https://www.theaustralian.com.au/sp...s/news-story/a82e33c7bccf52116461860c2edb4ef6
No place for Jarryd Hayne on NRL’s list of ambassadors
- The Australian
- 12:00AM February 24, 2018
- Brent Read
The NRL has sent a subtle reminder to players about the importance of protecting their off-field image, after it emerged that former posterboy Jarryd Hayne had been overlooked for a place on the list of players earmarked to be paid by the central body to promote the game.
Hayne, who will make his on-field return for the Eels in a trial game against Newcastle in Maitland tonight, was one of the highest-profile players left off the 32-man list, another sign of how his star has faded since his return to the code two years ago.
Significantly, a handful of players with recent issues off the field were also snubbed, among them Andrew Fifita, Josh Dugan and Kieran Foran. Hayne is by far the biggest omission, however, given his standing in the game.
It’s even more alarming for the 30-year-old given Parramatta were one of the few clubs to have three players included in the “marketing ambassador” list — Clint Gutherson, Bevan French and Mitchell Moses.
Hayne has endured a tumultuous off-season since his acrimonious departure from the Gold Coast, where he walked out on the final year of his deal to return to his spiritual home. He came under fire after it emerged that a woman in the US had taken civil action over allegations of sexual assault while he was playing with the San Francisco 49ers.
Police investigated the matter and found that Hayne had no case to answer. There were calls for Hayne to be stood down but the NRL has already indicated he is unlikely to face any action as a result of the civil action.
ARL Commission chairman Peter Beattie made it clear only this week that the governing body didn’t react to civil actions when discussing the decision to allow Matt Lodge to return to the code — the Brisbane prop was ordered to pay nearly $1.6 million to the victims of a violent home invasion when he was in New York three years ago.
While Hayne is unlikely to face any punishment from the governing body, his omission from a marquee player list is a sign that he is damaged goods as far as the NRL hierarchy is concerned.
Beattie is preparing to zero in on the country’s top-40 companies as he looks to increase the game’s financial muscle.
The “marketing ambassador” list, which was finalised with the help of the Rugby League Players Association and caters for players to share in a pool of $1.5m a year for the next five years depending on appearances in the NRL, has been designed in part to help sell the game to the top end of town by using the code’s greatest asset — the players.
Clearly, Hayne no longer fits the bill on that front. Parramatta chief executive Bernie Gurr insisted the Eels had no issue with the NRL’s decision.
Rather than reflecting on Hayne, Gurr said it was a tribute to the potential of Gutherson, French and Moses.
“I don’t think it’s got anything to do with Jarryd,” Gurr said.
“I think they just rewarded our three most high-profile young players in French, Gutherson and Moses. I don’t think it makes any comment on Jarryd.
Gurr confirmed the NRL had run the list by the club and the Eels had no issues with the decision.
“They mentioned the players to us,” Gurr said. “We didn’t have any problem with that.”
Hayne has also been under the microscope over his weight and training commitment since returning to Parramatta, prompting coach Brad Arthur to launch a strident defence of the cross-code star.
Only this week, Arthur insisted Hayne’s fitness was fine. The test will come tonight when Hayne returns against the Knights.
