Mixed news for Blues at judiciary
June 8, 2010 - 10:13PM
The judiciary panel took eight minutes to keep Jarryd Hayne’s State of Origin dream in tact and just as long to shatter those of Penrith backrower Luke Lewis on a mixed night for NSW at NRL headquarters.
Parramatta star Hayne was cleared of headbutting Melbourne and Queensland Origin rival Billy Slater while Lewis was left devastated after being found guilty of a dangerous throw - the one week ban costing the 26-year-old a fifth Origin start.
Selectors met after the hearing to trim the provisional 21-man squad to 17, with captain Kurt Gidley named on the bench.
Hayne’s not guilty finding sets up a potentially absorbing rematch with Slater at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday week, the Eels No.1 cleared of a striking infringement thanks to the wording of the charge which deems contact must be considered excessive and unfair.
While he admitted to making intentional contact with Slater’s head, the Parramatta ace claimed it was more an action to get the Storm ace away from him with their arms intertwined during the altercation.
"I’m just very, very, very happy - it pretty much just rattled me and I’m just so excited to be part of the squad now," Hayne said.
"It happened so fast ... I just can't wait to see the boys.
Asked how worried he’d been in the lead-up to the hearing, Hayne said:"Obviously very - State of Origin’s such a massive thing. I’m just glad I can be a part of it."
Crucial to Hayne’s not guilty finding were the instructions given to the three man panel - which included former Queensland Origin stalwart Bob Lindner - by judiciary chairman Paul Conlon.
"You have to be satisfied on the balance of probabilities that the act of player Hayne in bringing his forehead into contact with the forehead of player Slater was done with the intention to injure him or cause him significant pain," Conlon said.
Once handed those parameters, the result was a forgone conclusion with the panel taking little time to clear Hayne for what could be his biggest game for NSW.
Selectors - who were meeting late Tuesday night to finalise the final 17 - are set to name him at fullback for the first time, where he would once again go head to head with Slater.
Lewis’ defence team argued that Panthers teammate Sam McKendry played a significant role in turning the lifting tackle on Newcastle utility Matt Hilder into a dangerous hit.
While Lewis lifted Hilder, McKendry appeared to push Hilder’s head to the ground, but the judiciary panel found that the NSW squad member had played a significant enough role to warrant the 187-point penalty and one-week ban.
"It's pretty hard to explain - it’s a personal goal of mine and a dream since I was a kid has been taken away," Lewis said.
"I thought we pleaded our case pretty well, I thought we were definitely going to get off the way everything came across."
Lewis’ verdict left Blues selectors with 20 players from which to choose their final squad.
NSW side named to play Queensland in the second State of Origin match at Suncorp Stadium on Wednesday, June 16: Jarryd Hayne, Brett Morris, Beau Scott, Matt Cooper, Timana Tahu, Trent Barrett (vice-capt), Mitchell Pearce, Michael Weyman, Michael Ennis, Brett White, Ben Creagh, Trent Waterhouse, Paul Gallen. Interchange: Kurt Gidley (capt), Nathan Hindmarsh, Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Luke O’Donnell.
AAP
