My only concern with Jarryd Hayne coming into the side at centre, is - if we get the old Jarryd back, will he see enough of the ball to have the kind of impact on the game he is capable of.
I am still of the mind, that he shouldn't play fullback, and so it begs the question is there another position he can play.
And the player I think he could potentially have a similar role as is Wade Graham.
Now, I'll concede straight up. Jarryd hasn't show an aptitude for the type of workload you want from any forward. However, he's certainly big enough to play in the forwards and from how his body shape has evolved as he has gotten older, it will probably be easier for him to maintain a forward's body type. And he can put a hit on. He'd have to work hard to cope with the defensive rigor of playing in the forwards, but I'm guessing the training that he did, preparing for the NFL would have actually helped him a lot in that regard.
However, from an attacking point of view, the role that Graham plays, would seem to suit Hayne perfectly. Graham plays as almost an extra-half down one edge of the field. The primary advantage of this is it gets Hayne touching the ball in a more in-field position, where he will have multiple men on his outside and therefore he'll have options, in a more similar scenario as when he plays fullback.
Hayne's passing ability has always been part of his magic. He throws one of the most glorious cut-out passes in the game. When he moves to centre, the role effectively nullifies that part of his game.
Hayne has always run well in traffic, and his ability to bump off players, as well as hitting a short ball suggest he would have no trouble with the running aspect of the role.
What is most attractive to me, about this possibility is how well it fits with the players within the Eels side.
Let's assume that Clint Gutherson is the first choice fullback. Gutherson like to play quite a traditional fullback role. He is always pushing up on the ball as a support player, and plays through the centre more than most NRL fullbacks do these days. This would afford Hayne the ocassional opportunity to drop off behind Gutherson into that extra receiver role, when the Eels look to sweep the ball.
I also think that we need strengthening up front more than we do outwide, and a second row rotation of Mau, Hayne and Moeroa would be as good as any in the comp. Hayne could also potentially switch from left to right edge, which would play havoc with opposition defensive plans.
We also have halves who like to work together on the same side of the field. In this scenario, Hayne becomes the alternative ball-player. This will stop defences from overcommitting players to the open side, as Hayne who is one of the best short-side players the game has every seen represents an ever-present threat.
If BA can harden his defence up, I think Hayne in this role gives us an extra dimension that likely no team in the NRL can match.
(P.S. The other player I thought of, as comparison was Brad Fittler, who of course shifted into the forwards to great effect in the latter part of his career. Again, a bigger back who can pass and run, his move to lock kept Fittler in the game and added an extra dimension to any team he was a part of).
EDIT: This story originally said lock forward in the headline, it wasn't what I meant
Replies
Will never happen.
The Lock position is virtually a third prop, and with our smaller than average pack, the last thing we need is a back it the forwards.
Trust me, Hayne will play fullback, and only fullback. Two time Dally M winner, played top level rep football there and is still only 29 not 39.
Gutherson won't be ready come round 1, and French looked like a fish out of water at fullback, and defensively was non existent. French's time will come, but not yet
Hayne will never go for it. He can play center, fullback, Wing or five eighth. Anything else is wishful thinking.
The problem I see with Hayne playing this role is he could try and over call the halves. If he was allowed to do this he would destroy the balance of our attack. He can’t do that from the centre position as a centre is dictated to by the halves.
i do agree his body shape is built for the forwards these days, but what about his nortorious slow play the balls.
Phil I'm not sure what you've been smoking latley, but Gutherson to hooker, and now Hayne virtually a middle forward prop? Wow - Lucy in the sky with dimonds .
agreed and going from making 4-5 tackles to about 30 is enough to choke about in itself....
Have you thought about playing him at hooker?
Sorry Phil, sounds good in theory but not going to happen. As brad said leave the play making to the halves, Hayne can do his thing at centre, that's his position now.
I don't want to see Hayne getting in the way of our halves and demanding the ball, the days of give it to Hayne are gone, we have a very talented squad and each has a roll to play. Hayne just has to play his roll.
A lock though these days is more of a middle forward and it is a position one Nathan Brown is
making a pretty good fist of. Aren’t you more calling for him to take Kenny or Tep’s spot in the edge rotation?
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