New South Wales' State of Origin series hopes have received a huge boost after Jarryd Hayne was cleared of a headbutting charge.
Panel takes five minutes to clear New South Wales star
New South Wales' hopes of levelling the State of Origin series were given a huge boost on Tuesday after Jarryd Hayne was cleared of a headbutting charge.
The decision by the NRL judiciary means the star utility back will be available for NSW's crucial clash with Queensland in Brisbane on June 16.
Hayne had been charged with a grade one striking offence following a confrontation with Melbourne's Billy Slater during last Friday's ill-tempered Eels-Storm clash.
Had he been found guilty, Hayne would have been handed a one-match ban, but will now renew his rivalry with Slater in Origin II at Suncorp Stadium a week on Wednesday.
"I'm just very, very happy," Hayne said after the hearing. "It's pretty much rattled me and I'm just so excited to be part of the squad now.
Excessive
"(I was) obviously very (worried). State of Origin is such a massive thing so I'm glad that I can be part of it."
Representing Hayne, Geoff Bellew SC described the contact between his client and Slater as 'minimal' during the 45-minute hearing.
He argued that Hayne had simply been trying to break free of Slater's hold so he could get back in the defensive line.
"The opposite of excessive is minimal," Bellew told the panel. "If that's not minimal, one wonders what is.
"The contact was not excessive. Slater's head doesn't recoil. You will not see backward movement of his head; it doesn't happen. He (Hayne) wasn't in control of the situation."
The judiciary panel - comprising former Queensland star Bob Lindner, ex-NSW prop Don McKinnon and Sean Garlick - took just five minutes to reach a not guilty verdict.
