Jarryd Hayne says money won’t be enough to woo him back to NRL

JARRYD Hayne has declared money won’t woo him back to the NRL despite ARL Commission chairman John Grant nominating him as a perfect recipient for the game’s much-hyped discretionary fund.

• Manly star Liam Knight arrested, stood down for speeding and drink driving
• This is why Klemmer should be banned

JARRYD Hayne has declared money won’t woo him back to the NRL despite ARL Commission chairman John Grant nominating the NFL dream-chaser as a perfect recipient for the game’s much-hyped discretionary fund.

Hayne has also broken his silence on being linked to the Parramatta salary cap scandal, saying that he can ill-afford to allow the controversy derail his NFL dreams.

And in a huge confidence boost ahead of their clash with Canterbury at ANZ Stadium on Friday night, Hayne described the current roster at Parramatta as the best he’s seen in 10 years.

Jarryd Hayne won’t be tempted by money for an NRL return. Pic: Gregg Porteous

Ahead of his return to the US next week — where his journey to win a contract on the San Francisco 49ers’ 53-man roster begins — Hayne remains steadfast on his mission to crack it in one of the world’s most demanding football codes.

“There’s no other adventure I want to be on, at the moment,’’ Hayne said.

“I’m heading back over there and keep doing what I’m doing and keep getting better at it.’’

Grant said this week that the fund created before the 2015 season to lure players from rival codes remained despite never being used.

Announced by former chief executive Dave Smith, the fund was created as a means of “attracting and retaining marquee players” outside the salary cap.

“That was a commission approved initiative and it is still on the table,” Grant said.

Jarryd Hayne returned to his primary school, John Warby Public School in Airds, to talk to kids about cyber bullying. Picture: Gregg Porteous

“Sam Burgess has just come back. Clearly the other opportunity would be Jarryd Hayne.”

Asked yesterday if Grant’s comments would play a role in giving up on his pursuit of the NFL, Hayne replied: “The best way I can answer that is, I was about to become the highest paid player in the NRL before I left.’’

Unwittingly drawn into the Eels’ current salary cap scandal, after he was allegedly paid $39,000 by a former employee of the Parramatta Eels after announcing his departure to the NFL, Hayne claimed he had no interest in responding to the claims with his only focus on being his return to the US.

“If anything has my name to it, it gets blown up, especially at the Eels,’’ Hayne, who as a Norton Ambassador returned to his former primary school, John Warby Public, to offer cyber-bullying advice yesterday.

Jarryd Hayne returns to his Primary School John Warby Public School in Airds to talk to kids about cyber bullying. Picture Gregg Porteous

“I’ve become immune to it at Parra.

“If I was to fight every rumour about me, I would be wasting my energy on things that weren’t true instead of worrying about what I’m doing.’’

Hayne, who remains in close contact with many of his former Eels teammates, is still passionate about seeing the club achieve success.

He admitted the current squad under coach Brad Arthur was one of the greatest he’d seen.

“It’s easily the best roster they’ve pulled together in the last decade,’’ Hayne said.

“They’ve got a good squad and the sky is the limit.’’