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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/bulldogs-back-jarryd-hayne/story-e6frexnr-1225779891386
JARRYD Hayne has found an unlikely ally in Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis, who has warned of a supporter backlash if the brilliant fullback is banned from next Sunday's grand final.
As Hayne waits to learn his fate from the NRL match review committee over a kneeing incident in Friday night's win against the Bulldogs, Ennis spoke for every fan when he declared the Eels superstar should be there for next Sunday's showpiece event.
"If you take Jarryd Hayne out of the grand final you probably take 30,000 fans away from ANZ Stadium,'' Ennis said. "As a fan, it's great to see him playing the footy he is. It added to the atmosphere and the excitement for us (players) to have players like him on the field.
"There's too much adrenalin running through me on the field to know what was really happening there, and Jarryd was just probably trying to stop the try. But if I was that bloke - and I was in Jarryd's position and someone was going for the corner and something happened to me - I'd hate to miss a grand final for it.''
Hayne was placed on report for kneeing Bulldogs winger Bryson Goodwin as he scored a try in the fourth minute of Friday night's 22-12 victory over the Dogs.
"I was just a bit fuzzy in the first half, but after the first half I was fine,'' Goodwin said. "I just blanked out for a bit, but it wasn't too serious or anything. Hopefully he should be all right to play.''
Asked if he would be willing to support Hayne if required, Goodwin replied: "I'll see the replay and see what happens and if it looks like he doesn't mean anything, yeah, I'll help him out.''
The incident is already the biggest talking point in the countdown to next Sunday's grand final. The NRL match review committee will convene today at 11am, with commissioner Greg McCallum to determine if Hayne will be charged.
McCallum was unwilling to comment on the incident yesterday, but Hayne would be free to play in the grand final if he received a grade one charge and takes an early guilty plea.
Outspoken Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldronalso refused to place pressure on the judicial system. Twelve months ago, Storm Captain Cameron Smith missed the grand final through suspension.
"We literally have no comment,'' Waldron said. "We shouldn't even comment on matters relating to our own club before NRL officials, let alone other clubs.''
But former Test forward Mark Geyer said Hayne was in strife. "If you take the emotion out of it, I want to see Jarryd Hayne play in a grand final as much as anybody because he's a gun,'' Geyer said.
"But that didn't look real good. I must confess, if it was a comp game next week I think we would all be feeling a bit different about it. I do think he'll have a case to answer and unfortunately for him he may be out of the grand final.''
Champion halfback Andrew Johns said he would be floored if Hayne was forced to watch the grand final from the sidelines. "Jarryd has a bit of a nervous wait on his hands, but I'd be stunned if they rubbed him out of a grand final for that,'' Johns said.
"I'm certain it was accidental. I don't think he is even looking at Goodwin when it happened.''
NRL boss David Gallop was unwilling to speculate on the case, with Hayne's future in the hands of the match review committee.
Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said that while the club was unwilling to side with Hayne, they were not taking potshots at him either. "We're not going to get caught up in it,'' he said. "We'll stay out of it and if he's there next Sunday then so be it. We're finished for the year, so it's got nothing to do with us.''
This was meant to be in general section.
JARRYD Hayne has found an unlikely ally in Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis, who has warned of a supporter backlash if the brilliant fullback is banned from next Sunday's grand final.
As Hayne waits to learn his fate from the NRL match review committee over a kneeing incident in Friday night's win against the Bulldogs, Ennis spoke for every fan when he declared the Eels superstar should be there for next Sunday's showpiece event.
"If you take Jarryd Hayne out of the grand final you probably take 30,000 fans away from ANZ Stadium,'' Ennis said. "As a fan, it's great to see him playing the footy he is. It added to the atmosphere and the excitement for us (players) to have players like him on the field.
"There's too much adrenalin running through me on the field to know what was really happening there, and Jarryd was just probably trying to stop the try. But if I was that bloke - and I was in Jarryd's position and someone was going for the corner and something happened to me - I'd hate to miss a grand final for it.''
Hayne was placed on report for kneeing Bulldogs winger Bryson Goodwin as he scored a try in the fourth minute of Friday night's 22-12 victory over the Dogs.
"I was just a bit fuzzy in the first half, but after the first half I was fine,'' Goodwin said. "I just blanked out for a bit, but it wasn't too serious or anything. Hopefully he should be all right to play.''
Asked if he would be willing to support Hayne if required, Goodwin replied: "I'll see the replay and see what happens and if it looks like he doesn't mean anything, yeah, I'll help him out.''
The incident is already the biggest talking point in the countdown to next Sunday's grand final. The NRL match review committee will convene today at 11am, with commissioner Greg McCallum to determine if Hayne will be charged.
McCallum was unwilling to comment on the incident yesterday, but Hayne would be free to play in the grand final if he received a grade one charge and takes an early guilty plea.
Outspoken Melbourne Storm chief executive Brian Waldronalso refused to place pressure on the judicial system. Twelve months ago, Storm Captain Cameron Smith missed the grand final through suspension.
"We literally have no comment,'' Waldron said. "We shouldn't even comment on matters relating to our own club before NRL officials, let alone other clubs.''
But former Test forward Mark Geyer said Hayne was in strife. "If you take the emotion out of it, I want to see Jarryd Hayne play in a grand final as much as anybody because he's a gun,'' Geyer said.
"But that didn't look real good. I must confess, if it was a comp game next week I think we would all be feeling a bit different about it. I do think he'll have a case to answer and unfortunately for him he may be out of the grand final.''
Champion halfback Andrew Johns said he would be floored if Hayne was forced to watch the grand final from the sidelines. "Jarryd has a bit of a nervous wait on his hands, but I'd be stunned if they rubbed him out of a grand final for that,'' Johns said.
"I'm certain it was accidental. I don't think he is even looking at Goodwin when it happened.''
NRL boss David Gallop was unwilling to speculate on the case, with Hayne's future in the hands of the match review committee.
Bulldogs chief executive Todd Greenberg said that while the club was unwilling to side with Hayne, they were not taking potshots at him either. "We're not going to get caught up in it,'' he said. "We'll stay out of it and if he's there next Sunday then so be it. We're finished for the year, so it's got nothing to do with us.''
This was meant to be in general section.