Dyldam Parramatta Eels Head Coach Brad Arthur has confirmed that Jarryd Hayne will be rested for the Eels' Round 12 clash against the Penrith Panthers, with Justin Hunt to make his debut at fullback.
Arthur says medical advice was to rest the Blues fullback after his man-of-the-match performance in Wednesday night's intense State of Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium.
"I’d love him to play and he’d love to play," Arthur told the Big Sports Breakfast on Friday.
"But all the advice from our medical staff is that he's too big a risk in terms of what his load was while he was away and his performance the other night."
"The risk outweighs the benefits of him playing tonight: we need him long term and for the rest of the year."
Hayne described Game 1 as the toughest match of his career, with the NSW side to battered to crow about the win.
“There wasn’t a lot of energy to celebrate,” Hayne said.
“It was the hardest game I’ve ever been involved in and you’re just exhausted, so exhausted.”
After undergoing groin surgery in the off-season, 2014 recruit Justin Hunt returned to the field in Round 3 in the number 9 jersey for the Wentworthville Magpies in NSW Cup, before moving to fullback.
Hunt will become the 761st man to pull on the Blue and Gold jersey in first grade.
