Those who said that Jarryd Hayne would never make it in the NFL and were willing him to fail have got their way.
After making a number of appearances in America’s biggest sport, Hayne has walked away from the San Francisco 49ers to pursue his new dream of attaining an Olympic Gold medal with the Fiji sevens team.
On the surface it would appear as though Hayne has failed to realise his dream in the NFL, but is that really the case?
Hayne actually made the run-on team of the San Francisco 49ers last year and even though he was cut and relegated to the train-on squad, he did play one season in the NFL.
Therefore, it seems a bit more like ‘tall poppy syndrome’, with people only to happy to criticise someone for having a go and taking himself out of his comfort zone to pursue a dream that he has had since childhood.
Sure the cynics will be quick to say that it’s all about the money. Well if Hayne makes the final team and represents Fiji at the Rio Olympics he will only receive a paltry amount compared to what he would have made had he have stayed in the NFL, gone straight back to the NRL or to rugby union.
The biggest challenge for Hayne to make the Fijian team will be his ability to adapt to the game of rugby sevens’ and whether or not he has sufficient time to get aerobically fit before the Rio Olympics.
The question that really needs to be asked here however is whether or not it’s fair for Hayne to take the place of a Fijian player who has been in the system until now and who also has the same dream as that of Hayne of winning an Olympic gold medal?
Jarryd Hayne is obviously a free spirit and would appear to be following a similar path to that of Sonny Bill Williams. Love him or loathe him you can’t deny the fact that Hayne has been blessed with talents that the rest of us can only dream of.
I for one have nothing but praise and admiration for the ‘Hayne Plane’ and hope that he achieves his dream of winning Olympic Gold at Rio and ends up back in the NRL in the near future.
Glenn Innes
Guest
The best League in the world.That is like saying the AFL is the best League in the world.Given that American Football hardly exists outside of the United States it hasn't got much to compete with to get that title,
Torchbearer
Guest
If anything the Hayne story was the reverse of the tall poppy syndrome- wall to wall coverage, day in day out of what an amazing job he was doing, how much he was achieving, one leading writer even called it the greatest sporting achievement in Australian history! He was built up and supported even when he did not achieve at the highest level for any period of time. It was a failed experiment what ever way you spin it. The biggest case of hype I have ever witnessed.
Punter
Guest
I don't begrudge Hayne, good luck to him. You are 100% correct that he went from complete novice to competing in the top level is unbelievable. However, when you get 10 articles on Hayne, while Jason Day, who cements his place as the best golfer on the planet with another great performance gets 1, then this is where there is something wrong, while others perceive this as tall poppy syndrome!!!!
Patrick Effeney
Editor
I think it's a remarkable story - from complete novice to even competing in the best league in the world. Unbelievable he actually did it, and shows how skilled he really is.
mike
Guest
You want to change sports then do it in style. Leaving NFL because you couldn't crack it but then parading as though you left because you achieved what you wanted isn't a good look. Also, he could have been humble and rejected his Fiji sevens teammates offer to hold the champions trophy. Instead, he revelled in it even though he only played a few average minutes for the whole series. The guys a self-loving narcissist. SBW, on the other hand, has evolved spectacularly since his Bulldog-walkout-days. The guys almost a humanitarian.
peeeko
Roar Guru
well so now we cant have an opinion that Hayne wasnt going to make it? its not tall poppy syndrome it called having an opinion. and most people reconised he did very well and surprised most people. People are happy for him to do well. What people dont like is an over zealous media that reeks of cultural cringe and over exposure. I dont know anyone that begrudges what Hayne has achieved. We dont all have to believe the Danny Weidler line that him and SBW are gods