Parramatta coach Ricky Stuart maintains his belief Jarryd Hayne could become as good a pivot as he is a fullback, but has no plans to fast-track him into the No.6 jersey.
Hayne offered to make the switch for the good of the team after the Eels slumped to their fifth straight loss, to fellow battlers Penrith at Centrebet Stadium on Monday night. After overlooking Hayne for an Origin encounter in the 2011 season while the NSW coach, Stuart claimed the former Dally M medallist was better suited to the pivot position. However, the premiership-winning mentor said he had no plans to switch him into the halves.
''I don't go back on my past comments in regards to Jarryd making an outstanding five-eighth, as he is a fullback,'' he said. ''If there was an injury to Luke Kelly, I would look at it very thoroughly. I'm just trying to find the best 17 footballers in the club to put them in 17 jumpers. The one thing about Jarryd is that he is all about the team and is all about winning. But I'm not looking at it at the moment.''
Former Eels coach Daniel Anderson switched Hayne to pivot during his tenure, an experiment that garnered mixed results and was ultimately aborted. Hayne reignited the debate over where he is best suited when he was asked on Tuesday whether he would give the halves another shot. While he was open to the suggestion, it's understood he fully supports incumbent No.6 Kelly.
''I'm thinking about it,'' Hayne said at the time. ''It's something me and 'Sticky' will have to discuss and see what he thinks. He obviously has the last call on it all. I'd love to play fullback as long as I can but if [five-eighth] is what best suits the team then I will do that.''
While he won't be in the pivot spot, there will be other changes to the Eels' line-up for Saturday's clash against North Queensland. Ben Smith and Ben Roberts have been dropped in favour of Api Pewhairangi and Kaysa Pritchard. Fuifui Moimoi returns after suspension to replace injured co-captain Tim Mannah. There were fears Mannah could be out for the season with a broken leg, but scans have cleared him of a fractured fibia and he could return soon.
Replies
This is a party pooper blog.
Sorry Phil but someone here has to have some sense. And it's now a top blog because I just read the speel and saw your edit.
Don't worry, Phil. This is just a ploy by Stuart to keep opposition teams in two minds about how to prepare for games against us. He'll still play at 5/8.
The hidden meaning is basically, "Hayne is a dead set moron for revealing our plans. You wonder why our club has leaks? Because my players are morons. You wonder why our opposition can predict every move we try to put on? Because my players are morons. I mean, I know players are generally morons, but, my players are even moroner."
Yeh, most journalists excelled in English and not maths.
I could swear its only our 2nd..
Best news ive heard all year, im so relieved..
Hayne will be 6 very soon.
Hayne to 6!
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