EARN RESPECT

JARRYD Hayne has been urged to stand up and lead Gold Coast through their current crisis in the face of criticism over the value for money he is providing.

Hayne has attracted the ire of Titans fans for not playing to his ability – or his $1.2 million annual pay packet – with disapproval growing after the club’s 54-0 loss to derby rivals Brisbane.

Fox League commentator and Queensland Origin champion Billy Moore echoed those sentiments, questioning whether the 29-year-old would have been at the Titans in 2018 had the contract option been in the club’s favour rather than Hayne’s.

Fan frustrations are supported by statistics that reveal Hayne’s impact compared with his elite NRL contemporaries at fullback.

Though the former Eel’s numbers are slightly affected by a handful of starts in the centres, it is clear he is not getting his hands on the ball enough. Based on his salary, Hayne is on par to earn $3300 every time he touches the ball

this year , with an average of 20 posessions a game.

Hayne’s cultural influence and work ethic have also come under fire at various times.

Moore said someone on what he calls “Thurston money” – referring to Cowboys

star half Johnathan Thurston – needs to be delivering much more.

“He’s your pin-up of the team,” Moore said.

“When you get Thurston money, you have got to do what Thurston does and that means every game, nearly every minute of every game, you are in that controlling position.

“You have got to be in and around at the critical moments when you need leadership, when you need some points scored or some control to be shown.

“The Titans have lost more games than they have won since he has been there and at critical moments when you’re hoping it is time for him to shine, he hasn’t really put his hand up enough.”

He challenged Hayne to mimic the influence and involvement of Broncos counterpart Darius Boyd.

“A lot of times people say well they should be setting it up so they can utilise his (Hayne’s) skills,” Moore said.

“But what Darius does is he commands, this is how it is going to unfold in this set of six, I’m going to set the play up so I get the ball when I want it. That’s what Jarryd has got to do. He almost needs to tell the boys, I’m going to tell you where to push people around the field to set it up for me because you want him to have the ball in his hands at the right moment.”