BLUES HIT OR MISS
Can Jarryd Hayne’s defence as a centre stack up for State of Origin?
THE ISSUE connor.o’brien@news.com.au he produced that day to stop charging Warriors forward Bodene Thompson in his tracks will stick with Gold Coast fans for a long time to come. It was the ultimate show of what a natural defender Hayne is. Also helping the two-time Dally M winner’s case at Suncorp Stadium will be the sheer lack of form his opposite number Justin O’Neill carries into the big game. Only loyalty could justify O’Neill’s selection when you consider his numbers for the Cowboys this year. In eight games, he has no tries. No try assists or line break assists. One line break. Only 11 tackle busts, compared with 33 for his skinny teenaged teammate Kalyn Ponga, who has played two less games. It doesn’t make for pretty reading. A player of Hayne’s calibre – and love of the spotlight – will come through the test with flying colours. rhys.o’neill@news.com.au stranglehold on the interstate arena and you think the tries of Billy Slater, Greg Inglis and Darius Boyd. But behind them are Matt Scott’s metres, Nate Myles’ hits and Cam Smith’s tackles. Hayne, an unquestionable talent with ball in hand, has had his issues with defence since his switch to centres. Few can argue against that. Dylan Walker certainly wouldn’t. So, keeping our earlier figures in mind, it’s safe for coaches to think about restricting points before worrying too much about scoring them. Origin’s history of grind gives context to the saying “you don’t lose many matches if you keep the opposition scoreless”. By picking Hayne in a position at which he has played less than 10 per cent of his NRL career, NSW rolled the dice. History tells us it’s more likely to end in tears than cheers.