Apparently Hayne may be moving to fullback?
The No. 1 switch to ignite Jarryd Hayne, Parramatta Eels
PARRAMATTA playmaker Corey Norman has revealed Jarryd Hayne will be shifted to fullback against Cronulla on Saturday in a desperate bid to kick the Eels into gear.
The blue and gold club has started the NRL season 0-2 and is reeling from a shocking 54-0 thumping at the hands of Manly on Sunday.
That loss followed a second-half capitulation against Penrith the week prior.
And now coach Brad Arthur will resort to moving Hayne from right centre to the fullback position against the Sharks.
It’s the position Hayne starred in while playing for the Eels four years ago, but he’s been overlooked in favour of young gun Bevan French and utility Clint Gutherson since returning to the club.
Foxsports.com.au revealed three weeks ago Arthur planned to use all three players in a rotating formation through the backline during games.
But now it appears Hayne is set to reclaim the spot he won two Dally M Medals in.
“He’s moved back there at training. We had our big session yesterday and he moved back there,” Norman revealed to Big Sports Breakfast on Thursday.
“I think a bigger body coming out of the backfield there with Haynesy, and getting him more involved with his experience there ... we’ll see how he goes.
“If they get a good set and put it in the corners then you need those bigger bodies to start your sets off well, or you’re kicking from inside your 40 every time.
“With Haynesey back there hopefully he can get a good carry and hopefully we get a good start to our set.”
Since arriving back in the NRL from a stint playing American football, there’s been a question mark over Hayne’s match fitness.
In the opening two rounds he’s failed to inject himself into games as much as Eels fans would no doubt like to see from their star signing.
But Norman is confident his high profile teammate will handle the fullback workload.
“Haynesy has had a couple of games now so I’d expect him to play the full 80 minutes there and do a job for us,” Norman said.
“He knows what he’s got to do so hopefully that comes to the game on Saturday.”
Norman, meanwhile, hosed down the suggestion Parramatta’s shock loss to the Sea Eagles was in part due to a half-hour warm-up in stifling heat before the game.
“It was embarrassing. Manly had to play in the same conditions so it had nothing to do with our training or our warm-up,” he said.
“We had a normal week, we had no excuses the way we turned up.
“It’s hard to put something to it, but I think we’ve just been turning up and thinking it’s going to happen for us.
“We’ve got a quality side ... we’ve just turned up and thought it was going to happen. You have to make it happen.
“Last week our effort and our want to win the game definitely wasn’t there.
“We’ve had a real attitude adjustment. We can’t be too down on it because there’s another week and we’ve got to be positive.”
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