Seven years after his last rugby league match in 2018, two-time Dally M Medallistย Jarryd Hayne is eyeing a return to the international arena as he prepares for his first match in the Ron Massey Cup competiton.
Released from jail at the backend of last year after successfully winning his legal appeal and having his rape conviction quashed, Hayne signed with Parramatta Eels affiliate side Wentworthville Magpies in the off-season.
Last playing in 2018, Hayne was one of the best rugby league players in his prime with theย Parramatta Eelsย during the 2000s and 2010s and won the Dally M medal in 2009 and 2014.
While he races the clock to be fit and available for this weekend's match, the former Eels fullback believes that a fairytale return to the NRL may be off the cards but has the desire to return to the international arena.
If he does make this happen, he will face the Cook Islands and Papua New Guinea at the end of the year as part of the Fijian national team and will play alongside the likes of Apisai Koroisau, Sunia Turuva, Tui Kamikamica and Viliame Kiaku.
โFor me, I want to get back and play in front of my kids," Hayne toldย The Sydney Morning Herald.
โI also want to do what I can to play Test football for Fiji at the end of the year. They're due to play against Papua New Guinea and the Cook Islands. That's the aim.
โ[Coach] Wise [Kativerata] called me last year and asked if I wanted to play. I told him I'm not in shape, and said, โI wish you had told me earlier because I would have played local footy'. I've been out of the game for so long.
โI try to explain to people it's about the contact. When you're playing regularly, and you're hit on a regular basis, your body gets [used to it].
"But when you've been out of it for a while, it doesn't matter how long you played beforehand, it takes a long time for your body to adjust to that impact.
โI want to build up to playing for Fiji. But it starts with getting my body right, and having a good year with Wenty.โ
The decision to play for Fiji comes after he was sensationally linked to playing with them at the recent 2024 Pacific Championships before moving into a mentoring role, which saw him help the younger players in the squad.
Commonly referred to as the 'Hayne Plane', the formerย NRLย fullback appeared in 214 first-grade matches for theย Parramatta Eelsย andย Gold Coast Titansย in two separate stints between 2006-14 and 2016-18.
He would also go on to represent theย NSW Bluesย on 23 occasions and the Australian Kangaroos (11 appearances) andย Fijiย (10 appearances) in the international arena and is one of the fewย NRLย players to switch to the NFL (San Francisco 49ers) and even representedย Fijiย in Rugby Sevens.
โI wanted to get back to Parra and coach and go down that route, but it wasn't to be,โ Hayne added.
โAs I've had time to really think about what I want to do, junior coaching appeals to me. I want to prep the younger guys and get them ready for the representative season.
โI did a bit of work with an NRL player last year โ I won't say who he is โ but to watch him do what he did after what we had spoken about it, that gave me a thrill I can't explain."
