NORMALLY, reporters would welcome Jarryd Hayne accompanying Daniel Anderson to a post-match media conference.

Hayne is a superstar. A freak. He won nine consecutive man-of-thematch awards last year. He isn't media-shy, exactly, but his public utterances are dwarfed by his on-field feats.

But after the 24-14 Monday Night Football loss to Canberra this week, most journalists wished Parramatta coach Anderson had just followed convention and brought along captain Nathan Cayless.

Prop Cayless has been under pressure of late. He has announced he will retire at the end of the season but that isn't enough for those who want their pound of flesh from the Eels' 1-4 start to the season after making the 2009 grand final.

They want him sacked as captain. This Sunday against South Sydney, he will have to share the skipper-ship with second rower Nathan Hindmarsh - who reaches an appearance milestone - as Ando's men attempt to get back on the road against South Sydney.

Anyway....

On Monday night, Anderson briefly cheered up the assembled members of the fourth estate when he said something mildly controversial about fullback Hayne, that being:  "I think Jarryd's a little gun-shy because he's been call for forward passes now in two games.

"I don't think either have been forward passes. He then becomes reluctant to throw that same ball again. There's a few things like that have been inhibiting our conviction."

But when Hayne was asked about this, he didn't answer the question. And when your correspondent again asked him about being gun shy, the fullback kept his mouth shut and looked to Anderson, who fired up a little.

"There's no use keeping probing Jarryd," the coach said. "He's not going to bite on a referees thing. You ask me.

"I think we got a lot of airplay about a foward pass a few weeks back (against Manly) and just about every one is being looked at, scrutinised ridiculously now. That's our frustration.

"I can see what he's doing. They're fine. Out of the hands, they're backwards. Yes, they do float forwards but that's momentum. You can't help that."

What is wrong with Parramatta on the field is a vexed question. But bringing a bloke to a media conference, saying something about him, and then not allowing him to comment on it is not a great media tactic, is it?

But Anderson was making a better point than most of us thought at the time. He was right to bring Jarryd to the media conference because the problem with Parra' really is ...... Jarryd.

Jarryd Hayne is the reason Parramatta made it to the grand final last year on the back of seven consecutive wins. This year, opposing teams are concentrating solely on shutting him down.

Hayne's chip kicks and weaving runs are not bringing the same results. In rugby league, forwards generally create momentum for the backs but in 2009 Hayne created momentum for his forwards with his bamboozling bursts.

And, crucially, Hayne hasn't got his head around things not working for him. That's what Anderson was - gently - trying to say.

"We're not patient," the coach said. "You need to keep on hanging in there when it doesn't work because you're on a low percentage.

"You're looking at one in five working. Not five in five. We get a bit dispirited when two of our options don't come off."

There are other factors, obviously. The form forward of the 2009 finals series was FuiFui MoiMoi. He wouldn't be in the top 20 so far this season.

Parramatta's halves, Daniel Mortimer and Kris Keating or Jeff Robson, are effective when the rest of their side is going forward but struggle when the forwards are either being beaten or only holding their own.

And Parramatta's forward pack IS aging. Cayless is 32. Hindmarsh is 30. New recruit Justin Poore has not reached the heights he did at St George Illawarra.

Anderson's coaching style - to encourage players to use their inate talent and to ‘play what's in front of them' is admirable, right and just.

But right now it isn't helping  - because there's not much in front of them.

If the Eels are less than electrifying on Sunday - and that's what I expect - they need to make more than cosmetic changes.

They need someone who is lacking confidence to touch the ball more often so he can get it back. They need someone in the halves who doesn't rely on a dominant pack to be damaging.

Who? Well, Daniel, at 9pm last Monday, the answer was sitting right next to you.