PARRAMATTA fans must be thinking they have dodged a bullet by missing out on Jarryd Hayne and giving Bevan French the chance to make the Eels’ No. 1 jersey his own.
French lived up to the pre-season hype with a brilliant opening-round performance for the Eels last weekend at fullback against Manly, including a try and six tackle busts.
The 21-year-old would have been biding his time on the wing had the Hayne Plane not chosen the Gold Coast over his former club.
While Hayne dominated headlines this week over his poor attitude — and failure to obtain a proper leave pass to receive treatment back in Sydney over the summer — French quietly went about plotting ways to conquer St George Illawarra on Sunday evening.
French has been superb since making his NRL debut last season.A flyer with an unbelievable 20 tries in 14 games, French is just as exciting to watch as Hayne was when he burst on to the scene in the blue and gold.
“We’re in good hands if he gets better each week because we know he’ll be something special,’’ said Eels five-eighth Clint Gutherson, who initially arrived at Parramatta hoping to succeed Hayne at fullback.
“’Bevvy’ is a natural freak, he works hard on his game, and we’re happy to have him at the back. He’s been unbelievable whole pre-season, and terrific in round one.
“He’s one of the strongest in the gym (among the backs) and he has speed to burn.’’
French said playing the final two games of last season at fullback last year gave him a snapshot of where his fitness levels needed to be this year, with fullbacks chalking up to an extra 3km a game than a winger.
Like his idol Preston Campbell, French is not the biggest fullback in the game, but one of the quickest.
French may be the quickest player in the NRL.“’BA’ (coach Brad Arthur) and the coaching staff pushed me with that fitness this pre-season, and with getting the structures right and being more physical,’’ French said.
“They threw a few of the big boys at me, and it took its toll on my body, but that’s something that comes with being a fullback. If I can get my body in front for half a second or a second, the help will come.’’
While he bagged a try against Manly, and did well to shrug out of a Tom Trbojevic tackle in the process, French said while it would be great to maintain his amazing strike rate with scoring tries, he was just as happy to turn provider.
A distant relative of St George flyer Nathan Blacklock, French said he wasn’t sure who Blacklock would support tomorrow.
“Probably whoever wins,’’ French said with a smile.
Replies
His defense has certainly improved from last season. Get that just a little bit better and if we need a half due to injury at some point, give him a shot BA ;)