Broncos would love to have Hayne
By Wayne Heming AAP Fri, 07 Aug 2009 18:50:50
Brisbane coach Ivan Henjak says the Broncos would be crazy to ignore a superstar like Jarryd Hayne if the NRL club's coffers could stretch that far.
Henjak voiced possible interest in the Parramatta flyer, who is sure to be one of the game's hottest properties when he comes off contract at the end of next season.
While promising teenager Josh Hoffman has been marked as a possible replacement for AFL-bound Broncos custodian Karmichael Hunt, it would be hard not be excited by a player of Hayne's class in a backline which would also include Justin Hodges and Israel Folau.
"It would certainly take up a bit of your salary cap," Henjak said when asked on Friday if Brisbane would be interested should Hayne hit the open market.
"Of course we would ... who's his manager?
"He's a quality player and he's turned his life around which is a credit to him."
Having previously put forward a reported $350,000 a season offer to Hunt and, with skipper Darren Lockyer understood to have agreed to a pay cut in his new two-year deal, the Broncos could have some dollars to throw at Hayne.
The Broncos could also off-load a few signings who have not delivered, freeing even more money.
Hayne and Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston - rumoured to be the target of a massive offer being nutted out by the Warriors to replace veteran No.7 Stacey Jones - are the hottest properties in rugby league.
Parramatta are already angling to get Hayne's prized signature on a $2 million contract that would tie him to the club until 2014.
"We'll just consider the offers as they come up, but nothing at this stage," Hayne's manager Wayne Beavis told AAP.
"No-one can talk to us until November 1 under the (NRL) rules."
Hayne said his preference remained staying at Parramatta, but admitted he would be guided by the advice of his manager.
"That's in my manager's hands, he's looking after it," Hayne told the Nine Network when asked about his future.
"I'm happy where I'm at and if they can find a deal and he gives the green light then I've got no obligations to look anywhere else.
"There's probably a better chance that I will stay, as long as my manager sees fit that it's a healthy deal then I've got nowhere else to go."
If the 21-year-old utility, who challenged Queensland's Greg Inglis as the best player in the recently completed State of Origin series, is still on the market come November, he'll be on top of most clubs' wish lists.
"We'll make inquiries about every good player and if he's off contract in 2010 we'll be in the market place around that time," said Henjak.
