Eels set up NRL fullback plays for Hayne

Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne has revealed how he is going to switch from centre to fullback to feature in set plays for the NRL season.

NRL

Jarryd Hayne will feature in some set plays from fullback for the Eels during the NRL season. (AAP)

Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne has revealed how coach Brad Arthur has planned to switch him from centre to fullback for set plays during NRL matches.

Hayne spent a handful of possessions in the midfield in the Eels' season-opening loss to Penrith on Sunday, with first-choice fullback Bevan French moving to the wing.

"We've just got different plays if we see or we work on during the week that I'll swap with Bev," Hayne said after the match.

Arthur spent plenty of time in the off-season saying how the Eels would be less reliant on Hayne compared to his previous stint at the club.

But the former NFL convert, who won two Dally M medals wearing the No.1 before departing for the United States in 2014, said he is prepared to play any role he's asked to.

Asked how important it was for him to get touches at fullback, Hayne said: "It's all about the team. Whatever I can do to help, that's what I'm going to do."

The loss took the air out of Hayne's highly-anticipated return to the blue-and-gold, as well as celebrations for his 200-game milestone.

He busted three tackles and was solid defensively, but struggled to make a real imprint on the match, and was made to work hard for his 107 metres carried.

Pressed on how he felt he performed in his comeback, Hayne said: "We didn't win, so it doesn't really matter what we did personally. We come here for the two points so we didn't get that.

"We're all disappointed.

"It was good to be back. Plenty of blue and gold out there, full house today, which was awesome. It's what the west deserve."

Both Hayne and Arthur were especially disappointed with their second-half effort after a pre-season where they worked heavily on starts to both halves.

"We worked so hard in the pre-season about our starts, first half, second half," Hayne said.

"We lost our way. We've got to be better when things don't go our way to hit back, get into that momentum, get into that grind. We didn't fight it out, we didn't do that today."

Arthur was in no mood to single out players following the loss, including Hayne.

"He was okay but we didn't win so none of us, we're not going to say any of the boys played well when we didn't win," he said.


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Source: AAP


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