Lett Loose at Parramatta
by Phil Sim
In the world of Rugby League, June 16, 2004 will be remembered for that Billy Slater chip and chase try which secured Queensland an upset State or Origin victory. But just a couple of hours earlier it was two young New South Welshman that had set Suncorp Stadium alight with a couple of performances that marked them as stars of the future in the Under 17 curtain raiser.
One of those youngsters was a 16-year old Jarryd Hayne who scored four tries on the wing for New South Wales as the Blues ran out easy 52 to 26 winners. But arguably the most impressive player on the field was the 17 year-old centre inside of him. That youngster was Michael Lett, at the time a Rooster's junior and the kid who Arthur Beetson not-too-long-ago nominated as the hottest prospect in the game.
This is what the Sydney Morning Herald said of Lett's performance that night. Lett "repeatedly held a defender at bay and unleashed a pass around the corner to put Hayne into the clear".
In 2007, it's quite possible that the Lett and Hayne combination could be reunited with the ex-Rooster joining the Eels for the 2007 season. Like Hayne, Lett comes from a footballing family, being a close-relative to the talented Kevin and Ken McGuiness brothers.
Lett has yet to train with Hayne, who has been a part of the Australian tri-nations squad, however he told 1Eyed Eel he'd be keen to again strike up a combination with the reigning rookie of the year. "He's going pretty good!" Lett said.
"It does give me a bit of confidence, knowing that he can do it and we played together, so it's up to me to try and step up to the mark and do what he's done".
While Lett will be almost unknown to most Parramatta fans, he's far better known out Bondi way where he was rushed through the grades with the "next big thing" tag on his shoulders. With Rooster's legend and scout, Arthur Beetson, leading the cheer squad, Lett admits "I had a bit of pressure on me at the Roosters".
Lett made his NRL debut as an 18-year old coming off the bench in 2005 before going on to play two more games at the top-level, one on the wing and the other at centre. But if 2005 was a year that promised so much for the following year, then 2006 would turn out to be just a season of bitter dissapointment for Lett.
After failing to crack an NRL berth in the early rounds, he suffered a serious ankle injury after playing just a half dozen or so games for Newtown in Premier League. After getting back on the paddock late in the season, he only managed a couple more games before doing the other ankle.
Lett said both ankles "were sweet, so I'm looking forward to a good year".
The talented youngster can play centre, wing or fullback but said "I'm happy to try and get into first grade anywhere".
Parramatta has lost considerable depth in its outside backs this year with Brett Delaney, Luke O"Dwyer, John Williams, Matt Petersen and Tony Parmatangi all to play with other clubs in 2007. However, the path to NRL in the Blue and Gold won't be a walk in the park as he will be competing with other exciting prospects like Kris Inu, Joel Reddy and David Williams for any NRL opportunities. That didn't appear to concern Lett, though.
"I think to try and get over the top of other players, that will be good for my game," he said.
Chances are that at some stage of the season, injuries or rep duties will lead to Lett getting his first Parramatta NRL call up. If that happens and Lett just happens to go on at four and Hayne is in the number five, then all Parramatta fans can hope for a repeat of that magical night back in 2004.
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