NRL Superstar Jarryd Hayne to Play in NFL

Jarryd Hayne stunned the rugby league world on Wednesday, announcing that he is leaving the sport immediately to play in the NFL, as per the New Zealand Herald. The Parramatta Eels fullback has withdrawn from the Australian Four Nations squad and plans to head to the U.S. to obtain a contract with an NFL franchise.

In an open letter on the club's website, Hayne said that it was something he has been thinking about for the past 24 months and believed that the time was right to give it a go.

"For the past 24 months I’ve been thinking about having a crack in the NFL, and over the last 12 months I’ve been seriously considering it," he said. "Today I can officially announce that I will be heading to the United States to pursue an opportunity to play American Football."

"I’m excited about the potential opportunities that lie ahead. I’ve known the deadline has been looming for me to make this call, and I believe the right time is now," he continued.

He went on to say that it has been a dream of his to play in the NFL and this is his only chance to give it a go.

"It’s always been a dream of mine to play in the NFL, and at my age, this is my one and only chance at having a crack at playing there."

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Indeed it is a shocking decision. The man has come off of arguably the most impressive of his nine NRL seasons, having been named joint winner of the Dally M Medal for the best player in the league, alongside Johnathan Thurston. It is the second time he has won the award, having also won the medal in what was something of a breakout year in 2009.

Since 2007, he has played State of Origin for New South Wales, as either a fullback or wing, this year being a key player in their first series win since 2005. Along with this, he has made a handful of appearances for Australia, and last year he was a member of the Rugby League World Cup winning side.

He has done everything there is to do in the game, other than win a Premiership; even then he has played in a Grand Final.

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Now he has decided to take on a new challenge.

It is not the most conventional decision. American football is very much a minority sport in Australia, and it is rare to see such a high-profile athlete opting to take this path.

Is it the right decision?

It certainly is a gutsy one. Hayne was arguably the top fullback in the NRL this year, which really is saying something when one considers the season Greg Inglis has had. Had he stayed on with Parramatta, he would have no doubt continued on in the same manner.

If it was his dream to play in the NFL, though, it is hard to knock him for giving it a go. At worst he will likely just return to Parramatta, where you can bet he will be welcomed back with open arms.

The two sports are very different, and it is hard to know how Hayne will fare playing in the NFL.

He is a strong runner, is capable of breaking tackles and has the vision to pick out gaps in the defensive line. His ball skills are outstanding too, although these will be of less importance in his new game.

The biggest difference from an individual player's perspective, other than the obvious skill differences, comes in the level of specificity required.

In rugby, a player has to be able to do a little bit of everything. While certain players will do different jobs, they still all have to be able to run, pass, catch and tackle. It is a game where aerobic endurance is just as important as the ability to recover quickly anaerobically. Therefore, they must train in a way that enables them to play like this. 

The NFL is far more specialised. Consequently, the players can devote more time to training for what they need to do. There is a far greater emphasis on anaerobic fitness, meaning they can focus more on developing speed, size, strength and power, rather than splitting this with the ability to run a long way.

This will be an adjustment Hayne will have to make. He is a quality athlete, and given the opportunity to train in this way with the top facilities provided in the U.S., he will undoubtedly improve in the areas he needs to.

It is not yet known who he will play for, or even which position he will play. However, he did recently go on a trip to visit the Seattle Seahawks' facilities, and it has been suggested that he has indicated he would like to be a punt returner.

Do not expect miracles from him straight away. It will be a long process for him to learn the game. Whatever the outcome, though, at least he won't die wondering.