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Play Hayne, but fullback is too big a risk for the Blues

Hayne has abandoned the Eels for the cash on the coast. (AAP Image/Action Photographics, Renee McKay)
Roar Guru
12th June, 2013
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NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley cannot afford to risk any player in the key position of fullback. This is regardless of whether or not Jarryd Hayne says he is right to play.

Hayne is battling the clock with a minor hamstring injury suffered in the Eels’ loss to the Roosters.

Ideally, Hayne should be in contention to be right for the game, given the gap between his injury on the weekend and Origin 2, but the team is selected this Sunday. Hayne will not get a chance to prove his fitness under game conditions.

Whoever is in the final NSW 17 as fullback must be 100% fit.

Given that Josh Dugan is arguably a better fullback than Hayne, Daley is in a great position. It would be too risky to start with Hayne and see him break down, with only have Josh Reynolds on the bench.

Looking at the injury itself, the question must be asked: why did he play for his club side after such a gruelling Origin I when he had a history of tight hamstrings?

Ricky Stuart and the Eels physios elected to gamble and play him off the bench which turned into an unmitigated disaster. Daley cannot make that same mistake.

If Hayne says that he is right to play then he should either play his normal right wing position replacing Blake Ferguson or be the utility on the bench replacing Reynolds. This will strengthen the Blues into Origin 2.

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Hayne was wonderful in Origin I as he is in every big game and it is certainly worth giving him some slack, but not at the expense of the team.

To have the exciting Josh Dugan playing fullback and also have Hayne in the team is what I would have done upfront.

If Hayne plays on the wing and suffers a recurrence of injury, he can easily be replaced and the team’s structure will not be impacted. Don’t forget Reynolds was not even used in game one.

If Hayne played from the bench, he can actually cover more positions than what Reynolds does.

This is going to be tough a call by Daley.

The easy decision is to make Dugan the fullback, but if he also wants to play Hayne then he must sack either Ferguson or Reynolds after he told everyone they would be “sweet” for Brisbane.

What he cannot do is to leave the team exposed and not have a genuine fullback.

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The incredible depth in NSW is evident with a world class player like Dugan being available for Hayne and if bad boy James Tamou is dropped after being caught drink driving in Townsville, Andrew Fifita will come straight in and many believe he is the best prop.

His figures are certainly superior after only playing 29 minutes and making 75m from nine hit ups and 20 tackles, while Tamou only made 52m from 42 minutes from his eight hit up and 21 tackles.

Despite all the fanfare, the Blues should be stronger for game two.

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