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​Boy, The Hayne Plane Really Needed That

Since returning to the game, Hayne has been lampooned by players past and present for his poor work ethic and toxic affect on team culture. He turned all that around with a man of the match performance on Saturday following five weeks out with injury.
Jarryd Hayne. Image: Instagram

It was shaping up as one of the great falls-from-grace for an athlete in recent memory. After walking away from rugby league at the peak of his powers Jarryd Hayne endured an underwhelming foray in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers and has struggled, amidst considerable controversy, to get anywhere near his former self since returning to the National Rugby League (NRL).

Then Saturday night happened.

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Despite spending five weeks on the sidelines through injury, Hayne put on his best showing since returning to the game, earning man of the match honours and playing a leading hand in his team, the Gold Coast Titan's, last ditch upset win over reigning premiers the Cronulla Sharks. The victory broke a four game losing streak for the Titans and ended a four game winning streak for the Sharks. It couldn't come a moment too soon for Hayne who has endured serious criticism since returning to the game.

Players past and present have lampooned Hayne for his poor work ethic and toxic effect on team culture since returning from the States. Truth be told, they were saying the same before he left, only back then it was irrelevant because he was completely untouchable on the field.

"He is quite a unique character. Some of the things I've seen him do on the football field are ridiculous," NSW Origin player, Aaron Woods told the Big Sports Breakfast radio program on Sky Sports, though adds:

"He has to buy into what the boys are doing as well…You just can't go and do your own thing. The team is there. It's not just an individual sport. It's a group activity. It's a hard one, but he should probably buy into it a little bit more and show them he's a bit more focused on training."

Despite signing a record $AUD1.2 million per season deal with the Titans, Hayne has butted heads with teammates and coach, Neil Henry. Rumours that he is preparing to walk out on the club for a big money offer in French or Japanese rugby union, meanwhile, has also earned the ire of fans.

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Read More: The Hayne Plane Is Already In Flames

Some, like Michael Ennis, the recently retired Cronulla Sharks premiership winning hooker, believe the Titans are better off without him.

"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 recently.

"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 started the game on Saturday predictably slowly given his injury lay off and lack of match fitness, but powered through the second half. He returned the ball strongly, racking up a decent 109 meters gained for the match, though it was an incredible penalty kick save, several telling defensive efforts, and his vision to set up a number of attacking raids, including the match-winner for two-try hero, Leivaha Pulu, that proved the difference between the sides.