St George Illawarra have reportedly expressed an interest in Jarryd Hayne joining the NRL club next season as the two-time Dally M Medal winner remains without a contract.
Hayne will meet the Dragons to discuss his future, according to a NRL.com report, which says the club have been in discussion for a number of days with the star back.
It comes after veteran Dragons winger Jason Nightingale’s retirement at the end of last season and fellow flyer Nene Macdonald’s move to North Queensland.
The Dragons’ younger brigade returned to training on Monday along with coach Paul McGregor and recruitment manager Ian Millward, with senior players expected back in coming weeks.
Hayne last week admitted he was resigned to not being able to stay at Parramatta in 2019, as the Eels juggled their salary cap for next year.
However, Parramatta management at the time were hopeful he could stay and that a deal would be signed in coming weeks depending on their ability to offload players.
“I’ve obviously waited a while to get something on paper but I think the long story short is Parra just can’t,” Hayne told AAP last Sunday.
“I’m going to have to (look around) because I don’t have a job. In four days, my contract is over,” he said.
“It’s a bit of a lottery (where I will be in 2019).
“I’m on the market, looking for a job. I’ve got to pay the bills.”
Hayne, previously a noted fullback, played the second half of last season on the wing for Parramatta and busted through 32 tackles and scored six tries in the last six games of the year.
The Dragons did not want to comment on recruitment speculation when contacted on Monday.
ben dover
Guest
dragons must sign jarryd hayne as fullback to have a chance of winning 2019 comp
steve b
Roar Guru
A half good Hayne is twice as good as a lot running around at the moment.
Steve Franklin
Roar Rookie
If they buy him I won't watch another Dragon's game till they get rid him and i've seen every game of their's since 1957. We paid badly for the overrated Marshall and now they will pay through the nose for the even more overrated big headed Hayne. Please don't do it ..
Sludge McFlurrey
Guest
Lotsa hate there BA.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Which you are entitled to do. Of course that requires you to ignore that he was unable to participate in a full preseason and had to play with and through numerous injuries in the first 7 weeks of the competition. And from Rd 14 (just on the halfway point of the season) onwards, on the worst team in the competition, he was the equal third highest try scorer and second in tackle breaks (for outside backs) to Tedesco - so that is comparing him with players who had something to play for like R. Jennings, Oates, Ferguson, Fusitua, etc. Haters gonna hate, hate, hate hate, hate...
JimboJones
Guest
That's one way of looking at it . My way of looking at it is , here's a bloke that been on the bludge all year , that once again has failed to deliver on the expectations placed on him , and now , when the season is nearing an end and he has no contract for 2019 , decides to extract the digit and have a dig. Typical Hayne , hes Anthrax.
Dodgy Dragons
Roar Rookie
Totally agree. I think Hayne would be a great pickup for us at the right price. He would strengthen our poor defense on Aitken side of the field and can pretty much play any position in the back line. Has that X factor and would love to see him and Dufty playing off each other. Would be a handy replacement if Widdop goes down injured, which he has done in the past 2 seasons at crucial times and has big game experience. I think he is the type of player that could take saints that next step up and wouldn’t lose to much if he didn’t work out if you get him at a bargain price.
Big Daddy
Guest
Can't work parramatta out. Moved heaven and earth to get this guy on board. Now they don't want him and want to keep tired old forwards like mannah and Gower. I still think they have cap problems and don't know how to fix them.
Nat
Roar Guru
I'm with you Dutski. Injuries didn't help this year but I can see he is starting to mature and accepting of the idea he needs to play well to stay in the game. Therefore, he will be a great inclusion to the next club if given the right instruction and game plan. Toward the end of this season he showed he can be as good as any outside back so if they can get him for a similar price to most good backs - that's a bargain.
souvalis
Roar Rookie
Hayne would be the insurance policy they need to take on Dufty,who is equal parts good and bad..and not quite cutting it regularly enough..
BA Sports
Roar Guru
That is a bit disingenuous. Hayne obviously had some injury issues to start last year and missed a chunk of games. In 2017 he missed 5 games between Rd 3-7 (so one injury) and a couple through Origin commitments. In 2014, his last full season before he went over seas, he missed three games for Parramatta - because he played for NSW that week. So no injuries. So in his last three full seasons he played a full season, had 1 injury in 2017, and yes an injury interupted season in 2018 - and yet still finished very strong. The objective person can see plenty of upside to getting Hayne. If I were Hayne, I wouldn't touch the Dragons, given the history of the way (many) of the Kogarah fans treat high profile outsiders, but the man is entitled to earn a living.
Sludge McFlurrey
Guest
Shame on you Dutski. Robbo wouldn’t be so silly , you don’t win premierships with cantankerous is players such as Hayne. I’d be disgusted if the Roosters were to make him an offer . Haynes time has come to an end. In the words of JPY , he’s “Yesterday’s hero”.
Elijah Weightman
Roar Rookie
Probably worth the risk, will bring media attention and hopefully some decent form.
Alexa
Guest
I don't think Hayne would get a job in French Union. At a push Catalans Dragons might have a look however, as a Big Fan of them, I would hope they steer clear. All this being said, He could do a very good job for a SL side, and would be worth the hassle if managed right, and on a one year deal, so the severance is not significant. Leeds could do worse. In the NRL with the plethora of brilliant Backs, I cant see him worth the hassle, unless he's willing to take a big pay cut and prove himself on a one year deal ala Marshall at Brisbane in 2017.
Paul
Roar Guru
gold!
Paul
Roar Guru
His devastation in't confined to the football field - just ask Neil Henry and the Gold Coat Club. As for his injury history, he's played 22,21,12,15,21,9,17 & 15 games in the past 8 seasons. That's a lot of game time he' missed. He WAS one of the best backs in the game 4 or 5 years ago, but that's not the case any more. If all these issues are put together he's not a guy who should be wearing the Red V next year.
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
....unless he’s going to give Wimbledon a shot.
Dutski
Roar Guru
Come on Paul. He’s one of the most devastating backs in the NRL. We all know what he’s capable of. I think that he’d be on similar money to what Nightingale was. He’s not got a long history with injuries. Last year was an aberration. He’ll be good to go round 1. Use him on the wing in a roving role. No pressure, just free to pick his moments to get involved. Blake Ferguson played exactly that role at the chooks - turns out he had a pretty good season. I’d love to see Hayne at the Roosters actually, but I don’t think that’ll happen.
Phil
Roar Rookie
Don't do it Saints, just don't do it. The bloke is a coach killer and McGregor is only just holding on to his job, , an egomaniac, talented yes but only plays when he wants to. The only team he wants to play for is Parramatta so if Saints or anyone else signs him there is no assurance his heart will be in it. As was stated here if the price was right but who deems the price. Let him go to France and play Rugby.
Ray Paks
Roar Rookie
I wouldn't say the right price but the 'right arrangement' It has to be performance based and we should drop kick him out if he is not living up to his end of the deal! And isn't he supposed to be attending a court case in the US next year? That could prove to be disruptive