If it appears I have a bit of Hayne love atm, I do.
I just watched this again.
He's not only the best Eels player I've ever seen, he's the best Rugby League player I've ever seen.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yItnEVoD0VQ
Suity
Agreed. Watched this video again. Will be hard to keep him from being an immortal over the next 10 years or so. Can any of us think of a player who has achieved what Jarryd has pulled off across a broad spectrum of skills and "impossibilities" (so to speak) prolifically over 9 seasons in the NRL?
I really can't think of any player that even comes close. Can think of awesome specialists in particular positions. Can think of crafty, intelligent and tough never say die leaders. Can think of powerful, big engine, silky ball playing forwards paving the way to victory.
Can think of great ball players, off loaders, attackers, defenders, utilities, passers, kickers, etc, and a few players with an excellent mix of attack, defence, offloading, ball playing, passing and kicking skills, but I can't think of any player with the extreme, wide variety of consistent high performance levels of skill, power, speed, defence, attack while being capable of easily playing in almost all positions across the field at such a high, reliable standard. A player who consistently pulls off impossible magic for at least 6 to 8 NRL seasons.
And he carried our team almost on his own for at least 4 of those seasons.
Sure, he never won a Grand Final, and he was cheated from possibly winning 2 or even 3 thanks to the Storm. And he did excel in SOO and for Australia.
Can you imagine his stature if he played for our 81 to 86 squads?
Or playing for Manly, Roosters, Dogs or Storm since 2006?
Or played for Qld in SOO?
Easily now the best player of all-time.
Sure, never saw Dally Messenger, Dave Brown and Clive Churchill, but I would be surprised if they could bring to the table what Jarryd has been able to do collectively over 9 seasons in the NRL.
Agreed, Ken Thornett, Wally Lewis, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Ray Price, Graham Langlands, Arthur Beetson, Andrew Johns, Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny, Norm Provan, Ricky Stuart Alan Langer, Steve Mortimer, Steve Renouf, Mal Meninga, Inglis, Billy Slater, SBW, Cameron Smith, Steve Walters and could easily come up with another 50 to 100 fantastic RL players, but for me, none of them can come up to the freaky standards of Jarryd Hayne.
