Jarryd Hayne responds to rugby league rumours

JARRYD Hayne has spoken at length about being cut by the 49ers and reports he is planning a return to rugby league.

Jarryd Hayne breaks silence

JARRYD Hayne has spoken to reporters in San Francisco about his demotion to the 49ers practice squad and rumours he is planning a return to rugby league.

Speculation has increased about the future of the former Parramatta Eel since he was cut from the 49ers’ 53-man roster earlier this month.

But Hayne has insisted he is staying put, despite having offers from NRL clubs. “I mean, if I was going to go back, I wouldn’t have even come, so it’s a stupid question,” Hayne told reporters at Levi’s Stadium.

“I guess the media back home obviously are trying to make stories and trying to obviously use my name to make headlines. But it’s just foolish and only fools would believe that.

“It’s pretty obvious teams would want me back there,” Hayne added. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to know that.

“With everything I’ve done, I’m not even sure why it’s still a question. It’s stupid for people to actually believe it.”

Hayne also gave his first extensive comments about being cut from the 53-man roster, saying his demotion was about giving him time to learn the nuances of the American game.

“It’s just being more fluent in everything I do,” Hayne said. “For me, it was good to put everything in perspective. I’ve only been doing this for five to six months, and it’s still new to me.

“They just want to give me that time to really get it down pat. And for me that’s how I’ve taken it, really just fine-tuning more than anything.”

Hayne — who is hopeful of being given another chance to play before the season is over — said moving away from the pressure of gameday had allowed him to reflect on his journey and improve.

“As much as I’d love to be out there on the field — because that obviously helps the most — I’m obviously getting a lot more reps at training now,” he said.

“For me, it’s been so fast, ever since the preseason. I never expected things to move so quickly. This has given me time to take a deep breath and sit back and reflect on how far I’ve come, and how far I’m going to go. T-Mac (special teams coach Thomas McGaughey) said if I can come this far in five or six months, imagine how much further I’m going to go in 12 months. That’s definitely my mindset.

“I always look at old tape and see what I used to be like and it always makes me laugh ... I’m just getting better and I’m one of those athletes that can adapt to anything. You don’t do what I’ve done based on talent. You do it by being smarter and understanding certain concepts.”

Asked if he’d been contacted by other NFL teams — who are allowed to sign him to their active rosters from the 49ers practice squad — Hayne said: “That’s with my agent. For me, I just want to focus on learning and getting better every day. There was definitely a time there when there were thoughts ... but I just want to learn all the basics and the schemes here (in San Francisco).”

Jarryd Hayne wants to be back in the gameday lineup before the season ends.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield reported the Sydney Roosters and Penrith Panthers were preparing to engage in a bidding war for the former Parramatta Eel’s services if he decides to return to Australia.

Rothfield went a step further during an interview on radio station 3AW in Melbourne on Wednesday, saying he expected Hayne — who was dropped to the practice squad after six games for the 49ers this season — to come home.

“I’m hearing he will be back in the NRL next year,” Rothfield said. “I’m hearing that he will come home for Christmas. He’s got no football until August, for trials with San Francisco. I can tell you that the biggest spending clubs in the NRL have their cheque books poised. They’ve spoken already to his manager, Wayne Bevis, and I’ve just got a feeling when he comes home for Christmas, that he will be staying in Sydney and playing NRL next year.”

Asked if that meant his NFL journey was over, Rothfield said: “Look, I can’t say that officially because I haven’t spoken to Jarryd about it. Look, he’s not one to chuck in the towel. I can’t see an athlete like him sitting around, not playing any sport until August next year. I think the Sydney NRL clubs will make offers, seriously, too good to refuse.”

The word out of San Francisco is different — at least at this stage. Hayne continues to refine his game with the 49ers, receiving catches at training today and even playing safety on the scout team.

But don’t take that as a sign he is considering a switch to defence. “No, it’s not my thing,” Hayne laughed.

San Francisco coach Jim Tomsula was asked about Hayne’s future on Saturday morning (AEDT) but would only confirm he would not be upgraded for this weekend’s game against the Seattle Seahawks. “Well, not for this game,” Tomsula said. “My foreseeable future is Sunday.”

Hayne’s Australian manager, Wayne Bevis, has insisted his client is in for the long haul. “The conversation about him coming home has never taken place,” Beavis told rugbyleagueweek.com.au.

“He told me he’s definitely staying. That’s it, end of story. There isn’t a decision to make, that’s what he’s telling me.

“Every club is ringing me up saying ‘if he comes home, we’re interested’. That’s only natural. It doesn’t mean he’s coming back.

Clubs say to me ‘listen, if anything happens, keep us in mind’, and that’s coming from plenty of clubs in the NRL. But that’s the extent of all the activity. He’s staying over there.”

Originally published as Jarryd Hayne responds to rugby league rumours