Jarryd Hayne has always been one of Australia’s most talked about sporting personalities.
Born in Sydney to a Fijian father and professional rugby league star, Manoa Thompson, from an early age he showed athletic promise.
Before he was 10 he won multiple athletics titles and he still holds the record for the Under-8 and Under-9 Public School Sports Association for the 100 metres. He attended Westfield Sports High School but dropped out to pursue a career in rugby league.
He made his NRL debut at the age of just 18 for the Parramatta Eels. Right from the start his then coach Jason Taylor knew he had something special on his hands. Hayne went on to score 17 tries, better than a try a game, in his opening season.
It was enough to win him the Dally M Rookie of the Year award, and he was even selected for that year’s Kangaroo squad.
A spot in the Prime Minister’s XIII to play Papua New Guinea soon followed, then City origin, State of Origin and in October 2007 at the age of just 18 his full debut for Australia against New Zealand in the Trans-Tasman test, scoring a try in the 58-0 rout.
In many ways he had already reach the top of his chosen sport.
League may be passionately supported but its global reach is small and it is only played professionally in Australia, New Zealand, England and one team in France. Many in league see the pinnacle as the NRL Premiership and the State of Origin. Hayne had already achieved those by his 20th birthday.
But where many other players like Cameron Smith, Billy Slater or Johnathan Thurston settle in for long and comfortable careers at the club of their choice that path was not for Hayne. He always seemed restless, looking for new opportunities.
Jarryd Hayne has proved nothing but a disaster since his NRL return
In 2009, the new Greater Western Sydney AFL franchise offered him AUD$1.5 million (Dh4.3m) a year to swap codes. Hayne seriously considered it before staying in league.
In 2014 he had the near-perfect season. He starred for NSW in the State of Origin, won the annual player’s player poll for best player, scored his 100th career try and finished the season as the NRL’s leading try-scorer with 20, many followed by his trademark “Hayne Plane” celebration. He also tied with Thurston for the Dally M Player of the Year Award, the biggest honour in the game.
That made what happened next so astonishing. On October 15, he announced he would depart rugby league in pursuit of a career in the NFL. For league fans, and Australians in general, it was a knife in the guts: one of their favourite sons choosing to leave their game, their country, to seek greener pastures elsewhere – it cut to the bone.
Hayne ended up at the San Francisco 49ers and initially it looked like the move might be a success. He played eight games in 2015 for 52 rushing yards, six receptions and 76 yards in punt returns.
But by early 2016 he was surplus to requirements at the 49ers and in May announced his next shock move – signing with the Fiji Rugby Union in a bid to force his way into the Sevens team for the Rio Olympics, qualifying through his father.
By July that dream was also over as he failed to win selection in the squad that would go on to win gold.
A rugby union career was no longer an option as he has made himself ineligible for the Wallabies so it was back to league and a lucrative contract with the Gold Coast.
Jarryd Hayne has fallen out with Gold Coast coach Neil Henry
But now that too has hit problems with Hayne supposedly at odds with coach Neil Henry.
The problems have been festering for awhile with Hayne’s patchy on-field performances hardly justifying his high price tag and rumours of poor attitude off the field.
Queensland legend Justin Hodges lashed out saying Hayne was “infectious” and has “got to go.”
It all came to a head this week, with Henry reportedly giving the club hierarchy an ultimatum:
“Either he goes, or I go.”
But where to? At 29, Hayne still has a few years ahead of him but many doors are now closed. Next stop may be rugby in France or Japan. Options are running out.
NRL
Wests Tigers have announced Benji Marshall will return to the club for the 2018 season.
The 32-year-old, who is currently in the thick of an NRL Premiership title race with the Brisbane Broncos, left the Tigers in acrimonious circumstances in 2013 to play Super Rugby with the Blues.
He has been looking for a chance to return and make amends ever since.
“I’m coming home,” Marshall said. “And it feels good. I never wanted to leave the place, and I’ve tried several times to get back and now I’ve got my chance.”
The one-year deal will likely see Marshall finish his career at the club that helped propel him to stardom as a schoolboy.
Benji Marshall
AFL
After two losses on the trot Melbourne’s hopes of a playoff spot seemed to be fading but the Demons bounced back with a hard fought 96-72 win over St Kilda to keep their dreams alive.
Midfielder Nathan Jones was the star for the Dees with 35 possessions and four inside 50s while Mitch Hannan landed the match sealing goal.
The match was a virtual elimination final with the Saints finals hopes now looking all but over.
FOOTBALL
The FFA Cup, Australia’s version of the FA Cup, is getting to the pointy end, with the Round of 16 at the end of this month.
Of the fairytale teams remaining the most romantic is the Bankstown Berries who play in the NSW second division, a far cry from the riches of the A-League. They have reached the final stages with victories over East Gosford, Dunbar Rovers, Dulwich Hill, Sydney Olympic and MetroStars.
The reward for their stunning run to date – a match-up with current A-League champs: Sydney FC. Good luck!
