Jarryd Hayne is having a hard time convincing people his NRL return isn’t about the money

JARRYD Hayne announced he’ll play for the Gold Coast Titans, but it was another decision he made today that left everyone baffled.

Titans will be be rejoicing.

JARRYD Hayne wants people to know it’s not about the money.

It wasn’t about the money when he went to the US to chase his NFL dream, it wasn’t about the money when he wanted to play Rugby Sevens and it wasn’t about the money when discussing a return to the NRL — a move that’s been finalised after he announced he’d signed with the Gold Coast Titans on Wednesday morning.

The sentiment stands up when we look at his time with the San Francisco 49ers. On 60 Minutes earlier this year, he revealed he was paid just $100,000 in his first season with the Niners — a whopping $1.4 million less than he would have taken home in salary if he stayed in rugby league.

“I’ve come from having nothing to having a lot. And then having a lot and saying, ‘No, I don’t want that. I want this.’ Obviously the money was huge. I try not to think about it (laughing),” Hayne said on the program.

“First year I earnt $100,000, in my first year in the NFL. If I had of stayed here I would have earnt $1.5 (million). So just a bit of difference.”

In March when responding to comments by ARL Commission chairman John Grant about the possibility of using the mysterious NRL “war chest” to lure Hayne back, he said: “The best way I can answer that is, I was about to become the highest paid player in the NRL before I left.’’

It also stands up when you look at his Olympic ambitions. The Daily Telegraph reported back in May that Hayne would have earnt just $136.15 a day in Rio — paltry for a man who could well have that much in loose change lying under his couch cushions.

A fitting backdrop for the Hayne Plane.

But after signing with the Titans for a reported $1.2 million a season for two years — not including endorsement deals and the like — it’s become harder to accept his earlier preachings.

He said on Wednesday Parramatta had not offered him a contract, which is why he chose to head north. This goes against reports the club had effectively signed off on a $2.5 million three-year deal expected to be put in front of him this week. That deal would have seen Hayne earn substantially less, at just over $800,000 a year.

By signing with the Titans, he’s basically earning the same amount in two years as he would have pocketed in three with the Eels, if those reports are correct.

Whichever way Parramatta fans look at it, they’re going to find it difficult to accept. Many have already called him out for making cash his top priority.

Neutral supporters can probably understand why Hayne wouldn’t want to return to the basket case that is Parramatta after the season from hell they’ve had. But if he really wanted to get the point across that it wasn’t about money, he shouldn’t have announced his move the way he did.

After news of Hayne’s shock signing with the Queensland club broke, he used his personal Twitter handle to retweet a statement put out by the company he set up last year — Jarryd Hayne Apparel.

The move didn’t go down so well.

pic.twitter.com/Pr5NYdBjXD

— Jarryd Hayne Apparel (@JHayneApparel) August 3, 2016

Jarrad Hayne releasing a personal statement on his next career move from his Jarrad Hayne Apparel Twitter account. Rito m8

— Sarge Butane (@SgtButane) August 3, 2016

Hard to like the bloke when all he wants to talk about is Parra, announces on “apparel” page and claims he’s not about the $$$ #Hayne

— Max Dithers (@El_Hizzle) August 3, 2016

$2.5m later, Jarryd Hayne is a businessman. Posts a Titans confirmation note to his apparel account instead of his personal Twitter.

— Glenn Valencich (@glennvalencich) August 3, 2016

@mitchd_90 I expect Titans to announce there new kit supplier as Hayne Apparel now..

— Rob (@RobskiNew) August 3, 2016

Hayne is very active on social media, so it’s hard to understand why he couldn’t have put the statement out on his own Twitter account.

Remember when he joined the Fiji Sevens squad and had a media appearance where his fellow teammates wore his apparel company’s hats and posed with his 49ers No. 38 jersey? That left a sour taste in Hayne critics’ mouths, and this latest tweet isn’t exactly a good look either.

Really?

The man from Minto has always stated his biggest desire was to earn enough money to buy his mum a house — an admirable ambition. He’s already checked that off.

But it’s going to take more than that if he’s to stand any chance of convincing people he isn’t all about the cash.

Originally published as Jarryd Hayne is having a hard time convincing people his NRL return isn’t about the money