Chambers expects Hayne to hit back
MAROONS centre Will Chambers says it would be “crazy” to think Blues opposite Jarryd Hayne will lie down after one poor Origin game and expects him to hit back in the series decider.
Despite scoring a try, Hayne turned in a sub-par performance in Origin II, with the Blues and Gold Coast Titans star disappointed with his effort.
While there were calls for Hayne’s head after what was branded by some as a “selfish” performance, the two- time Dally M winner survived and Chambers said it would be “mad” not to expect a big game from him at Suncorp Stadium next week.
“He’s going to come, he’s going to come fired up and he’s going to be ready to play Origin,” Chambers said.
“You saw two days (after the Origin II disappointment) when he backed up (for the Titans) against the Tigers he went out and scored two tries.
“One bad game doesn’t mean much, he’ll come Wednesday night and we know what to expect.
“We saw what he did in Game One at Suncorp and it’s going to be a big occasion and we know that he’ll be up for the challenge.”
Hayne scored a try in the Game One rout in Brisbane and despite a couple of early defensive lapses, looked strong every time he touched the ball.
Chambers and his rightside wing partner Dane Gagai did a better job to shut him down in Game Two but Chambers said Hayne had still been a danger and they would have to be on their guard again.
“He scored a try, so to an extent (our defence) was good but he’s still scoring tries, so it’s still going to be a tough challenge,” he said.
“For all the criticism he copped, he still did his job.”
While he has a tough job ahead of him, it is a challenge that Chambers will relish.
“It’s obviously really good to play (against guys like him),” he said.
“He’s a special talent and he’s like the rest of them, he could play anywhere in the footy side.
“But this is the job I’m going to have to do and I’m going to have to work with Cooper (Cronk) and Matt Gillett and Dane Gagai and try to nullify what he does.”
Chambers remembers little of Game Two after being knocked out in an attempted tackle and while he called the moment stupid, he would not temper his game.
“It was probably halfstupid what I did there but it’s part and parcel, I came out and tried to put my body on the line,” he said.
FOR ALL THE CRITICISM HE COPPED, HE STILL DID HIS JOB ... WILL CHAMBERS