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The Hayne Plane has lift-off, jetting out of Sydney and into the great unknown on Sunday night.
Leaving behind the fame and comforts of life as a superstar in the NRL, Jarryd Hayne admitted he was headed for LA on a wing and prayer as he chased his dream of cracking the NFL.
“It’s unknown. That’s what excites me, these type of challenges,” Hayne told a posse of reporters before boarding Hawaiian Airlines flight HA452.
“I said from the start, this is what grows character, builds who you are, and that’s part of the reason why I’m doing it.”
First stop Honolulu, then LA, with the dual Dally M Medallist’s immediate focus on recovering from jetlag as fast as possible so he can hit the tarmac running upon his arrival.
“I’m focused on getting over to LA, training, working hard. I need to transform my body into an NFL player,” he said.
“I’m a rugby league player at the moment, physically. Mentally, I’m not, but I need to catch up and get to work straight away.”
The Detroit Lions have reportedly emerged as one of six NFL clubs chasing Hayne’s signature.
But amid talk Detroit had offered the Parramatta, NSW State of Origin and Australian Test star a train-and-trial deal, Hayne insisted he’d had no contact from any NFL clubs – nor the Lions’ superstar running back Reggie Bush.
Bush and Hayne met during the American’s promotional trip to Australia in June and he watched the NSW fullback help clinch the Origin series before reportedly recommending him to the Lions.
Hayne, though, said he didn’t even know “exactly” where he was going to live in LA, let alone who he might ever play for in the NFL.
All he knows is that nothing will come easy, saying he expected to be targeted as the new kid on the block by other hopefuls jostling for contracts.
“That’s part of the challenge,” he said.
“It’s nothing like what we wouldn’t do at Parra. If a new kid come onto the block at Parra, we’d definitely test him out and push him to the limits and see if he can cut it.
“I’m under no illusions. Nothing that anyone has said I haven’t thought about it or haven’t prepared for.
“I’m probably even below a rookie because they’ve got a lot more knowledge than me and are probably in better shape than me.
“I’ve got a mountain to climb and that’s why I’m doing it: to climb that mountain.”
Hayne, who is taking three mates for company to “enjoy the adventure together”, said he wasn’t necessarily targeting the draft or a trial, just the conditioning to earn a shot one way or another.
“We’ll take it week by week and see where I’m at and whether I’m in that condition to progress for a trial or not,” he said.
“If we go down that avenue, then so be it.
“But the overall plan is for 12 months and to do as much training as I can and to prepare and to learn all the routes, learn all the schemes … I just want to get the basics down pat.
“I know a bit but obviously it’s a lot more strategic and a lot more in-depth, the NFL.
“It’s like anything, you can prepare as much as you can. But when you’re in the heat of the battle, it’s a totally different thing.
“I know that. I’ve been in places where I haven’t felt comfortable. I’ve been to hell and back in Origin.
“I’ve been to the pinnacle in rugby league and I look forward to trying my best in the NFL.”
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