LeagueNews.co | Jason Patrick
Rugby League fans are scratching their heads over a loophole that could allow Jared Waerea-Hargreaves to play in the NRL season opener, despite being handed a seven-game ban.
The Roosters player has already served three games of his suspension, which arose from two separate incidents in a game against the Wests Tigers.
Initially, it seemed that this would rule him out of the opening round in Las Vegas.
However, Waerea-Hargreaves has been named in the preliminary New Zealand squad for the 2023 Pacific Championship Tests next month.
If he plays in any of these games, he will likely serve out his suspension and be free to play for the Roosters in round one.
New Zealand Rugby League boss Greg Peters has confirmed that Waerea-Hargreaves was always in contention for selection, regardless of his suspension.
However, there has been controversy surrounding this decision, with some fans arguing that he shouldn't be allowed to use international games to serve his NRL suspension.
Others believe that since the squad hadn't been named yet, he shouldn't have been selected solely to serve suspension time.
Ultimately, the NRL judiciary chairman Geoff Bellew will have the final say on whether the international matches can count towards the suspension.