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Jarryd Hayne‘s loss to rugby league leaves a massive void in the code, and I feel really sorry for his lifelong club, the Parramatta Eels.
Athletes of his extraordinary ability cannot be replaced overnight but in time, there is every chance Parra will unearth another footballer endowed with a similar skills set. League has the knack of unearthing champion footballers since it began in this country in 1908.
The Eels will surely do it tough without their beloved ‘Hayne plane’ but somewhere in the club’s vast junior league will be a player, perhaps several more, who can scale the heights achieved by this brilliant fullback.
MORE JARRYD HAYNE:
» Will Hayne Plance succeed in the NFL?
» Goodbye and good luck, Jarryd!
» Full report: Jarryd Hayne to leave NRL for NFL
Coach Brad Arthur, lured to the Eels from Manly by a persistent Hayne, will be ruing the loss of his sole superstar category player but the pair has a close bond and Hayne says he is leaving rugby league with his coach’s blessing.
Parramatta boss Steve Sharp conceded the loss of Hayne would be a devastating blow for the club but CEO Scott Seward insisted the Eels were not a one-man-team and that on-field success would continue.
“What Jarryd has been able to help us do here over the past 12 to 18 months is we are building a club and this club is not about one individual,” Seward said. “He has been the leader here but as far as we’re concerned, the plan doesn’t change.
“We are moving forward, we want to be a successful, sustainable club. Of course we wanted Jarryd to remain a part of what we are doing, all clubs would say that.
“We will just change tack a little bit but the plan remains the same. We will be going out there to achieve the ultimate success.”
The loss of Hayne comes as another body blow for the rugby league code.
High profile stars Sam Burgess, Sonny Bill Williams and Ben Te’o are off to rugby union, and this latest defection to another football code won’t sit comfortably with league’s fans and administrators.
But little can be done to keep such elite footballers in the code. The money on offer, coupled with the challenge of making it in the big time overseas, is almost impossible to ignore.
Looking towards next season, Parramatta officials will have plenty of money freed up by Hayne’s shock departure and they will be as active as possible in the player market. Sadly for them, most of the top liners have already been snapped up for 2015.
Perhaps they would consider looking towards Kurtley Beale or maybe even Israel Folau if they were interested in a code switch to RL?
For those not in the know, Hayne sensationally announced Wednesday he was quitting league immediately to follow his dream of a successful career in American football.
He revealed he had yet to be offered a contract in the NFL. He just had a burning desire to go to the States, suss out a few trials, before ultimately earning a deal that would test himself in one of the world’s biggest, most competitive and demanding sports.
Put simply, this is a story of an elite athlete who feels he needs a greater challenge in life.
He told reporters at the packed media gathering that financial gain was not his primary motivation. He said that as a kid he wanted to play first grade and representative football but more than anything, he wanted to buy a house for his mother.
Having done all of the above, Hayne said he had ticked off his desires from rugby league and wanted to move on to a greater challenge. Hayne explained he loved the speed and power aspects of the NFL and had been secretly harbouring thoughts of having a crack at it for the past two years.
He said he had agonised over his decision to leave rugby league and Parramatta but after encouraging everyone to follow their dreams, he elected to follow his very own.
“I’ve set myself a dream,” said an emotional Hayne towards the end of his 30 minute media conference. “And I told Brad (Arthur) I’m going to go chase it.
“I am risking a lot but if there’s no risk, there’s no reward. I am under no illusion.
“I am at the bottom of the (NFL) mountain and I’ve got a dream to try to climb it.”
This writer will miss sorely Hayne and all of the spectacular moments and excitement he has brought to rugby league.
Parramatta fans will be heartbroken and those who cheer for NSW and Australian teams will miss Hayne’s spontaneous brilliance.
I was highly impressed with the way Hayne conducted himself at the media session explaining his sudden departure.
In his eyes, you could see his burning desire to back himself in another sport, in another hemisphere far away from the comfort of friends and family.
Good luck to the Hayne plane. Show them what you’ve got.
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