Gerard Beale (centre) at the New Zealand Kiwis Rugby League training. Photo / Greg Bowker
Kiwis backline utility Gerard Beale says the team can't take too much joy out of Jarryd Hayne's withdrawal from the Kangaroos' Four Nations squad.
Hayne's decision to leave the NRL has stunned the league world but Beale is not buying into talk that the Kangaroos will be weakened as a
result, with Hayne's decision to try his luck in the NFL sure to open the door for yet another rising Australian star.
"I guess that's certainly a positive for us, the Kiwis, but you know there's that much depth in the Aussie side that whoever fills his spot is definitely going to step up and will provide just as much to the team," Beale said.
"We can't look at it as a positive for us because Australia are going to be just as strong."
Beale learned of Hayne's code-switch just before starting a training session with the Sydney-based members of the Kiwis squad yesterday and said the huge media attention surrounding the star fullback's announcement was understandable.
