Reliving Jarryd Hayne’s arrival at the Gold Coast Titans before his downward spiral
It’s been a tumultuous ride for former Titans flyer Jarryd Hayne who has been sentenced to jail for sexual assault. Relive Hayne’s Titans journey from the day news broke of his arrival at the club on August 3, 2016.
NRL
Don't miss out on the headlines from NRL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Bears bruisers ready to lead Burleigh back to a premiership
- WATCH: Complete Gold Coast Premier League games
- Gold Coast’s Aussie Rules young guns
IT started as a dream for Gold Coast NRL fans but ended in a nightmare for everyone.
The tumultuous life of Jarryd Hayne, who on Thursday was sentenced to jail for at least three years and eight months for raping a woman inside her Newcastle home, included a rocky existence with the Titans.
It was one that started with high expectations and even bigger crowds ... and ended in disaster. Relive Hayne’s Titans journey from the day news broke of his arrival at the club on August 3, 2016 here.
SELLING OUT CBUS
MORE than 18,200 tickets to the Gold Coast Titan’s clash with the New Zealand Warriors sold in the hours after news broke of Jarryd Hayne’s signing with the Titans.
Titan’s marketing manager Adam Spackman said about “two thirds” of the 27,500 capacity stadium had already sold but there was still an “enormous” amount of tickets left to fill CBUS Super Stadium.
Phone lines at Ticketek were running hot earlier as footy fans rushed to buy tickets for a chance to watch the Hayne Plane take off in what’s tipped to be his first game in a Titan’s jersey.
“Two thirds of the stadium has been filled so far – we want people who usually get tickets at th gates to get in a few days before so they don’t miss out.”
The current record attendance for a Titan’s home game at Cbus Super Stadium is 27,176 when the local team played the Brisbane Broncos in 2008.
“Ticketek are our ticket provider and they said they’ve been getting hammered on the phones,” Mr Spackman said.
He urged hard fans who usually buy tickets at the gates of the Robina stadium to book online.
“We’re looking to pack out the whole stadium,” he said.
HAYNE’S HEART STILL WITH THE EELS
A CLEARLY conflicted Jarryd Hayne will debut for the Gold Coast Titans against the Warriors but — at a press conference — it was clear his heart remains with Parramatta.
Hayne spoke at length about the difficult decision to turn his back on the Eels during a press conference this morning to announce the Gold Coast Titans had pulled off the biggest signing coup in NRL history.
While Titans fans are celebrating, Hayne appeared to still be struggling with signing the deal that was inked.
The 28-year-old barely cracked a smile throughout the 28-minute announcement, with his grief at not signing with his childhood club impossible to supress.
“Everyday I would ask my manager what was Parra’s offer and there was nothing on the table and that was disappointing,” he said.
“At the end of the day, the decision has torn me apart.
“It’s devastating.”
Private jets made way for a throng of cameras in the aluminium hangar near Gold Coast Airport, with Hayne at the centre, acting every part the player at the heart of a scandal instead of an unprecedented high point.
He apologised to Parramatta fans for turning his back on the Eels but said without a contract being offered by the beleagured club, he had no choice but to move forward and join the Titans.
“How can you go back when you’ve got no contract on the table?’’ he said.
“It’s hard to try and explain the situation down there but they really do need to try and fix the inside, they need to really get a strong board together and worry about that.
“It wasn’t easy (to sign with the Titans) but at the end of the day I want to play footy this year and the way the board is at Parra and things that have gone on there this year, we couldn’t get stuff done.
“It’s sad and it hurts me just as much as I know it hurts the fans down there.
“It’s tough because there were a few clubs that made an offer straight away but I always wanted to go back to Parra.
“I was waiting for Parra’s offer, I was waiting, I was waiting, I was waiting.
“It got to a point where I said ... are you going to offer me a contract or not, I’ve got all these offers on the table and I haven’t heard anything from you.’’
Hayne only needed a medical clearance to turn out in the match against the Warriors at Cbus Super Stadium in a clash crucial to the club’s finals chances.
Titans officials have not been put off by the 28-year-old’s passion for his former club, claiming it speaks volumes about his integrity and loyalty
“I know it’s caused him pain to say farewell to Parramatta, he was a junior with them, but to me it’s just a sign of the integrity of the man,’’ Titans chairwoman Rebecca Frizelle said.
“I think he’s always been very clear that Parramatta was his team but it didn’t pan out that way and once he makes a decision he makes a decision.
“Particularly in our private discussions about who he was, it’s wasn’t about dollars and cents, it was the loyalty.
“In his mind, he’s moved forward and he’s looking to the future.’’
The Hayne Plane’s arrival was unveiled as the Titans biggest name recruit in a 10.30am press conference near Gold Coast airport.
The Titans quietly worked behind the scenes to bring Hayne north for his NRL return, using the money they had set aside from the failed Daly Cherry-Evans deal to make the two-times Dally M winner their priority signing.
Hayne had walked out on his Parramatta contract in 2013 to pursue an NFL dream in the US, eventually signing and playing with the San Francisco 49ers.
He quit the NFL earlier this year, saying he wanted to pursue a dream to play for Fiji in the rugby sevens at the Rio Olympic Games.
When Hayne was left out of the Fijian sevens team for Rio, the Titans immediately started making moves to bring the fullback star back to rugby league.
Hayne, a former Test and State of Origin star, is the biggest signing in the club’s 10-season history.
Queensland coach Kevin Walters urged the Titans to go hard for Hayne in a bid to boost their brand.
“They have to have a crack at Hayne for sure,” he said.
“I wouldn’t go paying $2 million for him but if they can get him there at the right price, he would be a great signing for the Titans.
“Jarryd Hayne would be great in a promotional sense. They are playing some great football with a no-nonsense attitude and a special athlete like Hayne could turn them into a genuine title contender.”
Henry has left his fullback options for next season open. He has given contracted players William Zillman and Josh Hoffman permission to negotiate with rivals and is yet to re-sign current No. 1 David Mead.
Titans CEO Graham Annesley confirmed negotiations with Hayne were ongoing.
“We are still in discussions,” he said. “We’ve just got to go through a process.”
Hayne would go on to sign for the Eels but only play 15 more NRL games before his rape conviction.
Originally published as Reliving Jarryd Hayne’s arrival at the Gold Coast Titans before his downward spiral
‘Sort himself out’: Shattered teammate speaks after Mam crash
Broncos lock Patrick Carrigan admitted Brisbane needed to do better as a club after Ezra Mam was checked into rehab following a crash last Friday.
Bledis-low! League minnows embarrass rugby in TV disaster
The NRL’s expansion hopes have received a massive boost with a second-tier Test match blowing rugby union’s crown jewel, the Bledisloe Cup, out of the water in shock television ratings figures.