Jarryd Hayne’s raw family admission as rugby league return locked in at Eels feeder club

Jarryd Hayne has opened up about his rugby league return and the reasons why he is wanting to give it one final crack.

Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne revealed his burning desire for his children to watch him play live is a major motivator behind his return to the rugby league field.

The 36-year-old locked in his rugby league return on Tuesday night after signing with Parramatta Eels feeder team Wentworthville Magpies.

The two-time Dally M medal winner agreed to a one-year NSWRL contract to play in the Ron Massey Cup in 2025.

The Ron Massey Cup is a semi-professional rugby league competition. It is the second-tier competition in NSWRL, with clubs and players feeding into the NSW Cup.

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It is understood that Hayne has already begun training two to three nights a week with his Ron Massey teammates, with his first match for his new side scheduled for March 15.

But more importantly, it means Hayne’s bold bid to play his first full season in seven years is now a reality.

And the former Eels star revealed one of the main reasons he is coming back is so his kids can see him play live.

Jarryd Hayne says a key motivator behind his rugby league return is wanting to play in front of his kids. Image: Getty/Facebook

Hayne’s eldest daughter Beliviah Ivy Hayne, was a toddler the last time he played a competitive rugby league match and his youngest daughter, aged 2, wasn’t born.

And in a post to social media, Hayne said that is what drove him to make a comeback.

“Grateful to be back playing the game I love,” Hayne wrote, with the Wentworth Magpies’ announcement of his signing attached.

“Never did I imagine that I would ever come back. I am excited to begin my journey at a family club like Wenty, especially to play in front of my children which was part of the reason that inspired me to comeback.

“Thank you for all the support.”

Jarryd Hayne played his last NRL game in 2018. Picture: Richard Walker

Hayne played his last NRL game in 2018 but has been looking to get back to the top of the sport since being released from jail – where he spent nearly two years due to sexual assault charges – after his convictions were quashed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal.

He recently was one of several former NRL players who played in the 2025 Nines Premier League trophy.

The former Eels star has been signed on a one-year deal, and he will not just return to the field but will help with coaching and mentoring the club’s juniors.

The Magpies – the most successful club in the Ron Massey Cup with six premierships – get their season underway at home against Ryde-Eastwood on March 15 at Ringrose Park, with Hayne expected to line up.