Paul Crawley says Jarryd Hayne should face off against Jamie Soward for Origin five-eighth spot
Source: The Daily Telegraph
ANY dog-eared quote book will tell you fortune favours the brave. Or winning isn't everything, it's the only thing. Or nothing great comes easy.
You've heard them all.
If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got.
Let's think about that one when we think about NSW playing Queensland this year. When we think about five series loses in a row - and the same old names being thrown up for the same old positions, and how this year is going to be different. Maybe it's time for NSW to take the tip.
On Sunday selectors will name the teams for the City-Country game in Albury on May 6, and once again we're being fed the same names as candidates for what is the greatest problem area for the Blues - five-eighth.
While Jamie Soward is a certainty to wear the Country No. 6 jumper, the City boys have only
Braith Anasta and
John Sutton being mentioned as possibilities.
Are they the answer to NSW's problems?
Remember, if you do what you've always done ... it's time for the Blues to be bold.
Jarryd Hayne should wear the City No. 6 jumper. Make City-Country a fair dinkum Origin trial.
Hayne is our best option at fullback - but he could be an even bigger danger if we moved him to five-eighth.
Privately, some of the smartest minds in the game believe Hayne would be a sensation at No. 6 but until now no one has been brave enough to take the gamble.
It's time. Let's do it next Friday night. Why not play Hayne at five-eighth in a winner-takes-all shootout with Soward?
There is no way possible NSW will ever go back to Anasta for Origin and - on form - Sutton is as much chance of breaking into the Blues this year as
Todd Carney. So to play either for City next Friday would waste everyone's time. We must consider Hayne.
When he went on that amazing run back in 2009, when the Eels made the grand final and Hayne was the best footballer on the planet, he did his greatest damage at first or second receiver. Think about it.
Hayne has every quality to be a successful playmaker. Big, powerful, fast. A monster kick and a wonderful pass. Think about it.
Nearly every try he scores is more a five-eighth's try than a fullback's. Think about it. Against the Bulldogs, before he planted a head-butt on
Corey Payne, Hayne was killing Canterbury when he had the ball in his hands on the short side. Like Lockyer does.
Think about it. He scored two down the left and had Canterbury on the ropes until he blew his temper.Think about it.
Jarryd Hayne was born to be a five-eighth but unfortunately for us somebody saw his talent for fullback first.
When Wayne Bennett first decided to move Lockyer from fullback to five-eighth everyone thought he was mad.
At some point this week Fittler and Stuart should sit down to discuss every option available to NSW and this option could just make sense.
On form, Soward has the inside running and deserves to be favourite.
But is it any less a gamble than Hayne? Let's make it a contest.
The other benefit is it opens the door to get both Hayne and
Josh Dugan into the NSW side. We can't afford to leave either out. Dugan made his comeback from that calf injury for the Raiders last Sunday and was dangerous every time he touched the ball.
All he did wrong was argue with the refs which is something he must get out of his game to play Origin.
But he did set up both the Raiders tries and he almost set up the match-winner until poor
Alan Tongue dropped the ball cold with the line open.
Of course, there is a strong chance Hayne will be picked on the wing for Australia which would kill off this argument before it gets hot.
But if Test selectors go for
Brett Morris and
Akuila Uate as Kangaroo wingers and leave Hayne for City then this option could evolve from fiction to fact by the end of this week. We can only hope.
Any dog-eared quote book will tell you fortune favours the brave. And that if you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always got. Queensland has won the past five in a row - it's time to gamble.
