League: No nightmares for dreamer Hayne

Jared Hayne has a reputation more for having his head in the clouds than for his aerial prowess.

The 20-year-old is a renowned dreamer. He's one of the more laid-back players around but he's going to have to get vertical when he lines up against old friend Israel Folau on the wing for Wednesday night's first State of Origin opener.

Folau's exploits in the air would make Superman proud and the NSW coaches took the unusual step of employing a former AFL coach to try to teach Hayne to play the role of Lex Luther.

"It doesn't bother me," Hayne offers when asked about the prospect of trying to blunt Folau. Nothing much, it seems, bothers Hayne.

One thing that does induce a cringe, though, is the fact he has never been part of a series-winning NSW side in two years of trying. That fact is hard for him to escape.

Queensland go into Wednesday's series opener as raging hot favourites to claim a fourth straight series win, something that has never been achieved before. The Maroons have won three-straight three times and the Blues twice.

"Everyone is writing us off, which just gives us more motivation," Hayne says. "If people think we are there just to make up the numbers, they are wrong.

"There is a different feeling [to this NSW side] with all the debutants coming through. It's a relatively young side but everyone deserves to be there."

That's probably the Blues' biggest weapon. They are young and inexperienced but they aren't carrying the baggage of previous years and there is hope they can do what Queensland did to them in 2006.

That year was Mal Meninga's first in charge of the Maroons and few expected them to dethrone a NSW side that had won the three previous series and was brimming with confidence.

Meninga blooded 10 rookies and, while they lost the first game to a late Brett Finch field goal, claimed the series 2-1. The core of that team remains and they now make up the entire Australian backline and front row - and Meninga has reminded his side of what they did in 2006.

NSW coach Craig Bellamy has disregarded reputations and plumped for form in selecting seven debutants for Wednesday night's opener - Michael Jennings, James McManus, Terry Campese, Robbie Farah, Ben Creagh, Michael Weyman and Justin Poore. It is an exciting lineup, even if a little green.

Few, though, can point to the sort of form Hayne will take into the match. After returning to his more customary fullback position after a brief but ultimately flawed dalliance at five-eighth, he has been irresistible.

Last weekend against the Rabbitohs he scored two tries and set up a third and smashed the season's record for both metres gained (327m), hitups (32) and tackle breaks (17). His 327m was the fourth-highest in NRL history. He has scored five tries in three games since his return to fullback and 35 per cent of the Eels' tries overall.

"I was really keen about the move to five-eighth," Hayne says. "I thought it would be good for my game but I didn't really know what I was doing there and tried too hard. It was getting pretty obvious it wasn't working.

"Defensively, I didn't really cope. I get more of a rest [at fullback] and conserve my energies for my attacking game. That's what I'm best at." WARRIORS BOSS Wayne Scurrah moved swiftly to cut down rumours linking Ivan Cleary with a move to the Roosters to replace Brad Fittler.

Fittler has been under pressure after his side's dismal start to the season that sees them 15th with only three wins all season.

The Roosters are reportedly putting together a $1.2 million, three-year deal for Kiwis coach and Melbourne assistant Stephen Kearney but Cleary has been touted as an alternative should Fittler be sacked.

"No way," Scurrah said when asked if Cleary could be lost to the Warriors. "He is happy at the Warriors and we are very happy with him. We have been in discussions about extending his contract [which runs out at the end of 2010]."

Cleary played 81 games for the Roosters between 1996 and 1999 and also coached their NSW Premier League side to the title in 2004.