A message to the Jarryd Hayne haters

EVERYONE criticising what Jarryd Hayne has achieved in the NFL received a sharp reminder this morning.

Most Australians have enjoyed following Jarryd Hayne’s NFL journey, but others have attempted to pull him down.

YOU see them on social media spreading their messages of malevolence.

“Jarryd Hayne is the most overhyped athlete in Australian sporting history.” “He’s achieved nothing in the NFL.” “He should quit and come back to rugby league.”

But it’s not just limited to the treacherous landscapes of Facebook and Twitter, even media types who should know better have jumped on board.

Perhaps the most high profile was The Australian journalist Patrick Smith, who ridiculed Hayne’s efforts recently while praising the AFL debut of American-born Collingwood player Mason Cox.

“Mason Cox is one of the great stories in Australian sporting history and it’s a far better story than Jarryd Hayne going over to San Francisco and doing bugger all,” Smith said.

“He’s doing bugger all, what’s he done? He went over there and fumbled,” he added.

“Of course he did, he went over there and fumbled — when they wanted somebody to fumble they’d put out the special squad with Jarryd in it ...

“Jarryd Hayne has been playing rugby league and all he’s done is gone over to the US and played rugby league with padding on and a helmet.

“That’s effectively what he did, this other boy (Cox) has done something quite extraordinary — one of the great stories in Australian sport let alone AFL.”

To Smith and all those drinking the Hayne Haterade, we give you the story of former AFL footballer Joel Wilkinson.

Former Gold Coast Suns player Joel Wilkinson after signing with the Arizona Cardinals.

Wilkinson meets Cardinals coach Bruce Arians.

Wilkinson, you’ll recall, is the former Gold Coast Suns player who after quitting Aussie Rules last year was offered an opportunity with the NFL’s Arizona Cardinals in February.

The 24-year-old was invited to train with Hayne’s NFC West rivals as a cornerback but after just 78 days in the desert was released on Thursday after failing to make the right impression.

Wilkinson was one of four players cut as the Cards look to reduce their roster to 90 ahead of this weekend’s rookie minicamp.

If that doesn’t put Hayne’s ability to not only make the 49ers’ 53-man roster last season but also play eight regular season games in perspective nothing will.

If it was as easy to make the NFL as some would have you believe — including Smith who believes Hayne has done “bugger all” — why did Wilkinson hit a dead end so quickly?

And this is no knock on Wilkinson, transitioning to a sport he’d never played before — particularly at cornerback where decision-making and instincts are even more crucial — was always going to be a tall order.

Let’s hope he’s offered another opportunity elsewhere where positions in the secondary aren’t as competitive as they are at an elite defensive team like Arizona.

But until then, how about appreciating Hayne’s journey for what it is. A bloody marvellous effort.

Originally published as A message to the Jarryd Hayne haters