Eels Blogs

Replies

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  Nidge November 23, 2009 at 11:33am

  Not sure if it's a fitness or mental thing. He never looks that urgent, especially when getting to his feet to play the ball. In saying that, I wouldn't swap him for anyone right now and I agree that as great as he is i think he can still get better!!
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  Michael Ericson November 23, 2009 at 11:33am

  Hayne isn't jogging when he makes a break dude, he just has one of those slow, long strides that make it appear that he isn't motoring as fast as he really is. Very similar to Justin Hodges in that respect.
  
  I admit his fitness was probably a little down in 2008 but after a pre season where he was preparing to play five eigth in 2009 his fitness really picked up and was one of the reasons he did so well at fullback.
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    parraborn! > Michael Ericson November 24, 2009 at 1:54pm

    Yea but like for example, that break he made against bulldogs in round 20, and how morris caught him, i dont really think he was sprinting then, i dont mean he needs to sprint all the time, because nobody is that fit but, when a break like that is made its crucial to the game.
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  Michael Ericson November 23, 2009 at 11:49am

  I might add that you have to be very, very, very fit to play NRL. Even a guy like Fui Fui when he only playing off the bench for short stints would be much fitter than you or I.
  
  Therefore we are talking about degrees of fitness, Hayne may not be 'as fit' as Slater but he still frigging fit.
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  Djl November 23, 2009 at 1:41pm

  yer but hayne is more bulky and has more muscle and power then slater, its hard to keep as much muscle if ur doing a heap of fitness work like cardio cause cardio burns muscle as a fitness freak i know this.
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  Michael Ericson November 23, 2009 at 2:06pm

  I can assure you all that Hayne does a shite load of fitness work.
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    Nidge > Michael Ericson November 23, 2009 at 2:33pm

    Agree with all of this but do you guys sense a lack of urgency at critical times. Like I mentioned before, especially at times when a quick play the ball is needed?
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  Michael Ericson November 23, 2009 at 2:49pm

  Yeah but he isn't a front rower, he gets paid for his spark in attack not to hit the ball up and get a quick play the ball away.
  
  As John Hill mentioned, he has quite a laconic approach - this can help and hinder.
  
  A relaxed approach probably helps his play making because he is always keeping his options open, not over commiting to anything - conversely someone like Billy Slater will go like a bull at a gate and really only have eyes for a gap or the tryline.
  
  On the other hand he isn't going to be overly worried about getting a quick play the ball away or anything like that. It might make the spectator frustrated but you have to take the good with the bad.
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  Aaron Chapman November 23, 2009 at 5:06pm

  sorry i think this is not true he is actually very fit
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  GOGOGROTHE November 23, 2009 at 5:13pm

  Boys, you may be right about the perception of his running style, but if you look at the breaks Hayne makes, he often doesn't kick into top gear straight away .... this is usually for 2 reasons:
  
  a) He is preparing for a classic in and away manouvre where by he is lining up the last line of defence before kicking into top gear .... all top grade backs will do this to allow space and time (I can't think of a Hayne example, but check Dan Mortimer's final try against the Dogs in the preliminary final - 3/4 speed towards full back then burns him on the outside)
  
  b) he is summing up his options for his support players - kick? pass? quick play the ball?
  
  Can't wait to see more of it in 2010!!!!!