Jarryd Hayne set to make rugby league return alongside Ben Barba, Michael Jennings, Fifita brothers and more

Jarryd Hayne is set to make his return to the rugby league field in a team featuring a host of former NRL stars such as Michael Jennings, Ben Barba and the Fifita brothers.

Jarryd Hayne is set to make his return to rugby league alongside the Fifita brothers – Andrew and David – as well as Michael Jennings and Ben Barba.

Blake Austin and Hayne’s former teammate Ken Sio are also in the same team.

Hayne’s comeback for United Sporting Club in the Premier League Nines on the Gold Coast later this month was uncovered late last year.

This masthead can now reveal the role the Fifita boys played in his comeback as the brothers prepare to lead the team once again at the tournament.

The Fifita brothers headline the United Sporting Club team, which will be one of the big-ticket sides at the event, to be played over the Australia Day weekend.

“Essentially it’s a platform for former players to come back and have a run around,” tournament organiser Anthony Mitchell told Sunday Sesh.

Jarryd Hayne is set to make his return to the rugby league field.

“It just started to explode and more and more blokes want to come back. Jarryd’s been named in United SC – the Fifita brothers’ team.

“It will be interesting to see if he’s able to pull together what he was able to do in the 13-man format when he was playing.

Andrew Fifita reposts the team on Instagram.

“He’s obviously been confirmed by those guys amongst many other ex-NRL players and across a lot of teams.”

Hayne was one of the biggest stars in rugby league before a dramatic fall from grace after he was accused of sexual assault.

Michael Jennings will join Jarryd Hayne in the side. Picture: Gregg Porteous

He fronted court on three occasions and eventually had the charges dropped after winning his appeal.

Now 36, he last played rugby league for Parramatta six years ago, having earlier put his NRL career on hold to switch to the NFL.

Jarryd Hayne alongside Andrew Fifita during NSW State of Origin training. Picture: Brett Costello

At his peak, Hayne was one of the best players in the code but plenty of water has passed under the bridge since then.

He recently helped Fiji prepare for the Pacific Championships but has been rarely sighted otherwise, only sporadically posting on social media.

Asked whether he had any concerns with Hayne’s involvement in the 9s given his recent history, Mitchell said: “Oh, there’s always concerns with any player who registers in competitions like this and we’ve been pretty fortunate to have the majority of our guys be great players of their day come back and run.

“What’s happened with Jarryd is obviously a different matter.

“The fact that he’s been named in a side is just the starting point for us and whether he chooses to come and actually have a run is probably a different story.”

Originally published as Jarryd Hayne set to make rugby league return alongside Ben Barba, Michael Jennings, Fifita brothers and more