Jarryd Hayne - the most gifted Rugby League player I've ever had the pleasure of watching on a football field.
Jarryd Hayne - the most frustrating player I've ever had the agony of watching on a football field.
Ever since watching Hayne do freakish things as an Eels junior, I've been constantly amazed by Jarryd's talent. He should be the best player in the game. But the facts are he isn't. He isn't even close.
However, last week's match against Cronulla I believe just might be the start of the beginning of the next stage of Jarryd's career. In the last couple of weeks there have been various press reports, which have talked about him wanting to lead. Yada, yada, I couldn't help but think. We've heard it all before. However, on Saturday, that's what Hayne was. He was a leader.
I'm not talking about the mind-blowing behind the back flick pass. We all know he's capable of those moments of freakish intuition. Rather I'm talking about the little efforts like the bomb he took for the try. It won't make any end-of-season highlights reels. But Hayne wanted that ball. And he made sure he got there. There was the hit he put on the Sharks fullback that jolted the ball loose and almost resulted in a match-winning try. True body-on-the-line stuff. And the effort shook him. But he got back up, didn't make a fuss and played on.
You hear talk about Jarryd's attitude, and in particular his ego. I've seen him rush away from supporter events as quickly as he could, while other players remained behind for long periods of time to mingle with the fans. I guess it's not surprising, when you consider that since a very young age, Hayne has been touted as the next big thing. It's not easy to keep perspective when you're in that position.
But what everyone learns at one stage in there life is that talent and your god-given gifts will only get you so far. Without the application, the hard work and generally a fair amount of self-lessness do you ever earn the chance to get within sight of your potential. Some people, generally those with lesser talent learn it very early and they get where they are because of their hardwork and inspite of their natural blessings. Others don't learn the lesson until it's too late. Their time comes and it goes. And when the realisation eventually occurs, it's too late to do anything about it.
I hope what that game demonstrated was that Jarryd is starting to understand this. He spoke early in his career, about not wanting to make the same mistakes as his father Manoa, who walked away from the game with very little in his pocket despite the success he had. Jarryd certainly won't leave the NRL with that problem. It's no secret that Hayne's last contract made him one of, if not the most highly paid players in the game.
However, Jarryd is one of those few players in the game, who has the potential to walk away with much more than a healthy bank balance. He said that he took note last year of the legacy that Darren Lockyer left behind during his farewell year last year. Lockyer will be forever remembered in the game as a League legend, most likely as an immortal, his name etched in the record books and in supporter's memories and hearts. Nathan Hindmarsh has ensured he will go down with the likes of Ken Thornett, Ray Price and Peter Sterling as players who are never forgotten at our great club.
I honestly believe Jarryd Hayne can achieve all of this and more and truly earn a place among the immortals, over the better half of the next decade. If he makes the desire and the heart that he displayed on Saturday the centrepiece of his game, I have no doubt he will achieve that. As he learns that his path to greatness, is based on his ability to make others great and accepts the responsibility that comes with being blessed with such talent, he will be well on his way to fulfilling his potential as a player, a leader and a man.
Replies
wish all of them had same attitude
Make him captain and 5/8. Tell him to go and watch a few videos of Wally Lewis. He can do what Wally did and more. Jarryd can be an absolute legend if he wants to be and he can save our club from inevitable total destruction. To do that he must take charge (which means playing in the front line at 5/8) and not sit back and be the passive observer he finds it easy to be. Ricky Stuart knows this, but utimately it is up to Jarryd to make that choice. We need a leader so badly right now and Jarryd is the man. In fact there isn't anyone else. If he doesn't soon we are headed for oblivion.
Unfortunately there's a good chance JH won't achieve greatness, at the Eels at least, if too much more of the current crap on (and off) the field is dished up. If the club balls up and lose him, they should give it all up.
My next door neighbour and I were chatting about the Eels (as we oft do) over a can of Daniel Anderson's favourite poison (Coke Zero) the other night and Hayne came up in conversation. He had mentioned that he thought the coach was mad to play him if he is still injured.
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But I have to say this -
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If hayne is injured, as i believe he is, then here's my thought -
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Looking at how much of an impact Hayne has on the game on Sunday AND if he is indeed not 100% fit, if ALL our players were only as injured as Hayne, then we wouldn't be sitting on the bottom of the ladder with only one win to our name for the year
yeah wish i had hayne on my dream team....i got slater and he got fn 25 for two weeks in a row.....and dont start me on mateo:(((
I would sign him up to a life contract. He is the only bright light in another pitiful team.
Dont know why parra fans,especially on this sie who bag him out. He's our only hope to win a game!
Jaryd has ALL THE TALENT and the physique to be one of the greatest, FOR SURE. Now what he needs is to be given the chance in either fullback, or where i prefer him at 5/8, in an origin or test series and the rest will be history. Once he truly realizes his talent and learns to make the other players around him even better, which he is doing, i believe he will go on to be an IMMORTAL.
Unless he is given the chance to do that at a more elite level, i am very doubtful it will happen.
Jarryd's been carrying the team for the past few years. Jarryd's ability has never been doubted but his influence has really been seen only on the score board and not in how the team has been led. People see Hayne as a walking ego but he's a really grounded person off the field. In 2010 he was at a fan day in the Leagues Club and stayed over time, with Hindy, to make sure that every kid who lined up got to meet him. It's always going to be hard for Hayne to reignite his firm of the past but hard work will get him there. IMO there are 3 quotes that apply Jarryd. Muhammad Ali said "I hated every minute of training but I said to myself don't quit, suffer now and live the rest of your life as a champion." the second one from Ali was "Champions aren't made in gyms. They're made from something deep down inside them. A desire, a dream, a vision. They have to have the skill and will. But the will must be stronger than the skill." The final one is from Vince Lombardi: “Success is like anything worthwhile. It has a price. You have to pay the price to win and you have to pay the price to get to the point where success is possible. Most important, you must pay the price to stay there."
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