EELS COACH LAUDS HAYNE’S EFFORTS
PARRAMATTA coach Brad Arthur has hailed Jarryd Hayne as a difference-maker and says the Eels’ 2018 NRL season would have been more dire if not for the star's presence.
A fit and rejuvenated Hayne signalled he still had plenty to offer in producing his best performance in years in the Eels’ errorriddled loss to Newcastle last week. He ran for 189m and made 14 tackle busts, and was the spark behind two of the Eels' three tries.
The code-hopping former NSW and Australian outside back is off-contract at the end of the year has repeatedly said he won't address his future until the season ends.
Hayne had been hobbled by a niggling hip injury, which he brought into the season, but after starring against the Knights he said he was feeling fit for the first time since coming back to the blue and golds this year.
The Eels are sitting at the bottom of the table with just three wins.
Arthur said that on the two occasions Hayne had returned from injury, the 30-year-old was the difference between winning and losing – against Manly in round seven when the Eels broke a seven-game losing streak and against North Queensland when they ended a five-game winless run.
"Maybe when I moved him to fullback in round three it was too early, he wasn't quite fit enough to play that role," Arthur said.
"He came back against Manly, probably a week too early because he wanted to get out there for his teammates, and he made a real difference for us. That was our first win.
"Then his next return was against the Cowboys and if he doesn't play we don't win.
"From there, his last four games he's been in our best three players every week.
"On the weekend was probably our best game for us but it's not coincidental, it's because he's fit ... his body is really good so we need to maintain that."