Gold Coast Titans prepare to face Jarryd Hayne, as former star looks to rediscover his best form
JARRYD Hayne appears to have put his torrid time with the Titans behind him, along with the illness that affected his fitness. But the Eels’ star’s form turnaround could be bad news for his former club.
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TO many, Jarryd Hayne was a pain in the butt at the Titans. Now it has emerged the real pain was in his stomach.
Former Gold Coast teammates are bracing for Hayne to come out firing on Saturday night when the Eels utility back faces the Titans for the first time since controversially quitting the club last November.
Hayne’s much-hyped 23-game stint for the Titans turned into a sad soap opera, with the one-time NRL superstar lashed for his form and even blamed for the sacking of former coach Neil Henry.
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But as he prepares to take on the Titans at ANZ Stadium, Hayne revealed his tenure at the Gold Coast was plagued by a worrying stomach problem that ultimately required surgery.
After completing Eels training on Tuesday, Hayne said he was diagnosed with H-Pylori last year while at the Titans, leaving him bloated and feeling ill for the best part of the 2017 season.
Hayne required surgery after the disease attacked his stomach’s lining and played such havoc with his immune system that he struggled to digest food.
In the past six weeks, the 30-year-old has put together the type of consistency the Titans craved from him last season and Hayne attributes his improved form to feeling like a healthy athlete again.
“I’m feeling great now,” said Hayne, who believes he suffered a stomach bug after drinking local water in Fiji during his bid to qualify for the Rugby Sevens for the 2016 Olympics.
“We didn’t know what was going on in my stomach. I think we’ve really balanced my gut out and I feel awesome and it’s showing.
“I’ve found a real good balance before the North Queensland game (in round 14) and my body has felt amazing since.”
Hayne produced some moments of magic at the Titans, most notably his field-goal against the Wests Tigers which ultimately kicked the Titans into the finals in 2016.
Most of the time, the $1.2 million Titans recruit was an overpaid failure, but Gold Coast winger Anthony Don is wary this week, believing Hayne is primed to prove a point to his former teammates.
“Jarryd has shown some good glimpses in the past month,” Don said.
“It’s the best he’s played since he came back from the NFL. I’m sure Jarryd will want to get one up over us, you always wants to beat your mates so we are looking forward to it.
“The Eels are packed full of potential. We know they have quality players so it will be great coming up against Hayne.”
Hayne has since given up a number of dairy products, lowered his coffee intake and is taking probiotics to help his gut health.
“I had to go see doctors and have a couple of surgeries,” Hayne said.
“It’s obviously tough when you don’t know what’s wrong with you and you can’t do things you normally can.
“That was obviously affecting me. I’m on top of it now but it’s going to be a long process. It takes three or four months to clear the stomach.”
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