MILLION TO ONE SHOT
With his rich NRL deal sewn up, Jarryd Hayne now wants a return to his beloved fullback jumper at Titans
HIS future is sorted. Next in million-dollar man Jarryd Hayne’s sights is reclaiming the Gold Coast fullback jersey.
Titans chief executive Graham Annesley yesterday confirmed Hayne would remain with the club in 2018 in what is a major coup for their NRL premiership dream.
Hayne’s management cut it fine. With the deadline for his contract option set at midnight on Wednesday, the superstar only came to a decision on Tuesday before notifying the Titans merely hours before the State of Origin series opener.
“I’m pretty laidback, hey, so I wasn’t even thinking about it and yeah got told we had a timeline on it, so I was like, ‘oh yeah, sweet’,” the 29-yearold said.
“I’m very happy at the Titans and with the talent we have here I see a bright future for the club.
“I had a lot to consider with family and friends based in Sydney but I’m really enjoying life on the Gold Coast which did help with my decision.”
He played in the centres for the Blues – just as he has been for the Titans, with Tyrone Roberts in the No.1 – but Hayne is now focused on winning back the custodian role.
“I want to be the fullback,” he said bluntly in an exclusive interview with the Bulletin.
“Origin is all right (playing centre) but yeah definitely want to play No.1.” As for why? “I can inject myself whenever I want at club level. It’s a long season so you want to have as many opportunities as you can,” he said.
Annesley however clarified no guarantee has been given to Hayne – who he hailed as “one of the biggest names in Australian sport” – that he will get it all his own way.
“I think everyone acknowledges that Jarryd is one of the great fullbacks in the game but … he knows that like every player in our squad that they need to do what is required based on the circumstances,” Annesley said.
“Everyone knows about our horrific injury run this year. In all normality, you would expect Jarryd to be considered every week as a fullback but those circumstances can vary from week to week and that’s a call for the coach, not for me.”
Talk had circulated that the Maroons would target Hayne after his positional play as a centre was exposed in his last NRL start against Manly when opposite number Dylan Walker scored a double.
That tough night at the office only drove him to lift on the big stage, proving a defensive rock alongside Brett Morris on the NSW left flank.
“Walks had a good game and so did Cherry (Daly Cherry-Evans) so yeah you have just got to learn from your mistakes and get better for it,” he said of the Sea Eagles game.
Hayne is confident of backing up against the Cowboys on Saturday night and Titans halfback Ash Taylor believes the Blues call-up will help him produce his best at club land.
“I’m sure there is a lot more to see than we have seen already so this Origin period is going to do him a world of good,” Taylor said of Hayne.