Andrew Bogut doesn’t understand why Jarryd Hayne isn’t getting a chance

FANS aren’t the only ones who can’t get their heads around Jarryd Hayne’s lack of opportunity at the 49ers.

GLENDALE, AZ - SEPTEMBER 27: Running back Jarryd Hayne #38 of the San Francisco 49ers walks off the field after being defeated by the Arizona Cardinals 47-7 in the NFL game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 27, 2015 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

FANS aren’t the only ones who can’t get their heads around Jarryd Hayne’s lack of opportunity at the 49ers.

NBA star Andrew Bogut can’t understand why his fellow Australian is not being afforded another chance at the battling NFL franchise.

San Jose Mercury News reporter Tim Kawakami caught up with Bogut to talk basketball, but the Golden State Warriors big man only wanted to discuss one thing.

“What did Bogut want to discuss first? Why in the world are the 49ers refusing to play fellow Aussie Jarryd Hayne, even now, when they’re 4-9 and could just see what he can do?” Kawakami wrote on Thursday.

The journalist explained to Bogut that “the Hayne sideline sequestering is one of the great mysteries of this weird 49er season”.

“Give the guy a chance,” Bogut responded.

“What are they going to lose? I don’t understand it.”

Kawakami continued: “I told Bogut I’m probably going to start turning up the heat on the Hayne issue. Bogut said good and he’s going to join in.”

The duo have a big job ahead of them, going on the comments 49ers special teams co-ordinator Thomas McGaughey made Thursday.

Jarryd Hayne is unlikely to return for the 49ers this season.

McGaughey suggested Hayne was a long way from a return because he had so much still to learn about the game. He revealed Hayne had not been returning punts in practice, adding he “needed to learn the game from the inside out”.

“You can’t throw in 18 years worth of situations in six months. It takes 21 years to be 21 years old. That’s just the reality of it. (Hayne) needs to find his way to speed the process up,” he said.

McGaughey said Hayne did some “good stuff” in the pre-season, but admitted “it just didn’t work out”.

“He needs to learn how to play football. To learn how to run and cover kicks and protect punts and that kind of stuff,” McGaughey said.

“That’s going to be invaluable to him with his overall skill development.

“He has a tonne of ability and he just needs to learn the game, all aspects of the game.

“You know, playing on the scout team, playing possibly as a linebacker or just a situational player.

“He just needs to learn the game from inside and out. Most of these guys when they grew up they played both ways in junior high or high school. You get a full understanding of the game.

“When you just kind of come in and say, ‘OK, I’m a punt returner or I just play running back, you don’t really know all the nuances of the game.

“Getting out there playing on the scout team, running down on the kick-off, being on the kick-off return team, having a block set, having a ball in your hand, you kind of understand the whole thing. You see the big picture.”

Andrew Bogut does not understand why the 49ers won’t give Hayne a shot.

Hayne has not played in the past seven 49ers games, and has been helping out with the scout team in the practice squad, playing a variety of positions as an opposing player to the team’s starting offence and defence in preparation for games.

An injury to running back Kendall Gaskins led to reports Hayne may make an unexpected return to the 49ers this weekend.

But coach Jim Tomsula refused to buy into the speculation, saying Thursday: “I’m not going to talk about any roster things.

“By the way, Kendall did look good today. We see Jarryd in practice and he’s practicing very hard.”

Originally published as Andrew Bogut doesn’t understand why Jarryd Hayne isn’t getting a chance