JARRYD Hayne is one of the legitimate characters in the game and one of the few who refuse to commit the greatest sin of all: that of being boring.
Hayne was always up to something. Or something was always happening around him.
Hayne is so engaging he dominates the game itself. So much the commentary around him has become twisted with self-interest and incompetency and pride, while logic seemingly left the building long ago.
It is now impossible to have an honest conversation around Hayne without being charged with driving an agenda or carrying a personal dislike or some other trumped accusation.
But Hayne draws interest, as simple as that.
I could write about him forever. I hope he never retires.
Hayne was enjoying life playing for Fiji, rediscovering his love for rugby league in the World Cup while his new coach at the Gold Coast was getting life ready for Hayne’s return, including hiring old training staff from Parramatta when Hayne used to play there.
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The NRL is content with Jarryd Hayne’s value being halved by the Eels, writes Paul Kent.
It was a sweet deal. Suddenly, after a tough year, it was all back on track.
Hayne was reportedly on an $800,000 contract with another $400,000 in third party deals. He had another year to run on that contract and he was being surrounded by friendly faces.
Then news broke November 1 that Hayne wanted out so he could return to Parramatta.
Hayne denied it the following day, Tweeting: “I have NOT instructed my manager to SPEAK to teams in Sydney. #slownewsday”.
But the news day wasn’t so slow, a deal was done.
Hayne left his $1.2 million deal at the Gold Coast to sign a $500,000 deal with Parramatta. He wanted to be closer to his child and telling the Gold Coast he wanted to be closer to his mates and family in western Sydney.
The NRL has received the contract and this week said it was expected to be registered “shortly”.
For reasons nobody can adequately explain, though, the NRL is quite calmly allowing Hayne’s value _ under what is supposed to be a rigorously applied salary cap _ to be almost halved at his new club.
Jarryd Hayne quit the Titans to join the Eels.
An NRL spokesman defended the NRL’s actions. Among the explanations were:
The NRL said Hayne was being paid market value for where he is as a player.
Not true, since Hayne never went to market.
That Hayne was no longer worth top money. True, but how big a pay cut?
Little attention was paid to the fact Hayne is a current State of Origin player where there isn’t a player in the squad on $500,000. Josh Dugan, NSW’s other centre, got $900,000 for next season at Cronulla.
The difference between he and Hayne is Dugan went to market, Hayne did not. Yet the NRL was content to accept Parramatta’s evaluation of Hayne’s worth.
The NRL said Hayne came back to the Gold Coast with a bang and after a troubled season his market value was no longer what it was.
Yet market value should have no bearing on contract value.
The NRL said it was well known Hayne was a “disruptive influence” at clubs so that also dropped his value.
So it appears every troubling player at a club is now entitled to a discount.
Faced with logic, the NRL said even I valued Hayne at about $600,000 sometime through the season based on his contributions for the Gold Coast.
Jarryd Hayne in action for Fiji.
Yes, earlier this year on the Matty Johns Show I ran a Dutch auction asking the panel what they would pay for Hayne and it capped out at $600,000. But it was a mug’s opinion.
Hayne’s true value can be established only when market tested.
To justify his falling value the NRL asked who else would want him?
Well, Newcastle is currently negotiating to release Trent Hodkinson, on $650,000 a season, to Manly for about $400,000.
Would the Sea Eagles, who see Hodkinson as a Plan B if Todd Carney is not registered, rather pay $400,000 for Hodkinson to play five-eighth outside Daly Cherry-Evans or $500,000 for Hayne?
We will never know, because Hayne never went to market.
All are logical counters to the NRL’s decision to register Hayne for $500,000.
Yet any query is quickly twisted into allegations of vendettas and agendas.
But it is not about Jarryd Hayne but of yet another example of the NRL’s policy on the run.
It is easy to illustrate.
What if Cooper Cronk had simply announced he had signed with the Roosters for about half his considered value instead of going to market?
Cooper Cronk left Melbourne to be closer to his partner in Sydney.
Cronk, like Hayne, could also argue the change was for compassionate reasons. He wants to live with his fiancé Tara Rushton after tiring of a long distance relationship. His desire could be measured by his willingness to walk away from the reigning premiers.
But Cronk went to market and the Roosters paid market value.
The market is crucial to the integrity of the salary cap. There are clubs stunned by the NRL’s acceptance of Hayne on a $500,000 contract.
Hayne has probably cost himself hundreds of thousands of dollars by the NRL’s reluctance to insist on a fair process. Parramatta coach Brad Arthur said last week there is still money in the cap left for a front-rower.
It is okay for the NRL to use discretion around its salary cap but its priority must always be towards transparency and the integrity of the game.
My man Hayne is such a massive figure the NRL is easily sucked into the glow of his star power and always happy to oblige, even to his own detriment at times.
The NRL had initially knocked back Frank Winterstein’s Manly deal. Picture. Phil Hillyard
Late in the 2016 season Manly’s Bob Fulton tried to sign Frank Winterstein but was told, sorry, it was after the June 30 deadline.
Then in August 2016 Hayne announced he was returning to league. The NRL gladly ushered him in.
Fulton picked up the phone to headquarters.
“Send in the paperwork again,” he was told. At least they had the courtesy to blush.
Replies
My opinion on this....
its been becoming quite clear that the only reason Kent has continued this vendetta against Hayne and Parra is being run by someone else in the background, and his actually hinted to who it is.
I have no doubt it's the Manly club who now are desperate for a 5/8 and after missing out on Pearce are up shit creek without a paddle.
where is Kents stance on Matthew Lodge signing for the Broncos on minimum wage when Newcastle wanted to sign him for 500k a year? Why has he not brought this up?
its time Kent stops this vendetta against Parramatta because it truly now has become laughable.
Bazza this is an excellent response and you have nailed the motive behind his words. The only thing that I would say is that he is not limited to an agenda based on Manly needs. He also likes to look after the Roosters and Ricky Stuart.
It was clear to me that he had Neil Henry in his pocket when the conflict between Henry and Hayne surfaced. In his rant on that subject he conveniently forgot to say that Ash Taylor and Kane Elgey were also refusing to sign.
He also forgot to mention that Henry was sacked from the Cowboys because he had issues with Thurston and only one was going to survive. In that matter Ben Ikin was sitting on the Cowboys board at the time and was part of Henrys sacking. However sitting next to Kent during the rant, Ikin did not see the need to speak up and throw some balance into the argument. In the next show though he made a point of stating that he was on the board at the time of Henry's sacking. Obviously the producers got in his ear after the show
The issue of going to the market to see what other offers were out there is irrelevant. There is no draft in place in the NRL and Kent can't invent one to suit his argument. Plenty of players sign contracts without going to the market. What is also relevant in this argument is that prior to resigning the extension with the Titans, Hayne went to the market and no suitable offers were made and that included the Eels
Have an egg nog you lemon sucking unattractive bitch of a man.
Give it Up Kent you mug get off his and our back with agenda driven tripe.You lose!
Check out what the Broncos earn to stick together. Corey Parker was only on $250k for eg.
Gee that’s a whole lotta words. He could have easily expressed the exact same sentiments with one line, “I’m in love with Jarryd”.
Haha!
or...but he doesn't love me?
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