Pressure off Hayne with ‘newlook’ Parra

WHEN Jarryd Hayne last donned the blue and gold of Parramatta in 2014, he was the undisputed star of the show.

Flash forward three years and Hayne returned to Eels training yesterday flanked by a cast of rising talents.

Corey Norman, Clint Gutherson and Bevan French – a prodigious flyer who surpassed Hayne’s rookie tryscoring record in 2016 – have all helped the Eels overcome monumental setbacks to become a genuine NRL force.

Parramatta’s balanced lineup was a welcome sight for Hayne, who, despite attracting a media scrum yesterday, will not have to deal with the pressure of carrying the team.

“I think we’ve got other stars than me,” said Hayne, who quit the Gold Coast Titans in November.

“We’ve got guys like Mitch (Moses), Normy, Bev and Gutherson. They are great young talents and hopefully I can help them.

“They all killed it last year. It wasn’t just one or two guys pulling the strings. It was everyone working as a unit and pushing each other.

“Talent wise, I haven’t seen a Parra team with this much talent from one to 17 and that is something to be excited about.

“For me, it is about coming and helping them go to that next level.”

Those comments are music to the hears of coach Brad Arthur, who has rebuilt the Eels with a team-first mentality.

He believes the dual Dally M medallist will thrive not having to carry the burden of Parramatta’s success on his broad shoulders.

“In 2014, we needed Jarryd to win games for us,” Arthur said. “Whereas now, he is not Parramatta; he is part of the Parramatta team the same as any other individual in the team.”