Eels' Hayne named rookie of the year

Parramatta winger Jarryd Hayne capped a remarkable debut season in the NRL by being named rookie of the year at the annual Dally M awards at Sydney Town Hall on Tuesday night.
Hayne scored an amazing 17 tries in 15 NRL games this season, the 18-year-old proving the trump card of Eels interim coach Jason Taylor.

Taylor introduced Hayne to the first grade after assuming the position from Brian Smith and the youngster immediately repaid the favour by becoming one of the most prolific tryscorers this season.

Hayne is the second successive Eels player to win the award after halfback Tim Smith won the accolade last year.

Hayne was grateful to Taylor after beating Brisbane pair Greg Eastwood and Darius Boyd, Cronulla's Luke Douglas and New Zealand Warriors' Grant Rovelli for the award.

"JT helped me heaps this year, I give the credit to him," said Hayne.

"That is why I am playing in the NRL, because of him."

With Wade McKinnon leaving Parramatta at season's end, Hayne said he would love to move into the custodian role next year.

"I want to be number one, if it comes next year it does," he said.

"I'm just happy to play in the NRL at the moment, that's all I want to do."

The award completes a remarkable turnaround of fortune and maturity by Hayne who earlier this year was fined $5000 by his club for allegedly biting a young woman at a Parramatta nightclub.