Rookie Bevan French looms as the player to lead Eels into the future
MATT LOGUE, The Daily Telegraph
August 30, 2016 7:08pm
HE’S the $20,000 rookie on the verge of eclipsing Jarryd Hayne’s debut season tryscoring mark.
Such has been Bevan French’s rise in 2016, the 20-year-old has tripled his pay packet for the season on the back of playing incentives in his modest contract.
While Parramatta’s $1.2 million former favourite son Hayne snubbed the Blue and Golds for the Gold Coast in his NRL return, French looms as the player to lead the club into the future.
And after Monday night’s hat-trick against St George Illawarra, French has 16 four-pointers and now requires just two more to surpass Hayne’s tryscoring mark from his 2006 debut year.
Of the NRL’s top tryscorers, French has a league-best strike rate of 1.33 a game, ahead of Hayne’s 17 in 16 games a decade ago.
Not bad for a baby-faced fullback that started the year on an under-20s sign-on contract worth about $20,000.
Now, thanks to contract incentives for his NRL heroics he is set to finish the year collecting upwards of $75,000 before going into 2017 on a six-figure sum.
“We are not trying to put too much pressure or hype on Bevan and let him just grow into the player we all know he can be,” Eels captain Tim Mannah said.
Bevan French has scored 16 tries in his debut season for the Eels. Picture: Mark Evans
French’s earnings from this season include match payments from his 12 NRL games, 14 weeks of pre-season training and a sponsorship deal with shoe company Blades.
French also has contract incentives for games played and salary cap increases, which will ensure his value continues to rise.
The Tingha flyer is also in line to become the Eels’ long-term fullback with his management keen to lock him in beyond his 2018 deal.
Parramatta legend Peter Wynn admitted he wanted Hayne to return to the Eels, but couldn’t be happier with French’s arrival on the NRL stage.
“You know the old saying, one door shuts and another one opens,” Wynn told The Daily Telegraph.
“I thought Jarryd was going to be the light on the horizon and he was going to put everything back into perspective for Eels fans.
“It didn’t happen, but French has come from nowhere to leave his own little signature on the Parramatta Eels.”
Bevan French scored a hat-trick against the Dragons on Monday night.
Wynn says French’s on-field exploits have already translated to jumper sales in his store, Peter Wynn Score in the heart of Parramatta.
“He is popular,” he said.
“I’ve had a few people come in and order a jumper with French on the back.
“Mainly country folk who come down from the bush, but he has made a huge impact and a lot of people are talking about him.
“What he has done this season has been amazing.
“That try he scored from the kick back on the inside against the Dragons on Monday was as good as I’ve seen in recent times.
“He exploded on to the ball — I thought that was pretty amazing.
“Parramatta fans love to be entertained and this kid will do that without too much trouble I can you.”
Bevan French’s try-scoring exploits have been a boost for Eels fans.
Mannah believed hard work and a willingness to learn was the key to French’s success this season.
“Bevan has shown that in any professional sport hard work leads to success,” Mannah said.
“He still has things he needs to work on, but the pleasing thing is he has got a good attitude to want to be better.
“Bevan is a smart footy player and he knows how to read games and plays really well.
“As much turmoil as there has been this year, I think there have been great opportunities for young players to really put their hands up.
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