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35 minutes ago
Retiring prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves ended his career in style by helping Hull KR complete the treble on Saturday by beating Wigan in the Super League Grand Final.
So the 36-year-old, and his club, could probably be forgiven for not caring a jot about a suspension handed out, somewhat redundantly, in retrospect.
The Rugby Football League has given Waerea-Hargreaves a four-match ban for “a shoulder charge and other contrary behaviour” during the Old Trafford showpiece.
He had originally been ruled out of the final through suspension before the club successfully appealed against the decision.
The Robins have now, unsurprisingly, confirmed they will not be appealing against his latest, and final, suspension.
Which all means Waerea-Hargreaves finishes his career with a trio of trophies – after Rovers had already lifted the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ Shield – and a suspension he will never serve.
Waerea-Hargreaves is not the first sportsman in recent years to finish their playing days with a mark against their name.
France legend Zinedine Zidane was sent off for a headbutt in his final game as a professional footballer in the 2006 World Cup final with Italy.
Fellow World Cup winner Gerard Pique also signed off with a red card in a club game for Barcelona in 2022.
And Edgar Davids who, like Zidane and Pique won the Champions League in his career, bowed out after a red card for Barnet against Salisbury in the fifth tier in 2013.
