Congratulations to Jarryd Hayne for surviving cut after cut and making the San Francisco 49ers’ 53-man roster. To have the wontons to quit a successful career in the NRL, relocate to the US and succeed in making a pro football team with nothing but desire and belief is an astonishing feat.
Hayne has proved all the naysayers wrong (I was one of them) and despite the happy words from NRL HQ, the success has sent shivers down their spines.
This quite frankly is the worst news the NRL has heard in sometime. Another one of the game’s biggest stars is lost, almost certainly forever now. Hayne has resoundingly proved that a rugby league player – albeit a very good one – can make it in the US and earn squillions more than they would here.
Worse, Channel Seven are showing his games during the off-season, ensuring NFL is on the minds of young talent more than ever.
No doubt some in the HQ were thinking: ‘He’ll give it a good go, and we wish him well but he won’t make the squad and he’ll be back by 2016, and it’s the last we will hear of it.’ I certainly thought something along those lines.
If Dave Smith and the NRL think that this will be a one-off then they are sorely mistaken. They need to safeguard against the future plucking of our biggest stars, the time has come for the NRL to introduce a marquee signing policy. We’ve lost too many before, and we run the risk of losing more to another sport. Rugby union on the left, NFL on the right.
Hayne can sit on his backside for a season in the US and make $2 million a year. Johnathan Thurston can risk broken arms, ribs, and legs for about 28 games a year and make barely half that. I’m not suggesting Hayne was chasing money, the NFL was a lifelong dream for him, but there will be others in the NRL thinking that they can now switch and make some good coin.
However, would Hayne have pursued a career in the NFL if he was on a salary more befitting of his talents and marketability here? We’ll never know, but I’d like to think that Hayne wouldn’t have walked away if he was on $2 million (or even a bit more) a year in the NRL.
There can be no question that Hayne’s successes will lead the NFL to expand its scouting more seriously to Australia. And why shouldn’t they? For all of Hayne’s talent, he is 27 and wasn’t even the absolute best in the game (Greg Inglis is). The NFL will be looking at players five to six years younger and of similar if not better abilities. The NFL know too that they can offer a minimum wage salary that would make players here drool.
For example, let’s look at Roger Tuivasa-Sheck. He is supremely talented and he is only 22. Should the NFL be interested in him, what’s going to keep him here?
The money? Nope. The crowds? Considering the average crowd in the US is 65,000 compared to 14,000 here, I think we can say no. Marketability? Nope. He’d gain significantly greater exposure in the NFL and thereby increase his salary more than he would here. In the words of Indiana Jones, he’ll chase after “fortune and glory”. Can’t blame him either.
The NRL run the serious risk of losing quality talent like him to the NFL. However, a marquee signing policy, along with the necessary funding by the NRL, could persuade him to stay.
Tuivasa-Sheck is just an example. There are others who now can also harbour serious dreams about a switch to the US. Blake Ferguson perhaps, Will Hopoate or Michael Jennings. Heck, given his superhero like abilities, Greg Inglis might want to have a go. He’s only one year older than Hayne, and significantly more talented. Of course, I don’t believe that any of these had the same passion for NFL as Hayne did. But the next generation might.
Yes, I might be sounding alarmist, but it’s amazing how fast one can multiply to two, then four, and then eight if nothing is done. It’s not just the current stock of players under threat.
Hayne has now planted a seed whose roots will spread quickly; the next generation of stars is under threat. We need a marquee salary system to make sure that our future stars are compensated enough to not leave the game. Put any expansion plans on hold and use the extra money from the TV deal to fund the players better.
My heartiest congratulations once more to Hayne. We should be celebrating your success and we wish you all the best at San Francisco. But the NRL should never have been in a position to allow this to happen.
Bearfax
Guest
That was my mistake in under-estimating Hayne's potential in Grid Iron. I have a nephew who plays it and I was also indirectly involved with the Sydney comp and know how different a game it is and how different the rules and strategies are. I had suggested it would be too much for Hayne to just switch codes like that...I mean its hard enough switching from RL to RU. But I hadnt realized Hayne was a fan of the game since he was a kid and knew the game well. It makes sense now that he adjusted so quickly...though its still a remarkable feat.
John Hutchinson
Guest
Wally Lewis represented Australia in Schoolboys Rugby. Still ranks Mark Ella as one of the best footballers (all codes) he's ever seen or played with.
John Hutchinson
Guest
I still maintain that is absolute arrogance to think that any NRL player could go over and make the same impact as Jarryd Hayne. Hayne has watched NFL since he was 7 years old and has gone over there to do what he has ALWAYS dreamt of doing !!!. He knows their game!!! Yes there are some guys with great skills and possibly convert those to the NFL, but would take them 10 years to be able to understand the game. They would be such a hinderance to the Team they play for in that they would be just getting in the way. It's Ok to spend a day watching the Superbowl, and think you have an understanding of it, another to go and play it and expect to be in the big league in your first season. The NFL teams wouldn't waste the money.
alitis48
Guest
Human Pinball
Kirk
Guest
They are both sensational but my point was you can't say one is "significantly more talented" than the other like the article says. Inglis has definitely achieved more than Hayne in League but Hayne just has that added x-factor that I have never seen on another player before, except for maybe Benji in his prime.
Tony
Guest
The way dally m's work it's easier to get one on a rubbish team.
Tony
Guest
Totally 100% wrong, inglis is the best defensive fullback in the game, I don't know what you are smoking. His try saves are as numerous as they are spectacular. Actually inglis could probably be a linebacker if he put on a few kgs.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Well, winning the NRL title is a great goal. I've got nothing against it. What I'm against - and Captain Smith's comment highlighted it - is the view that other goals are not as meaningful.
Muzz
Guest
...
Muzz
Guest
I new you would be thinking about the reference Smiff made. Cam should really consider politics when he retires. I agree with you to some extent. It does sound a touch disrespectful when winning the NRL is the ultimate goal but things will eventually change.........................maybe
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
It's great when people do something different because that is their dream. I cringed when Cameron Smith said that Hayne hadn't achieved everything because he hadn't won a premiership. Thanks Captain Smith for reminding us of the fishbowl. Awesome stuff. (untwists knickers)
Muzz
Guest
September off memory. I'm not saying that it was his primary goal but a goal nevertheless. Ask any NRL players what the most desired prize in the game is and they'll straight out tell you winning a comp. This before representing their country which is why Sleiman is getting his knickers in a twist : )
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Actually, it makes no difference. If winning a premiership was the most important goal for Hayne, he probably wouldn't have made the move to the USA. And so, if he failed in his bid to play in the NFL, then yes, winning a premiership becomes the de facto desired prize since that is the only thing he hasn't done in the game.
Muzz
Guest
Ryan Cross is the blonde guy, Tony. He went to Waverley Collage which only plays RU and was also an AU school boy rep. RTS is the best FB in the world. Check out his highlights reel and more importantly this years stats. All run metres eclipsing 5,000m. As Andrew Johns stated "The kids a freak"
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Which episode was it?
Tony
Guest
I actually think inglis is better than hayne, and both are way better than Slater, I think they're the 2 best ever, certainly in regards to skills transferable to the nfl. Those saying hayne or Slater are better than gi, compare their highlight reels on YouTube, as good as hayne's is, gi is absolutely ridiculous. I actually have been arguing gi should go to the nfl since he was playing for the norths devils in the Qld cup. Now it's probably too late, but hayne is the next best thing, and if someone was to argue that hayne is mentally better suited to nfl I'd probably agree. No one, I repeat NO ONE in the world of rugby union, is CLOSE to hayne or gi, and afl is a complete joke in regards to ball running, tackling or general athleticism. The Nrl is a special comp talent wise, and hayne is proving that, but Nrl players that went to union already proved that. Folau is the best player in union right now but wasn't even the best player in his club teams in the Nrl. Remember how that blonde guy from the roosters went straight to the wallabies when he went to union but couldn't make the nsw team in the Nrl, was frankly underqualified for the roosters. That utility nobody stagg became a mainstay in the all blacks after being average in the Nrl, etc.
Muzz
Guest
Please! The Roosters cleared the decks (Maloney RTS) to make way for Hayne who had agreed to move to Bondi if things didn't work out over in the US. ....Source Roosters Radio - Interview with Uncle Nick An opportunity to win a premiership was his motivating factor.
bart
Guest
Better than yours i reckon.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Not for Hayne it wasn't.
nerval
Guest
AFL players convert to NFL kickers/punters. What are their highlights reels like?