Former NRL star Jarryd Hayne on the verge of return to footy after being acquitted of rape charges
Two-time Dally M winner Jarryd Hayne is set to make his rugby league comeback after a seven-year hiatus.
The 34-year-old former NRL star will join the Wentworthville Magpies in the Ron Massey Cup, a semi-professional competition that feeds into the NSW Cup.
Hayne’s return comes after he spent nearly two years in jail on sexual assault charges, which were ultimately quashed by the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal in June 2024.
‘We have looked thoroughly into this before making the decision to have Jarryd join us,” Magpies president Elias Kassab told News Corp.
‘He’s a different person now.’
Kassab said the club’s belief in second chances and highlighted Hayne’s sincerity and willingness to contribute positively to the game.
Jarryd Hayne was one of the most damaging players in the game at his peak in the NRL
Hayne was a dual Dally M Medal winner before his charges and consequent acquittal
‘We’re happy that he could be playing for us and working with the little ones coming through the grades,’ Kassab said.
‘A lot of people will have their opinions, but we know how sincere Jarryd is in wanting to give back to the game in a positive fashion.’
Hayne’s last NRL appearance was in 2018 with the Parramatta Eels.
His career includes 191 NRL games, primarily with the Eels, where he achieved superstar status as a fullback.
Whether he’ll reprise that role with the Magpies remains to be seen.
‘It would be ‘up to the coach’ to decide if Hayne plays fullback,’ Kassab stated.
The Magpies, six-time Ron Massey Cup premiers, are anticipating a large crowd for Hayne’s debut against Ryde-Eastwood on March 15 at Ringrose Park.
‘That’s our hope, that’s what we’re looking forward to,” Kassab said.
Hayne fronts the media after leaving Downing centre Court in Sydney during one of his trials
At his best, Hayne was part of the Australian Kangaroos and New South Wales Blues
‘He’s been training and knuckling down I reckon he’ll be fit for it.”
Hayne’s return to rugby league began with a brief appearance in a Nines Premier League tournament, where a hamstring injury limited his playing time.
His time with Fiji’s coaching staff during the Pacific Championships further solidified his desire to return to the sport.
‘Fiji was such a turning point for me,’ Hayne said previously.
‘You don’t realise how much you miss it until you’re around that environment again.
‘That kind of tipped me up to get back into it and run around with the boys and have fun.’
Hayne’s rugby league career boasts impressive achievements, including 214 NRL games, 121 tries, 466 points, two Dally M Medals [2009, 2014], and a key role in the Eels’ 2009 NRL Grand Final appearance.
He also represented New South Wales in 23 State of Origin matches and played 12 Tests for Australia.
