http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...turns-to-parramatta-eels-20171115-gzlxry.html
Jarryd Hayne can expect fight for No.1 jersey if he returns to Parramatta Eels
Jarryd Hayne can expect a fight if he wants his Parramatta No.1 jersey back with Bevan French and Clint Gutherson outlining their desire to be the club's fullback next year.
Speculation about a possible homecoming for Hayne is set to continue after Eels chief executive Bernie Gurr refused to rule out a play for the unsettled Titan. Gurr has previously addressed recruitment issues, most notably when asked in May about the prospect of signing Hayne and fellow former Eel Nathan Peats. However, he only offered "we don't discuss our recruitment strategy publicly" at an announcement on Wednesday spruiking construction company Aland signing as Parramatta's major sponsor for the next two years.
There would be implications for the current members of the Parramatta backline, most notably French and Gutherson, if Hayne was to return. The trio are capable of playing anywhere in the three-quarter line, but all prefer to play at fullback. There is already healthy competition between French and Gutherson for that spot, but that could increase if the two-time Dally M medal winner again dons the blue and gold.
"Him and Gutho and myself, if he [Hayne] comes here, will be fighting for the fullback spot," French said.
"That's a tough one, I don't know how that's going to happen there.
"I guess he can play centres and me on the wing as well. Gutho in the centres – I guess it would be a red-hot crack to see who gets it."
French has scored 28 tries in 29 games in his NRL career, most of them on the wing. While some have dubbed him the "next Jarryd Hayne", he may yet have to make way for the current one. The Tingha product believes the jockeying for spots will bring out the best in all the contenders.
"It's good, we go up against each other and it's tough competition to see who gets that spot," French said.
"In saying that, me and Gutho always laugh and have a bit of banter about it. It's good to have that competition, it's only going to make you fitter and stronger. If you don't get the position, there are other positions to play, it doesn't really bother me.
"Fullback is my preferred position that I want to try to learn and get more games under my belt at. If I'm not playing there I'll be happy just to be part of the team and in amongst it with the boys."
Gutherson has set himself the target of being fit for the season opener against Penrith after undergoing his second knee reconstruction. The utility back isn't fazed by the Hayne speculation.
"Who knows what's happening there, it's got nothing to do with me, that's the club and what he wants to do," Gutherson said.
"He's still a Titan next year as it stands so I'm not paying any interest in that."
While the former Sea Eagle is happy to feature anywhere in the team, he said his preference is fullback.
"I grew up playing a lot of fullback," he said.
"That's always been my favourite, just roaming around and doing my thing. It doesn't bother me."
Parramatta finally tasted success on the field last season, but it has come at a high price. As revealed by Fairfax Media last week,
the Eels are expected to post a loss in excess of $10 million, likely to be the biggest deficit of all 16 NRL clubs.
The signing of a major sponsor, after going the entire 2017 season without one, will go some way towards improving the bottom line. However, the club will need to start getting more bang for its buck, particularly with the introduction of a $5.7 million cap on football department spending.
Clubs will be given three years to get under a "soft cap" that has been brought in to stop them from spending themselves into oblivion.
Gurr said he wasn't prepared to predict when the Eels would be back in the black.
"We're going to have a substantial loss this year, we know that," he said.
"It's going to be substantially better next year in '18 than it is in '17 because we've done a very rigorous budgeting process."
