But as Jared Waerea-Hargreaves prepares for what shapes as his last-ever appearance at McDonald Jones Stadium tonight, the men who will do battle with him have revealed their admiration for the veteran Sydney Roosters enforcer.

"He's a legend," Knights prop Leo Thompson said.

Fellow front-rower Daniel Saifiti was even more complimentary about the 35-year-old enforcer, who is heading to Super League next year after more than 300 NRL games, 33 Tests for New Zealand and three premiership triumphs.

"I think he's one of the GOATs, to be honest, one of the best ever," Saifiti said.

"Especially players who I've seen. Obviously there were players before him who I didn't get to see play that people rate, like [Glenn] Lazarus and Arthur Beetson, and all that.

"But for me personally, I think it's Petero [Civoniceva], then him. I rate him at such a high level."

Waerea-Hargreaves has dominated the Knights since he first played against them in 2011, helping win 16 of 21 clashes. Along the way he has left the Novocastrian faithful fuming on a number of occasions, in particular after incidents in 2013 and 2022 that left Danny Buderus and Kalyn Ponga concussed.

But if Knights fans prefer to bear the grudge, the same cannot be said of Newcastle's players.

"I remember watching him in early high school, in a [2011] grand final against the Dragons," Saifiti said.

"To still be playing at such a high level, I've got the utmost respect for him. I've met him a couple of times, and he's a real good guy, too. I think he's a legend."

Thompson made his NRL debut playing against Waerea-Hargreaves in 2022 and relished the challenge of clashing with his fellow Kiwi.

"He's done a lot in the game," Thompson said.

"I've got a lot of respect for how he plays the game. I like his presence on the field and the way he carries himself.

"I always want to get better and better, and I always love coming up against guys like that."

Knights coach Adam O'Brien worked closely with Waerea-Hargreaves during his season as an assistant at the Roosters in 2019 and described him as "one of the best, on and off the field".

"I think he's a great fella," O'Brien said. "I was surprised - and Jared would know this, because I've told him - I had a healthy dislike for him when I was coaching against him with Melbourne.

"But upon meeting him, straight away he's a very, very good servant over a long period of time.

"In terms of modern-day front-rowers, he'd be right up there, if not the best.

"I guess it's his farewell tour to Newcastle. He'd be doing that at most grounds this year."

Saifiti admitted he was "a bit intimidated, but more just in awe" when, aged 19, he first played against the man universally known as JWH.

These days he enjoys going head to head with players of his calibre.

"I was just a young kid, and I'm in my ninth season now," Saifiti said. "We've got a forward pack who believe in each other and believe in ourselves, and we go in every week confident that we can get the job done."

Meanwhile, in the absence of Sam Walker (concussion), former Knights utility Connor Watson will play five-eighth for the Roosters tonight, a position he has scarcely occupied since leaving Newcastle at the end of 2021.

"Connor left here to go and play six at Newy," Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.

"He went up there, he's probably played six up on that ground more than he's played it at training here.

"He's been very versatile but he's also really studied, he knows our system and his combination with Luke Keary has been good.

"Communication is high with Connor and his effort is through the roof, so there's a couple of things that make a six and a running six for us."

O'Brien said Watson's inclusion in the halves meant that Keary and hooker Brandon Smith would be the Roosters' main kicking options.

"He might shock me, but I don't believe Connor is a noted kicker, so clearly we need to be applying some decent kick-pressure around dummy-half and also on Keary as well," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said the Roosters' depth meant they were "still a formidable opponent", despite the absence of Walker, James Tedesco, Dominic Young and Spencer Leniu.

After last week's 30-10 dismantling of St George Illawarra in horrendous conditions, Newcastle are chasing back-to-back wins for the first time this season.

"We're playing better footy now than we were at this time last year ... especially defensively, I think we're in front," O'Brien said.

O'Brien confirmed that winger Greg Marzhew was set to be reinstated after missing three games with a fractured wrist.