Country stick by Buderus league selection

SYDNEY, April 15 AAP – Country Origin coach Laurie Daley says the selection of Danny Buderus for the annual rugby league clash against City was about picking the best players – but admits he has no idea if the veteran hooker will be there next Sunday.

Country selectors ignored the pleas of Buderus’s NRL coach Wayne Bennett to ignore the 34-year-old for the match in Mudgee, claiming the former NSW Origin skipper had nothing to prove by playing.

But in a bid to preserve the integrity of the game – which doubles as a selection trial for NSW coach Ricky Stuart – Daley said he could not rest Buderus.

“Danny’s the best person available for Country and we’ve selected on the premise that the best players are selected,” Daley said.

Asked if he understood Bennett’s position, Daley said: “I can, but you have to look at the bigger picture.

“I think sometimes coaches are making the best decisions in the best interests of their clubs.

“I’m assuming Wayne’s had dialogue with Danny, but our job is to pick the best possible players for Country.”

Daley said he would learn more at the team’s medical on Monday.

“I don’t know whether he’s carrying an injury, whether he’s going to be there, what’s going to happen, but he’s been named.”

The team, on paper at least, looks stronger than their City opponents.

With the likes of Tom Learoyd-Lahrs, Trent Merrin and Tariq Sims on a five-man bench that Daley will trim later in the week, the strength of the Country side is obvious.

It’s a luxury City boss Brad Fittler can only dream of, with fringe players Joseph Leilua and Jamie Buhrer getting a call up.

Fittler’s key task will be to get Jarryd Hayne up to speed on playing at five-eighth, with the Parramatta star seemingly pitted in a head-to-head battle for the NSW No.6 jumper with Country pivot Todd Carney.

“I’ve always been a fan (of Hayne playing five-eighth) – he’s got a real presence, Jarryd,” Fittler said.

“I know if I was defending against him playing five-eighth, I’d be constantly watching where he was going.

“From my thoughts, he’s in the game the whole time.

“At fullback, I think he can drift in and out of the game at times – this way, he’s in the game the whole time.

“I don’t think we’ve given him a chance or asked him to do that enough.”

Asked if he thought Hayne – who has played at fullback, wing and centre for the Blues in recent years, could clinch the NSW five-eighth jumper, Fittler said: “Yeah … I think if he plays good, Ricky’s come across to me like it’s an option.

“It puts pressure on Carney … it will put them all on their toes.”

The big loser out of the Hayne-Carney showdown is incumbent NSW No.6 Jamie Soward, with Daley intimating that his non-selection was purely based on form.

Publisher: AAPNewswire

16 Apr 8:30 AM