi international copping a ban for his altercation with Newcastle's Kalyn Ponga on the eve of Origin.
The Late Show's Matty Johns described the hit as "sickening" during the show's post-match recap.
“The head clash has accentuated it,” said Bryan Fletcher.
“But he has got carry over points, I don’t think he meant to do it, he was falling into the tackle.”
Fellow presenter Gorden Tallis added: “He hit him in the head, his target could’ve gone lower.
“I know he’s falling but it's your responsibility to not strike another player in the head.
“It’s careless and I think you know the Roosters will have a case to answer for because he’s fallen, but still he got him in the head and Knight had to leave the field.”