NRL: Rival backs Hayne for final

Bulldogs veteran Hazem el Masri wasn't able to have a fairytale end to his career. Photo / Getty Images

Bulldogs winger Bryson Goodwin has gone into bat for Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne, vowing to help Hayne beat a potential dangerous contact charge that threatens to wipe him out of next week's NRL grand final.

Hayne jeopardised his appearance in the premiership decider by being placed on report by referee Tony Archer for kneeing Goodwin in the head as the Dogs flyer scored the opening try of the match.

Anything more than a grade one dangerous contact charge from the match review committee tomorrow would see Hayne need to front the NRL judiciary to fight for his right to play in the grand final.

But Goodwin said he would give the Dally M medallist all the support he needed to clear his name.

Goodwin's stance was in stark contrast to that of teammate Ben Hannant, who claimed the Eels should not have finished the game with their full quota on the field after he had his shoulder wrenched back by hooker Matthew Keating.

Like Hayne, Keating faces a nervous couple of days as he awaits the match review committee's findings.

But it is the potential loss of Hayne which would be catastrophic for the Eels premiership hopes - with the game's hottest player having carried Parramatta to within 80 minutes of their first premiership in 23 years.

"I'll see the replays and what happens, if it looks like he didn't mean anything then I'd help him out (at the judiciary)," said Goodwin, who was still feeling the effects of the head knock after the game.

"You don't want to miss out on a grand final with a team that you've played with all year, he carried the team you could say to where they are now, so it would be bad to miss out for him.

Hannant was in no doubt about Hayne's guilt, however, questioning why referees Archer and Ben Cummins did not take sterner action over the two incidents.

Hannant was left requiring painkilling injections to get back on the field after suffering a partially dislocated shoulder and hyper-extended elbow.

"The refs didn't make the decision to send him off so, what warrants getting someone sent off?" Hannant said.

"Just because you're the best player in the world, does that mean that you never get sent off, these are the questions you've got to ask the NRL, not us.

Meanwhile Eels forward Nathan Hindmarsh says he'll be devastated if Parramatta's Kiwi captain Nathan Cayless doesn't play in Sunday's grand final. Cayless picked up a hamstring injury in Friday night's win over the Bulldogs, limping from ANZ Stadium after just nine minutes.

The Eels' "Nathans" are two of the club's three players, with Luke Burt, who played in their most recent grand final appearance, a loss to Newcastle in 2001.

Hindmarsh said Cayless' loss would hurt everyone at the Eels.

"(I'd be) extremely disappointed," he said.

"He busts his arse week-in week-out. For him not to be there, if that's the case, it's just going to be I think very hard on everyone, but it would be a huge disappointment to me personally." Eels coach Daniel Anderson was less than optimistic when asked about the injury.

"It doesn't look good. We'll hope for the best but we do fear the worst," he said.

"He took himself off."

But Cayless offered some hope to the blue-and-gold army awaiting a first title since 1986.

"(It was) just a bit of a tweak, so I thought I would get off and get it assessed so I didn't do too much damage," he said.

"The doctor and physio just kept me off so I didn't damage it too much.

"We've got a lot of time before the grand final next week, so I've just got to do everything I can to get out there."

Meanwhile, Bulldogs veteran Hazem el Masri kicked his last goal in the NRL to close the door on a 14-year glittering career. El Masri's retirement signals an end of an era at the Dogs after they fell to the Eels.

'El Magic' set up a try for Goodwin in the third minute and kicked two from three attempts at goal to retire as the NRL's most prolific point-scorer.

The dynamic winger didn't get the fairytale finish of winning a second premiership with his only club, but says the Bulldogs turn-around from finishing as last year's wooden-spooners is just as satisfying.

"It is a good feeling obviously, last year [we] had a lot of criticism as a team and what we went through was very tough for any team to take," El Masri said after the match. To turn it around in such a quick time and the opportunity to [play] again is all I pretty much wanted.

Still, El Masri said the loss stung. "It is hard to take it probably hasn't sunk in yet," he said. "It is difficult obviously but I can't complain too much, I've had an illustrious career.

"I could have finished last year with the wooden spoon ... look at what the guys have achieved. Kevin's (Moore) first year he's done a tremendous job and the way they've turned the whole club around it's just been a joyous year and very, very enjoyable for everyone."

- AAP