Hindy hopes captaincy sparks Hayne

Nathan Hindmarsh ... hopes the Eels captaincy sees Jarryd Hayne return to his brilliant best. Source: Sam Ruttyn / News Limited

Retired Parramatta NRL great Nathan Hindmarsh says Jarryd Hayne will never be able to repeat his 2009 heroics - but hopes the captaincy sparks a resurgence in the enigmatic Eels fullback.

Hayne was last week appointed as one of three Eels co-captains along with Reni Maitua and Tim Mannah - the trio replacing Hindmarsh in the role.

Hindmarsh admitted the leadership position was one Hayne would not have been ready for last year, but was hopeful the extra responsibility would result in a lift in consistency for the NSW State of Origin star.

"Haynesy has matured over the last couple of years, definitely - on and off the field," Hindmarsh said.

"He talks to the boys at training - he knows the game. He's probably the best bloke at knowing and reading the game.

"Hopefully it will give him that responsibility to say 'I've been given this responsibility - now it's time to step up and do it every week."

Often portrayed as being somewhat aloof in his approach to football, Hindmarsh said captaincy had not always been a natural fit for Hayne.

Asked if he would have been ready for the role 12 months ago, Hindmarsh said: "No, not really - I thought he needed a bit more time to have a look see how things are done."

Hayne produced a breathtaking spell of performances over the back half of the 2009 season that propelled the Eels from the bottom of the NRL ladder all the way to the grand final.

Hindmarsh said fans should not expect a repeat of that scintillating run of form, but admitted the pressure was on the 25-year-old to once again be a regular match-winner for last year's wooden spooners.

"I'm sure he (Hayne) won't mind me saying this but he knows he hasn't been playing his best footy for a number of years now," Hindmarsh said.

"What he did in 09 ... it would be bloody hard to replicate what he did in 09. That's some footy no one will ever get to see again.

"There is a lot of pressure. That's what happens.

"You've come out in 09, had a blinder of a year ... people want to see that again, people expect it and sometimes it's hard to deliver."

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Anasta: Chooks captaincy a burden

Braith Anasta ... is relishing life after the Roosters. Source: Brett Costello / News Limited

Braith Anasta is in love with rugby league again, free from the burden of one of the toughest gigs in the NRL in recent years - Sydney Roosters skipper.

The Wests Tigers recruit will go up against his former club for the first time in Saturday night's Foundation Cup clash, fresh from scoring a double on debut for his new club against Parramatta.

But while he still admits to having a soft spot for the Roosters, Anasta admitted to some relief at having left the club.

Anasta was not just Roosters skipper - he was the face of a club which endured more than its fair share of off-field drama during his reign.

In the end, he'd had enough.

"There was that many things going on there,'' Anasta said.

"I love the place and I loved the captaincy - I don't know if it's as intense everywhere else as captain but it certainly was there.

"I was very passionate about the job and the players and the club - I've still got a soft spot for the them.

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"But I've definitely noticed a bit more freedom now that I don't have that and I think it's helped with my footy.''

Not only did it affect Anasta's enjoyment, but it also fast-tracked his departure from the club.

''... it was one of those situations at the time where I wasn't really enjoying my football and there was a million reasons for that,'' Anasta said.

"They probably weren't rushing to re-sign me either because it was obvious I wasn't enjoying myself because I wasn't playing that good - it was a bit of a mutual thing (to leave) I think.''

Now at the Tigers, Anasta is no longer one of the big guns, a tag which belongs to Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah.

He has also been relieved of playmaking duties with a shift to the back-row, Anasta reviving the left-edge role he thrived in during the Roosters' run to the 2010 grand final.

Anasta said he'd had a chat to a few of his former teammates about the upcoming clash, and said he was relishing a chance to get the match-up out of the way.

"It's a bit weird, it's still just a trial game - it's probably a good time to play them because it's early on,'' Anasta said.

"People can move on and get over it. I can move on and get over it and get it out of the system.''

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