By James Rowe4 hours ago
Michael Jennings has opened up about the Eels’ plans for 2018, giving details of where Parramatta’s Prodigal Son, Jarryd Hayne, will play in his return season to the blue and golds.
Despite finishing last season in the top four, bookmakers Neds rate the Eels as $13.00 shots at taking out the NRL premiership in 2018, with Neds also listing Hayne – who has won the Dally M Medal twice previously – at $51.00 to secure the game’s most prestigious individual award.
However, if the Hayne Plane is going to pick up the award for a third time, he’ll be doing it from a new position, his previous pair coming while wearing the Eels’ number 1 jersey.
Coach Brad Arthur has a glut of options at the back, headlined by Clint Gutherson and Bevan French, while Will Smith was the team’s custodian during their 2017 finals campaign.
It means Hayne is unlikely to spend much – if any – time in his preferred position, instead likely to partner with Jennings as the club’s new centre pairing.
As for which side of the field fans will see Hayne lining up on, Jennings joked that Hayne “doesn’t know how to play on the left”.
“I’ve been training on the left. I’ve spoken to Brad about where I’m going to play and we’ve spoken about being on the right and how successful that was,” Jennings told Fox Sports.
“Haynesy has been training on the right and he won’t switch over. I think he doesn’t know how to play on the left. He’s a bit nervous on the left so he’s just been staying on the right. I’m pretty fine with wherever I play, it’s no biggie.”
”We got together as a group and had some honest opinions. Everyone was pretty hard on each other,” Jennings said.
“Our inexperience of playing semi-final footy hurt us there a bit. We needed some key players to really step up — myself — to really lead from the front.
“I’m pretty hard on myself but I could have done better at the back end of the year and really led the team from what I’ve done previous years.
“We had some honest truth. We fell short. We know we have to try and find something extra this year and that’s what we’re going to try and do. Off the field, on the field, whatever it takes to try and get us to the finals.”
Replies
Hayne always pops up on the left. I think that's the side his mum sits on.
Conservative memes are powerful how they can repeat the same alleged point and call it wit. Even with a picture of Milo. P.S. Jeebus said send me money.
Interesting that, Hayne when playing for Australia & in some SOO matches when not at the back was usually on the left wing. Remember his tip toing along the line that was ruled no try because he touched the line, but when reviewed after the game in the post match post mortems brought up new angles not used by the review ref showing he did not touch it.
He can play both sides as he has shown from the back.
If true I feel for Moses. Moses and Hayne defending together is an issue. Hayne has played at left centre and left wing for NSW.
the only reason bev gutho smith played f/back was because hayne was at the titans .ba couldnt pick him
I agree that one on one Hayne is a terrific defender, BUT history has shown that when Hayne plays centre he struggles to read the angles 5/8's and centres run, and in particular he struggles with reading the block plays.
As Moses has the same issue with reading the attacking line it is not smart to have Hayne and Moses defending together. This issue actually compounds if you had Moses, Hayne and French all on the same side, which is quite possible when Gutho returns. Having Jennings in the middle of Moses and French worked last year.
Until Jennings swapped sides Moses was looking like another Sandow on the try line.
If you remember back to the State of Origin Hayne was the weak link in the defensive line as he struggled with sliding and reading the play (QLD even came out after the series and stated so).
In summary, what ever side Moses plays Jennings needs to be outside him. On a side not Jennings looked more dangerous attacking from the right side and was less predictable as he didn't always step off his left foot as when he played on the left.
No, that part of his game never improved. That part of his game was his biggest downfall and was very obvious when you compared it to Billy Slater's covering defence. Was it a lack of fitness/endurance or laziness, I don't know? Billy's covering defence was exceptional and he would make it very difficult for the winger scoring, often driving his knees into the ribs as the winger scored. Where as Hayne wouldn't get within 10 or so metres of the winger when they scored in the corner. I don't want to come across as a Hayne basher, because I am not. I'm very happy to have him back in the blue and gold. Until Gutho is fit I would prefer Hayne at fullback and French on the wing outside Jennings.
Woke up this morning from a dream of Jarryd Hayne in the middle of the field running directly at 2 big Storm defenders who had plenty of time to line him up and smash him but Jarryd went right at them with no swerving and brutally busted through these big boppers, reached out and got the ball over the line.
All I can say is the best of Jarryd Hayne is yet to come, a consistent, never say die 80 minute performer taking the Eels all the way to the big one this season and probably winning it too. Even the NRL cheats won't be able to contain him or stop the Eels from winning games they don't want us to win (like the last game v Storm 2017 Semi's).
I reckon Jarryd's status will surpass Wally Lewis over the coming 5 seasons or so.
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