Eels warned they'll be binned for dissent
Glenn Jackson | September 15, 2009
IN HAYNE's world everything's excellent at the moment. But today he may slip from his lofty perch ever so slightly when an email lands in the inbox of his coach, Daniel Anderson.
In it, referees boss Robert Finch is expected to warn the Parramatta coach over the behaviour of his players - including his star Jarryd Hayne - towards match officials when they played St George Illawarra on Sunday.
Hayne was penalised for dissent in the second half against the Dragons and then marched 10 metres soon afterwards, which will result in a specific warning to his coach as well as a blanket one that abuse of the officials will not be tolerated and may result in a sin-binning.
''We understand it's an emotional time and it's a tough period, but dissent is non-negotiable,'' Finch said. ''It was made quite clear by Jared [Maxwell, the lead referee on Sunday] on the field that the next time he had a problem he was going to take further action.
''Yes, they do have that option. Obviously we're very aware of the importance of the games and it would have to be the very high end of dissent. But it's an option.''
Hayne, strangely, yesterday suggested he lost his cool because it was too hot.
''That's part of the game. It was pretty hot out there so I think the heat sort of got to me,'' Hayne said. ''I've just got to keep my cool and not let it happen again.''
It may have represented the first time anyone has had anything bad to say about Hayne in a remarkable past few months. But it would have been only a slight glitch for Jarryd Inc.
Yesterday he fronted the media after one of the great individual finals tries, showing he is learning more than just how to step past six Dragons defenders in one magnificent movement.
With a sponsor's bag positioned perfectly over his shoulder for the cameras, Hayne spoke about his 77th-minute effort, offering: ''There was a set move and they D'd up well. I just tried to come infield and look for a little gap and I found one.'' Or six. Centre Krisnan Inu described the try as ''standard Jarryd Hayne'' and the fullback suggested there was something to that. ''I just play, you know,'' Hayne said. ''I can't sit down and read a book and tell you how to do it. I play off the top of my head and if I see it's on, I try my best.''
He did concede the try was more than standard when it came down to its context.
''It's up there, pretty special, considering how intense the game was,'' said Hayne, who is never one to follow a rule book.
While most players generally maintain there is always improvement needed, Hayne suggested that the level they reached on Sunday would be good enough to give them a premiership.
''We probably reached it yesterday,'' Hayne said. ''We've just got to keep that intensity up, keep that mentality up and I'm sure we'll go a long way.''
But first the Titans, whom the Eels have never beaten. If they win on Friday night, they will replicate the club's effort in 2007 to reach the preliminary final. That year, they lost to eventual premiers Melbourne, but Hayne said the Eels had grown up.
''I think we're probably a bit more confident [than in 2007],'' Hayne said. ''There's things that we did in '07 that certainly I've learnt from. I do feel a bit more confident.''
They are likely to have Inu back, too. The centre, who was ruled out of the qualifying final with a hamstring injury, said he almost played last Sunday and was confident he would overcome the strain in time for a return at the SFS, although he might have chosen his words more carefully when discussing the coming game: ''Hopefully we can pull a few strings to win this week,'' he said.
He added later: ''I was close to playing last week but unfortunately I just didn't pass the test that last day.
''Hopefully I should be all right for Friday. I'll probably take it slow at the start of the week and hopefully get running on Wednesday or Thursday.''
