Jarryd Hayne Opens Up On His Shock Signing For The Gold Coast Titans

The race for the most sought after signature in rugby league is over. Jarryd Hayne today announced he will sign a deal worth $1.2 million a season to play for the Gold Coast Titans. It makes him the highest paid player in the NRL and paves the way for his return to the NRL this Sunday against the New Zealand Warriors as the Titans battle to keep their place in the top eight,.

At a press conference moments ago Hayne revealed he was "devastated" no formal offer made to him by his childhood club, the Parramatta Eels, also slamming the club's board for its many off field dramas.

"I was hoping to see myself back there, that's where I thought I'd be, and it's devastating," he said.

"I think Parra have got more issues off the field than they do on the field with the board and the direction that club is gonna go in the coming years. And I know a lot of people are going to be hurt by this decision. I guess in a way I'm sorry. That club means a lot to me as I know it means a lot to people in western sydney, but like I said I needed to make a decision, I wanted to play footy, and I waited as long as I could to get a formal offer off Parra," he said.

Hayne has spent the past few months contemplating his playing future following an underwhelming season for the San Francisco 49ers NFL team. He initially hoped to represent Fiji in the Rugby Sevens Rio Olympics Team but failed to impress selectors. He then flirted with playing for the NSW Waratahs Rugby Union franchise but was told he would not be able to represent Australia in Rugby Union because of his stint with the Fiji Sevens. After deciding to stay in rugby league, the game that made his name, it was expected he would sign with childhood club the Parramatta Eels, where he forged a reputation as one of the greatest players the game has ever seen. But the Eels have been beset by one of the most scandal-plagued seasons in memory, the most serious of which saw the club docked 12 competition points for systematic rorting of the salary cap. This, and the lack of a formal offer from the club, were the biggest factors in Hayne's decision.

"At the end of the day I wanted to play footy this year and the way the board is at Parra and the things that have gone on this year we couldn't get something done," he said.

"It's sad and it hurts me just as much as I know it hurts the fans down there. I'm sure over the coming days and weeks everyone is going to have their opinion but at the end of the day I made this decision on multiple things and its hard to put your finger on one thing but I believe everything happens for a reason and it is what it is," he said.

Hayne himself was embroiled in the salary cap scandal after official documents revealed salary cap discrepancies in third party deals he received between 2013-2015. They were alleged to include cash payments, first class overseas travel and car expenses adding up to $465,000, all of which had been kept secret from the NRL. Hayne responded to the allegations at the time, telling reporters:

"Half a million, wow, must have been the wrong bank account. I haven't seen it," going on to flatly deny he'd received any under-the-table payments. "Not that I'm aware of, no," he replied to the allegations.

His decision to go with the Gold Coast Titans is being labelled the biggest signing in the club's history. They're offer of $1.2 million a season is said to have trumped Parramatta's offer of an estimated $800 000 a year of three seasons.

Hayne had penned an open letter to Parramatta fans in 2014 regarding his departure to the NFL, telling them:

"I'm leaving knowing that I have signed a lifetime agreement with the Eels, so if I return to the NRL, it will be to Parramatta."

He then fumed at Parramatta fans in February this year after he was linked with the Sydney Roosters NRL club. "It's funny when you see media outlets say I'm doing this and I'm doing that," he told Triple M at the time "It's even funnier when you see Parra fans go online and have a go at me. If you believe that you're a clown."

He revealed that he'd been in close contact with Eels captain and childhood friend, Timmy Mannah throughout the negotiations along with Parramatta Coach Brad Arthur.

"There's a few clubs that had offered straight away but I always wanted to go back to Parra. I was waiting for Parra's offer, I was waiting, I was waiting, I was waiting. It got to the point I was having lunch with Timmy (Mannah) on Monday and I said mate, what's going on? Are you guys gonna offer me a contract or not? I've got all these offers on the table and I haven't heard anything from ya's.'

"It's kinda tough because there's no one there at the moment to do all that sorta stuff. The CEO is away, he just left yesterday, nine staff got sacked, Brad is the coach, he is not a guy that is doing the contract side of things, so its kinda hard to put your finger on it but at the end of the day I had to make a decision," he said.

"I think that was the biggest thing, just being able to be settled. It's been a great journey the last 18 months, something that I wouldn't change for the world, but I think being able to be settled and be in an environment where I can really focus on my footy was one of the biggest things," he said.

Former Queensland Origin great, Australia test captain and Gold Coast Titans ambassador, Gordon Tallis, said the deal is arguably the biggest in the club's history, adding that 1.2 million dollar price tag will be worth it in the amount of publicity it generates alone.

"He's a guy that generates a heap of publicity and it is a battle between the codes. They (the AFL) spent 20 million a year to get a foothold there (on the Gold Coast) and I think Jarryd Hayne has equalled that. I think Jarryd Hayne's signing has equalled the 20 million the AFL pour in there every year," he told Fox Sports.

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