​One Week In And The Hayne Plane Is Already In Flames

The return of the rugby league "superstar," Jarryd Hayne, to the NRL has gone from good to bad to downright awkward just one week into the 2017 season.

In what is the latest in a series of indiscretions in his brief time at the Gold Coast, Hayne was controversially slugged a five-figure fine by his coach, Neil Henry, after missing a training session to fly to Sydney and see a personal doctor. He responded to the decision with a series of cryptic tweets last Sunday, fuelling rumours he is fast finding himself on the outer with Titans players and administrators. Leading rugby league journalist, Paul Kent, speaking on Fox Sports, labelled coach Neil Henry a "socialist" and says the big-money, big-personality Hayne was struggling to adjust to his old fashioned, "minimum wage" mentality.

"Neil Henry is a one-in-all-in coach. He's that old fashioned coach: 'This is the way we do it. I'm not gonna treat Jarryd Hayne any different than the guy who comes in at number 25 on our roster. I'm minimum wage,' but that's the way he operates," he said.

Loose lips sinks ships!

— jarryd hayne (@JarrydHayne)March 5, 2017

Was meant to be cap sess. Captain said was ok 4me 2get treatment in syd! Coach found out and fined me. Media will milk it!!!! — jarryd hayne (@JarrydHayne)March 5, 2017

Recently retired premiership winning Cronulla Sharks hooker, Michael Ennis, went a step further, saying Hayne has been a step "backwards" for the club.

"I thought they (Titans) were in a really good place…They found out who they were and were heading in the right direction and since the injection of Hayne last year, I think they've gone backwards," Ennis told Triple M Radio.

"I understand his ambitions. I think it's wonderful that he wants to achieve everything he can with his sporting ability in the period of time that he can do that."

"Unfortunately rugby league is a team game for Jarryd…The perception at the moment is that he thinks he's bigger than the game, but also his club," he said.

Hayne returned to rugby league two games out from the 2016 final series on a record $1.2 million-per-season deal with the Titans, which expires at the end of 2017. He has already spoken of a possible big-money switch to French Rugby Union at the end of the season, further earning the ire of Titans fans and raising the eyebrows of some administrators at the club.

Since returning to the NRL, Hayne has been dogged by controversy, patchy form and exhibited a boastful attitude that has rubbed many in the old school, working-class confines of rugby league the wrong way.

The former Parramatta Eels, NSW and Australian test rugby league star left the game in 2014 to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL, which he achieved for one underwhelming season at the San Francisco 49ers. As a kid he was raised in a Campbelltown Housing Commission flat by a single mother before being given his big break by the Parramatta Eels. He has long been the target of criticism for his attitude towards training and what many claim is a negative affect on team culture.

"Jarryd has aways expected to be treated differently," says Kent.

"Okay, maybe early on Jarryd needed to be treated the same and he wasn't enough because that was certainly the problem at Parramatta. Parramatta players at the time believed that Jarryd was getting favourable treatment but certainly he's been treated differently by everybody else. He's been indulged his whole career," said Kent.