As their Anzac Day clash with the Dragons beckons, Roosters prop Sam Moa says the Tricolours will be trying their hardest to win the annual fixture for injured forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, whose father served in the New Zealand army.
Waerea-Hargreaves strained his pectoral in the Roosters' one-point loss to the Melbourne Storm last week and is apparently shattered he is unable to play in the match in honour of his dad.
Moa said the team would lift for their injured teammate on Saturday afternoon.
"Jared always gets up for this game. He's not obviously going to be playing this year so he's disappointed but now it comes down to us to carry Jared's connections and excitement for him throughout the game and from our performance," Moa said.
"We know how much this game means to Jared and his family so obviously without him being out there we'll have in the back of our minds we need to carry his passion.
"In 2013 when I played my first Anzac game I saw how pumped Jared was and I had a word with him and he told me how his dad served and just from talking with his father, he sort gathered that passion.
"Obviously he's proud to be his son and he wants to carry his passion through his rugby league and what better way to show it through a game such as this one."
While the Roosters are trying to combat a three-game losing streak without their star prop, Moa said things were put into perspective in games such as the Anzac clash against the Red V – where losing streaks, or in the Dragons' case winning streaks, are irrelevant.
"It is certainly a game where your position on the ladder doesn't matter," Moa said.
"What you are thinking about is trying to show you do appreciate what's been done for us by the Anzacs, and not only for the Anzacs, but also the families involved.
"It's a day where sport and the NRL take a step back and we emphasise the importance of paying our respects to the Anzacs and everyone involved."
