Twelve months ago a 49er, eight months ago a Fijian Olympic hopeful, six months ago settling down as a Gold Coast Titan. Aside from his enigmatic career, how will Jarryd Hayne be remembered?
When you try and recall Hayne’s achievements, there are a number of individual accolades but few team triumphs.
In 2009, Hayne lit up the NRL with a breathtaking run of form, unlikely to ever be matched. Almost single-handily, he took the Parramatta Eels all the way to the grand final, through sheer determination, skill and ability.
Fans, coaches and fellow players were in awe of his efforts, even his teammates just rode on the back of ‘Haynesy’. His first Dally M medal-winning year will be forever remembered by not just Eels fans, but all who witnessed.
Parra eventually fell on the final day of the season, to what would later be uncovered to be a cheating Melbourne Storm team, almost $1.5 million over the salary cap.
Arguably, that grand final loss was Hayne’s one shot at premiership glory. It’s easy to conclude that if the Storm weren’t cheating the salary cap and were without a player of the influence of Greg Inglis, Parramatta and Hayne would have been crowned NRL premiers.
Moving to Hayne’s only other period of real success – in which he helped NSW win the 2014 State of Origin series and took out a second Dally M Medal, alongside Johnathan Thurston – it’s easy to see why he is often referred to as an enigma.
Between the grand final loss and his second Dally M, Hayne achieved little at club level. In 2012 and 2013, Parramatta collected consecutive wooden spoons, failing to provide a team dynamic that could bring out the best in Hayne.
A move to the edges with the national team for the World Cup in 2013 allowed Hayne to show his talent while playing among the game’s best, as they took out the tournament.
Then came the cope-hopping, the challenges, the dreams. All respectable goals and journeys, which few would have the mindset or ability to dare attempt.
But given Hayne’s individual feats and skill, has he really achieved as much as he should have?
His work ethic and commitment have been questioned by his peers in the past – even his former Eels captain, Nathan Hindmarsh, called him the worst trainer he had seen.
The only time we’ve seen a fully committed Hayne, with the work ethic of a man possessed, was when he tried to make it in the NFL at the San Francisco 49ers. Surrounded by some of the best athletes in world sport and challenged to step up and learn the game, Hayne excelled in his devotion and efforts.
Outside of ’09 and the Blues Origin win in ’14, you could say Hayne’s time on the West Coast was the only time we’ve seen him emotionally invested in his training, dedicated to getting the best out of his skillset.
How often over the years have you seen Hayne sleep through games and dawdle across the rounds. This is where the problem with his legacy come in.
Cam Smith, Billy Slater and Johnathan Thurston are all set to become Immortals because they are without question the most committed, dedicated and consistent players of the last decade.
But Hayne is at risk of blowing his legacy as a rugby league player, such has been his demise on the Gold Coast. Reports of poor training, individualism, a failure to buy in, and a meagre transformation, despite having his first full pre-season in years, led to suggestions the club should move Hayne on.
When he returns from an ankle injury in a few weeks, the Titans’ flagship signing has some serious ground to make up with the fans, pundits and even his teammates. There is no way he is displaying the dedication or form to be considered for the NSW State of Origin side, although he will probably be picked on ability alone.
As a kid who grew up in Sydney’s southwest, rose through the junior ranks of rugby league to make it to the top of his sport, and traversed a different path by leaving it all behind to pursue a dream, perhaps Hayne’s story is already written.
A couple of medals, some finals appearances, a trophy here and there, scintillating flashes of brilliance, and the ability to light up a rugby league crowd like only a select few can – it’s a very commendable career to look back on.
But many players are remembered for just the last few years of their journeys.
So will Hayne merely be recalled for enjoying a Gold Coast holiday for a couple of years before falling out of the game and shipping off to French rugby? It would hardly leave a legacy as a ‘great’ of the sport worth remembering.
The real question is: how does Jarryd Hayne want to be remembered?
The Barry
Roar Guru
I can't speak to how Jarryd Hayne feels but if I said my dream was to play in the NFL and I played in the NFL, then I would consider that fulfilled. He might be a ball runner but it's a completely different sport. Do you really think just being a good ball runner in league should translate to immediate success in NFL? He'd never played NFL before except on his PlayStation. It sounds like you expected him to do much better than he did, which is good in a way. For mine, being the first league player to turn his back on a million dollar per season contract for a wild shot at NFL and actually making it onto a roster is still a pretty good achievement even if it didn't meet your expectations.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Why was his 2014 origin series better than any of his other origin series? Because he was in better form. In 2014 he was in arguably career best form and it translated into Origin. I've only been watching league for 30-odd years so I bow to your extra experience but what is it specifically he does that no one else in the past 50 years has been able to do? I'd love Hayne to get a few good games under his belt for the Titans and be there for Origin but he's had eight NRL games in two and a half years and none have been exceptional and he's coming off an injury. So no, I'm not kidding.
Don
Guest
You're kidding -if Hayne had been back packing around Europe for 3 years and turned up unannounced at Lang Park an hour before SOO kick off wearing thongs I would pick him. He is the ONLY reason we won in 2014. I have been watching League for 50 years and there has NEVER been a player who can do what he can do. Also it takes SOO to motivate him - weekly Rugby League doesn't appear to interest challenge him and he has achieved all that Rugby League can offer him.
Lovey
Guest
Do you think he would feel he fulfilled his dream? Playing a few minutes in a couple of games? People talk of the Australian tall poppy syndrome, and how well he did in the US. There is also the Australian little brother syndrome. We are a medium size country. Why is it exceptional to expect that a star as a ball runner here, might at least be competitive doing that in the US. And I understand he had played the game before. I think his foray there was underwhelming.
The Barry
Roar Guru
His goal was to play in the NFL which he achieved. He never said he was going to win a Super Bowl or an MVP. Gee - you've been dishing out the liar call a bit lately Spruce. You've got no evidence he was lying. Hayne has always spoken of his time with the Fijian league team as life changing. When the opportunity arose to play in the Olympics for the Fijian rugby team it probably did seem like a dream.
Nambawan
Guest
Not if you prefer rugby union!
The Barry
Roar Guru
Another childish trolling attempt...those two states contain half of Australia's population.
The Barry
Roar Guru
I think he has to show something on the paddock before he gets picked. It's a mistake to think he'll just show up on the toughest footy stage and do something brilliant because he did three years ago.
Scott
Guest
The two halves at present are better than him, he needs to run into gaps and stop pretending to be a ball player
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
That's right. Hayne has done nothing wrong. His applying himself more or not in rugby league is his own business. He certainly doesn't need to be a 'great' in anything in order to satisfy his own personal aspirations. People create standards for their 'heroes' to meet and then savagely bring them down when they don't meet them.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
They are already back. Just sayin...
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The code is already big enough to promote the 'Stars' if it wants to.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I don't understand why anyone would think that he is polarising.
Billo
Guest
I don't think he would have got as far as he did in the NFL if he had been too casual.
nerval
Guest
Hayne's going to be selected by Daley for NSW, isn't he? No matter what he does or doesn't do, Daley is not for turning. Is Hayne good enough to play Origin? For sure. Does he deserve to? No.
theHunter
Guest
Maybe you are right. But he wanted to try NFL and also wanted to try Olympics too. Two different dreams but nonetheless goals he wanted to achieve. He wanted to try out NFL and thus sacrificed his millions of dollars to pursue something that he wanted to do. Who in his right mind would leave a good paying job to purse something like this? He showed that money isn't what drove him but his love and dream of trying out professional NFL did. Fortunately he plays a couple of games and his achieved probably more than he ever thought possible. Than he wants to play sevens, not because it was his dream to play sevens but his dream to go to the Olympics (people tend to miss that). And since both NFL and Rugby League can't provide him that opportunity he tries the next best thing but unfortunately he doesn't get to it. How many people do you know of who can chase their life goals in one lifetime? While he was/is still young he pursued his goals/dreams and despite the results I am happy for him. That is commendable. Why regret not achieving a life goal/dream just because you had to please people from just one aspect of your life is ridiculous? Kids love him and they should coz even though he is not even 30 yet, he has been able to achieve or pursue some goals in life he had set for himself. His got cojones to pursue his dreams. Some people will just sit there until at their deathbed and regret what they missed out on while in their youth.
jeff dustby
Guest
what does that mean? northies is an hour from parramatta
Mathew Stealer
Guest
As soon as Rugby League becomes a big sport not a 2 state affair thats when the 'Stars' will become recognizable and the sport will get somewhere. Its all about demand and there is zero
Simoc
Guest
I doubt Hayne realised a thing. He doesn't come across as a smart operator, just talented like so many. So his management are the ones that have delivered and deserve the plaudits. Hayne won't cut it in French rugby union at his age. So he can go with Rugby League or try something else.
Lovey
Guest
I think he was tried at 5/8 when he went stale at FB. It wasn't a success, but he does have a nice pass. It seems he found form again at centre.