NRL's star, Jarryd Hayne to the NFL

[Jaguares]

Is NFL too demanding that a NRL superstar has to lose 10 kgs to become fit???

Jarryd Hayne's NFL mission: Lose 10kg, get faster, gym program, improve core strength

JARRYD Hayne was watching Fox Sports around noon on Thursday when Seattle cornerback Richard Sherman appeared on screen.

Talking about him. "Which would've got me fairly excited once,'' Hayne grins. But now? "Now, I'm not a fan,'' the NFL wannabe continues. "Now I want to compete with him". Despite already being one of Australia's greatest athletes, 26-year-old Hayne is preparing to undergo a major physical transformation to ready himself for the NFL Combine next February.

Apart from shedding up to 10kg from his already streamlined figure, the NSW Origin star will also completely overhaul his gym program while quadrupling the time he spends on sprint technique. "And as for how far can I improve? That's the thing that excites me,'' Hayne says. "Who knows how much quicker can I get. How much stronger can I get. "Right now, I don't even do specific speed work. Once a fortnight we might spend 15 minutes on something, that's it.

"In the US though, I'll be doing speed work three times a week. I'll do more in seven days than I would have over two months playing NRL. "I'm going places where, as an athlete, I've never been before."

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/jar...ve-core-strength/story-e6frf3ou-1227094125203

 

[jonny24]

Probably to do more with the fact that NFL is ALL sprint. Sure he's already fit, but not the right way yet.

 

[Canuck]

Probably to do more with the fact that NFL is ALL sprint. Sure he's already fit, but not the right way yet.

Might also have something to do with what he thinks is his best position in football. I have heard people say that the best position for his skills to transfer to would be as a kick/punt returner, if that's the case he needed to lose a few pounds since there's no 100 kg returners in the NFL. If he wants to play WR or S also he needs to be as fast as he possibly can and lose a little bit of weight.

 

[LeinsterMan (NotTigsMan)]

Making a doc on it all should be interesting.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...-from-nrl-to-nfl/story-e6frf3tc-1227097525923

 

[sigesige00]

The RLWC is a joke, that's a fact

The RLWC should be enlarged to 16 teams.

 

[Kempistry]

He's not after the money, but to be frank if he can succeed in the NFL (a big if) the money on offer sh#ts all over what the fcking French could pay. Giteau is the world's highest paid player in Rugby right now on about A$1.4 million a season. That's not in the ballpark of first choice running backs, who earn around the $7million mark.

You have to remember, that whilst Rugby is played at a pro level in more countries, that combined those countries would still not fill the East coast of the US... The economic power of the NFL sh#ts all over the EPL for example. Just saying.

On Hayne more generally, I'm not all that knowledgeable on the NFL, but I've watched a bit and I do get the game, and I agree with most other people here when they say a change is possible, but will be extraordinarily difficult for him.


If he'd left at 22 he'd have been much better off, but it's still a possibility.


To be honest, as a Rugby League fan I genuinely hope he makes it, and makes it big, because I reckon that'd actually benefit the NRL and Rugby League in general in terms of raising awareness of the comp over in the US.


Just think about all the people in the states who'd be stumbling across the NRL and SOO by googling Jarryd Hayne Highlights if he were to make it in the NFL as a kick returner - the knock on effect would be more people in the world's most lucrative and most influential sporting market tuning into Origin and the NRL, which would then increase the value of the rights over there, adding more into the NRL's coffers.


From a marketing perspective, a Jarryd Hayne success in the NFL is solid gold for the NRL. The NFL ****s on any other football code comp on the planet in terms of size and economic power, so the exposure would be brilliant. Heck, David Smith could even have a quiet word with Hayne to publicly support the Blues back home around Origin time to get more yanks tuning in.

I'd put the odds of him succeeding as very low. The NFL not only has amazing athletes who have played all of their lives, but it is arguably the most cutthroat sports league in the world. Contracts aren't guaranteed. If players don't work out they are cut quickly and never seen again, injuries are rampant. Every single game is do-or-die and everyone's job is on the line, from the GM, to the head coach, to the last guy on the practice squad. There are like 100 college teams each with 50+ players ready to take your job each year.

Brock Lesnar was a 300 lb athletic marvel who tried for a few years to make the NFL and had even played a bit in high school and he couldn't sniff an NFL roster. I think he had some of the best combine stats in NFL history. He then became UFC heavyweight champion almost immediately with zero fighting experience. Devin Hester is one of the most athletic freaks in the NFL and can barely get off special teams.

I've never even seen Haynes play rugby and it would be amazing if he did well, but I think it is unlikely he is ever more than a special teamer. And not to be too racist here but there are basically zero successful white running backs in the NFL.

Running back requires knowing how to block, pick up blitzes, catch passes, run routes, how to follow blocks, how NOT to fumble. If you screw up the consequences are MASSIVE. Receiver is arguably more complex. Safety? Maybe but he'd be covering monsters and would be targeted quickly. And he's too small for everything else.

His only hope is that some coach sees something and puts in the enormous amount of time it would require to get him prepared and doesn't yank him when he screws up. I'd put his odds at truly being successful at slim to nil. Hope I'm wrong!

 

[davsav93]

Savea looks to follow suite