NFL 2016

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="580431" data-time="1463480095">
<div>
Are they?
 
It's a bit like the ABs having a no dickheads' policy. If you fuck everyone else in the team off by bringing in a last minute outsider it could easily be counter-productive.
 
I thought Jarrod Hayne having a crack at the NFL was great - that seemed like a real dream. This move strikes me as a bit of glory boy pot-hunting. If it was really your dream Jarrod you would have been there a year ago working for it, rather than just trying to muscle in and trample on someone else's dream.
 
Lacks class.
 
Asshole!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Is it a timing issue? There was plenty of discussion about regular 7s players missing out due to better players coming across from XVs. As I understand it, he had a discussion in Sydney months ago with Ben Ryan, took stock of his future prospects in the NFL and has made himself available. If Ryan still wishes to take him, how is it Hayne's fault? Should he have played in a couple of World Rugby rounds prior to London?

NTA

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="580428" data-time="1463479504">
<div>
That's a bit harsh. His father is Fijian and he has played for Fiji's league team.
 
Perhaps Andy Friend should have approached him months ago?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Perhaps Friend should have approached him months ago OR assumed, like everyone else, that Hayne was set on his dream and left him the fuck alone.
 
They asked him last year, after all:
 
DISCLAIMER - I DO NOT NECESSARILY AGREE WITH THE TONE OF THIS ARTICLE.
 
<a data-ipb='nomediaparse' href='http://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/jarryd-hayne-switch-will-have-a-disappointing-outcome-for-fiji-teammate/news-story/d9aa1b0a5557b49bc4fc8cd16c03addc'>http://www.news.com.au/sport/american-sports/jarryd-hayne-switch-will-have-a-disappointing-outcome-for-fiji-teammate/news-story/d9aa1b0a5557b49bc4fc8cd16c03addc</a>
 
<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote"> When asked why he hadnâ€™t opted to trial for the Aussie squad, he simply replied:
 
â€œBecause they didnâ€™t ask me.â€
 
On the contrary, they did.
 
Speculation around Hayneâ€™s potential to play sevens has been rife since late 2014 when the former Parramatta Eel announced his intention to play in the NFL.
 
At the time, former Australian Sevens coach Geraint John left an open invitation to Hayne in case his NFL dream didnâ€™t work out â€” and he couldnâ€™t have expressed more interest in the Hayne Plane if he tried.
 
â€œIf he doesnâ€™t make it in NFL, his next port of call should be Narrabeen (the Australian sevens headquarters),â€ John told the Daily Telegraph.
 
â€œIf you want another new challenge, come to sevens and try the Olympic challenge. Itâ€™s right on your doorstep.â€
 
John went on to praise Hayneâ€™s decision to move to the United States and tried to sell the Sevens opportunity even harder.
 
â€œHeâ€™s getting out of that comfort zone, I thought it was an excellent comment that he made,â€ John said.
 
â€œHe is going over there to give it a go and good on him. He has put his reputation on the line there, heâ€™s going to a different sport and try it out. It wonâ€™t be easy, and he knows that.
 
â€œBut let me say this: if people want a challenge, rugby sevens fits the bill. It is an incredibly challenging sport, and you travel to nine or 10 parts of the world, play in 40-50,000 seat stadiums, it is played worldwide, and it is played in the Olympics.
 
â€œThere are not many football sports that can get you to the Olympics. Rugby 15s canâ€™t get you there, rugby league canâ€™t get you there, AFL canâ€™t get you there.
 
â€œBut rugby sevens is in the Olympics, and if elite athletes like Jarryd want new challenges, weâ€™d be happy to have them along.â€
 
John seemed to think Hayne would fit in perfectly with the Aussie set-up, and would have potentially been in line for the Rio squad in the green and gold.
 
â€œThere is a lot of space for guys who can beat people like that, who can attract defenders and beat defenders,â€ he said.
â€œIf you look at a player of (Hayneâ€™s) calibre, what he can actually bring: he has that x-factor and the skills are easily transferable. A rugby league player would find it a lot easier to move into sevens than 15s. Itâ€™s a totally unique game.â€
 
If thatâ€™s not an offer to play sevens for Australia, there will never be one clear enough to get Hayne over the line.
 
Granted John is no longer involved in the Australian set-up, having left mid-2015. However, with such an exciting pedigree on offer, thereâ€™s no doubt new coach Andy Friend would have been just a little intrigued.
 
He simply chose Fiji over Australia.
</blockquote>

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="580433" data-time="1463480650">
<div>
Is it a timing issue? There was plenty of discussion about regular 7s players missing out due to better players coming across from XVs. As I understand it, he had a discussion in Sydney months ago with Ben Ryan, took stock of his future prospects in the NFL and has made himself available. If Ryan still wishes to take him, how is it Hayne's fault? Should he have played in a couple of World Rugby rounds prior to London?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
How is it Haynes' fault? Don't make yourself available at the last minute. Don't behave like an asshole.
 
Come in for one tournament - snatch someone else's place - have your shot at gold and fuck off again.
 
Fiji coach is also behaving like an arse - showing zero loyalty to his players.

aucklandwarlord

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="580431" data-time="1463480095">
<div>
Are they?
 
It's a bit like the ABs having a no dickheads' policy. If you fuck everyone else in the team off by bringing in a last minute outsider it could easily be counter-productive.
 
I thought Jarrod Hayne having a crack at the NFL was great - that seemed like a real dream. This move strikes me as a bit of glory boy pot-hunting. If it was really your dream Jarrod you would have been there a year ago working for it, rather than just trying to muscle in and trample on someone else's dream.
 
Lacks class.
 
Asshole!
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Wow, not getting on board the Hayne Plane any time soon then?
 
Muscling in last minute is all a matter of perspective though. Have Messam etc all muscled in last minute on the dreams of some of the fringe 7's players? Sure, they've played most of the season with the 7's team, but they have been absent the last few years. SBW essentially "muscled in" on Tohu Harris' spot at the 2013 RLWC at the last minute after he had said he was unavailable. 
 
I agree with Barbarian that playing for Fiji is a little bit weird, but then again, he has played for them in League test matches before and he has a genuine heritage link to the country through his father. Look at how many guys in the Japanese rugby team looked to have no discernible link to Japan other than having played pro rugby there for a few years. 
 
I place Hayne in the same category as SBW in terms of code-hopping and think it's entirely his choice as to what he does. If Fiji don't want him, they can always say so. I'm sure the team wouldn't be shy in coming forward to tell the coaches and management that, if they really thought he'd be disruptive.

antipodean

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Chris B." data-cid="580435" data-time="1463481264">
<div>
How is it Haynes' fault? Don't make yourself available at the last minute. Don't behave like an asshole.
 
Come in for one tournament - snatch someone else's place - have your shot at gold and fuck off again.
 
Fiji coach is also behaving like an arse - showing zero loyalty to his players. 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
So it is a timing issue? He should have played in Paris too?
 
From Ben Ryan's perspective it's his job to deliver a gold medal for Fiji, not an employment scheme for those who stood in line first.
 
Is it shit for the person that doesn't make it? Yes.

barbarian

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="580428" data-time="1463479504">
<div>
That's a bit harsh. His father is Fijian and he has played for Fiji's league team.
 
Perhaps Andy Friend should have approached him months ago?
</div>
</blockquote>
 
He only played for Fiji because he missed selection in the Aussie team. He may have Fijian heritage, and that's great.
 
But is he Fijian? I don't think so. And I think that is a part of the uneasiness that people have approached this story with.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="antipodean" data-cid="580438" data-time="1463481961">
From Ben Ryan's perspective it's his job to deliver a gold medal for Fiji, not an employment scheme for those who stood in line first. </blockquote>
Whilst I tend to agree with Chris B this is the bit I really don't get. 
I fail to see what he offers Fiji 7s. A player who has never played the game, has put next to zero effort into learning the game, has been actively training to be fit in a way that is completely opposite to how he needs to be for the game just does not seem to be a good outcome for a team setting themselves for a gold medal. 
The cynic in me thinks that there is a dagree of convenience for both sides here. That he isn't seriously in the plans of Fiji, and Fiji aren't seriously in the plans or Hayne. Fiji get some publicity and maybe some cash from Hayne's sponsors. Hayne gets a seemingly viable reason for leaving NFL. 
I expect either a convenient injury or future mutual agreement that he couldn't make that transition in time. 
I look at the Fiji 7s players and do wonder what he supposedly brings that they don't have already in spades.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="aucklandwarlord" data-cid="580437" data-time="1463481702">
<div>
Wow, not getting on board the Hayne Plane any time soon then?
 
Muscling in last minute is all a matter of perspective though. Have Messam etc all muscled in last minute on the dreams of some of the fringe 7's players? Sure, they've played most of the season with the 7's team, but they have been absent the last few years. SBW essentially "muscled in" on Tohu Harris' spot at the 2013 RLWC at the last minute after he had said he was unavailable. 
 
I place Hayne in the same category as SBW in terms of code-hopping and think it's entirely his choice as to what he does. If Fiji don't want him, they can always say so. I'm sure the team wouldn't be shy in coming forward to tell the coaches and management that, if they really thought he'd be disruptive. 
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Yes - Sonny Bill made a c#nt of himself over the RLWC (IMO, of course) - not for the first time. :)
 
Yes - it is entirely his choice what he does.
 
It is entirely my choice how I regard his choices. I'm not a Sonny Bill fan.
 
It is great to win, but sometimes behaving with a bit of class is better than winning.
 
Actually I recall having a similar discussion (mainly with TR, I think) when Rob Waddell tried to muscle in on the Olympic single sculls boat Mahe Drysdale had qualified while Rob was fucking around being an America's Cup sailor. I was delighted that Mahe won the shootout - albeit when Rob found he had a dodgy heart. 
 
Antipodean - he should have committed months ago - not when he suddenly found then writing on the wall at the 49ers.

Chris B.

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="580441" data-time="1463482956">
<div>
 
He only played for Fiji because he missed selection in the Aussie team. He may have Fijian heritage, and that's great.
 
But is he Fijian? I don't think so. And I think that is a part of the uneasiness that people have approached this story with.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
And to extrapolate - what odds is Australia paying to win the gold medal? - and did the Aussie coach shut the door on his late entry?

ACT Crusader

It's been on the cards for a while apparently so it is a matter of timing of when he was to join the team for the last couple of legs. 
I really can't see the problem given the way things are with rugby eligibility and the fact players come and go, switch codes, etc as a regular occurrence these days. 
Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

aucklandwarlord

I would have thought the writing was on the wall with the NFL toward the end of last season when he was cut and no other teams picked him up. The fact he got back into the practice team probably wouldn't have done heaps for his confidence of getting selected again, given there was still the draft to get through

Frye

He ain't been picked in the Olympic squad. Ryan has selected him for London in case he does something miraculous. 
Ryan has nothing to lose. They've basically wrapped up the series already. Hayne has to hit a home run if he's going to be on the plane to Rio, if he doesn't then Ryan has lost nothing but still got a nice little PR boost out of it.

ACT Crusader

Hayne "rested" for London leg [emoji41]

rotated

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="barbarian" data-cid="580441" data-time="1463482956">
<div>
 
He only played for Fiji because he missed selection in the Aussie team. He may have Fijian heritage, and that's great.
 
But is he Fijian? I don't think so. And I think that is a part of the uneasiness that people have approached this story with.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
If you are uneasy about Hayne being Fijian then you will probably have a tough time watching any Australian national teams or Origin.

taniwharugby

I guess we will find out in a few weeks when the Fiji Olympic team is named, and if Hayne misses out we then see Hayne focus on getting himself ready for Fijis next tilt at a World Series crown, and maybe play for Fijis 15s team...

Frye

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="ACT Crusader" data-cid="580608" data-time="1463564131">
<div>
Hayne "rested" for London leg [emoji41]
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Haha well that's annoying.
 
Apparently he'll decide on the final makeup on Friday though.

Frye

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="rotated" data-cid="580615" data-time="1463584150">
<div>
If you are uneasy about Hayne being Fijian then you will probably have a tough time watching any Australian national teams or Origin.
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Well he's playing the London sevens leg now.
Pretty hilarious to hear Australians (ie Peter Fitzsimmons) complain that it's not fair on the guy missing out.
 
I'm sure not a peep would be made if he had ousted an Australian from the Australian squad.

booboo

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="Don Frye" data-cid="581127" data-time="1463769082">
Well he's playing the London sevens leg now. 
Pretty hilarious to hear Australians (ie Peter Fitzsimmons) complain that it's not fair on the guy missing out. 
I'm sure not a peep would be made if he had ousted an Australian from the Australian squad.</blockquote>
 
I think there would have been. Perhaps not as much though. And at least he is Australian ...

Frye

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="booboo" data-cid="581129" data-time="1463769987">
<div>
I think there would have been. Perhaps not as much though. And at least he is Australian ...
</div>
</blockquote>
 
Hayne is more Fijian than Speight is Australian.
 
Or Fekitoa is a Kiwi for that matter.

canefan

<blockquote class="ipsBlockquote" data-author="taniwharugby" data-cid="580620" data-time="1463597687">
I guess we will find out in a few weeks when the Fiji Olympic team is named, and if Hayne misses out we then see Hayne focus on getting himself ready for Fijis next tilt at a World Series crown, and maybe play for Fijis 15s team...</blockquote>Someone in the NRL is filling a brown bag as we speak

The Silver Fern

NFL 2016