League: Hayne confused by Blues axing

Jarryd Hayne. Photo / Getty Images

Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne says he's confused by his shock omission from the NSW State of Origin team and he's not ready to switch to five-eighth as Blues coach Ricky Stuart suggested.

Hayne has been a standout and a player of the series for the Blues in the past, but new coach Ricky Stuart decided Canberra's Josh Dugan better suited his Blues side at fullback.

Although Hayne has played most of his matches for NSW on the wing he was omitted from the squad altogether.

Stuart said he felt the Eels fullback would be better suited to playing five-eighth when he dropped the selection bombshell at the NSW team announcement on Sunday.

Hayne responded at a Parramatta pool session on Monday declaring that while he may end up at pivot he wasn't ready yet and that was probably two or three seasons away.

Recognised as the best player in the world at the end of 2009, Hayne said he was unsure what he'd done wrong.

"Obviously very disappointed, a bit confused. It was tough for my name not to be read out but that's life and I'm just going to move forward and focus on the Eels now and move forward from there," Hayne said.

"I was confident, I thought I did enough to make the team."

Hayne said he turned his phone off as soon as he heard the team read out and headed to church to "chill out".

He said he wasn't worried whether Stuart phoned him to discuss his omission or not, as he disagreed he was ready for a move to the halves.

"In a couple of years, but not for the next two or three years. I'll be playing fullback. That's where I like to play and that's where I will play," he said.

"I understand in the future five-eighth will be more suited to me but that's something in the future, nothing coming soon.

"I don't feel I have the composure of a five-eighth at the moment.

"If he (Stuart) calls me he calls me, if he doesn't he doesn't."

Hayne said Akuila Uate and Brett Morris deserved their positions on the wing and backed his former Fiji team-mate Uate to have a big game.

Asked if NSW had missed out on a big game player by not picking him in the side, Hayne said it would depend largely on the result.

"You'll have to wait and see on Wednesday. If they win I'll be ecstatic for them and if they lose I'll be more disappointed I wasn't there to help."

- AAP