Former rugby league star Jarryd Hayne has received an opportunity to return to football from a Sydney club, albeit with several strict requirements.
Hayne, aged 36, was released from prison on June 12 after his convictions were overturned, having spent over a year incarcerated following a jury’s verdict in April 2023, which found him guilty of two counts of sexual intercourse without consent.
The NSW Court of Criminal Appeal’s decision concluded a six-year saga during which the two-time Dally M Medalist underwent three trials after allegations emerged regarding the rape of a woman in Newcastle on the night of the NRL grand final in 2018.
Since regaining his freedom, Hayne has maintained a low profile as he readjusts to life with his family.
He has not played NRL since 2018, but the former Eels superstar has been spotted training with renowned sprint coach Roger Fabri on social media.
Fabri, who has collaborated with notable NRL players like James Tedesco, Michael Jennings, and Josh Addo-Carr, shared a video of Hayne sprinting on a football field.
“You thought it was over!!! You don’t even know what Jarryd Hayne is going to do,” Fabri captioned the video.
It has now come to light that the Western Sydney Two Blues rugby club is interested in having Hayne join their roster.
Hayne was emotional as sexual assault charges against him were officially dropped in June
The former footy star has been offered a possible return to footy by a Sydney rugby outfit
According to Two Blues’ head Greg Cummings, should the arrangement receive approval from Rugby Australia and Rugby NSW, there are a few additional challenges they would need to overcome.
“He would have to reach out to us – we won’t be pursuing him – and I’d present it to my board and coaching staff first,” Cummings told Yahoo Sport Australia.
“If everyone is onboard, we would evaluate it based on its merits. He was one of the top fullbacks in the sport during his prime, but he has been out of the game for a lengthy period, so he would need to put in substantial effort.”
“We may not be at the NRL level, but our players are highly committed and train hard, so he must be prepared to do the work. I would say it’s a long shot, but one never knows.”
Cummings added that the final step before signing the former Eels star would involve completing paperwork.
“He would be required to pay his registration fees like all the other players – $250 for the season,” Cummings stated.
Hayne is now a far cry from the man once anticipated to become Australia’s highest-paid athlete.
Hayne (pictured with his wife Amellia Bonnici) last played in the NRL in 2018
It is not known what the former footy star’s next move will be (pictured winning the Dally M medal as the NRL’s best player in 2009
The former footy star was pictured with Parramatta Eels legend Peter Wynn recently
The legal battle has severely affected his finances, which were drained by extensive legal bills, a situation further aggravated when he was reported to have lost $780,000 to a fellow inmate’s Bitcoin scam.
What Hayne’s next steps will be remains uncertain, but Lyall Mercer, a public relations and crisis communications strategist, expressed that it’s “unfortunate that we live in a time where reputation is shaped by social media opinions and speculation rather than facts.”
“Everyone deserves proper legal consideration, and Jarryd has undergone the judicial process which has ultimately declared that, at this point, he remains innocent until proven guilty,” he told Daily Mail Australia.
“If there is no retrial, he will stay innocent, despite public opinion.”
“Jarryd has a path ahead to rebuild his reputation, which has been tarnished.”
Mr. Mercer highlighted that the NRL, where Hayne was a two-time Dally M medal recipient, includes several stars who have faced legal issues but were granted chances to rehabilitate their reputations.
“It would be hypocritical for them (the NRL) to do anything less than extend Jarryd support and welcome him back into their community, especially since he hasn’t been convicted yet,” Mercer added.
Whether this will occur remains to be seen.
Both the NRL and Hayne’s former team, the Parramatta Eels, have not acknowledged him since late 2018 when the sexual assault allegations were first made against him.
Hayne, who is considered one of the Eels’ all-time greats, was not mentioned at the club’s 75th-anniversary celebration in April 2022, while he was awaiting his third trial.
