Jarryd Hayne has returned to the rugby league scene, stepping into a mentoring position with the Vodafone Fiji Bati team as they prepare for the upcoming Pacific Championship. According to reports from News Corp and The Sydney Morning Herald, Hayne will collaborate closely with players such as Michael Jennings, Sunia Turuva, Viliame Kikau, and Maika Sivo.
Having arrived in Fiji, Hayne was seen participating in training at Suva’s Albert Park on Monday. While he has decided against resuming his playing career, he is eager to provide guidance and support, drawing on his previous experience representing Fiji at the international level.
This marks Hayne’s first role in the NRL since his departure in 2018. Fiji’s coach, Wise Kativerata, who played alongside Hayne’s father, Manoa Thompson, reached out to Hayne after his release from prison to see how he was doing.
Hayne, a two-time Dally M Medal winner, spent almost two years incarcerated before being released in June after successfully appealing a rape conviction. Kativerata mentioned, “I rang him just to talk to him and to see how he was going,” and added that he wanted to ensure Hayne was doing well. After sharing the need for support in Fiji rugby league, he invited Hayne to join the team, recognizing the benefit it could bring to both Hayne and the players.
Initially, Hayne thought Kativerata was joking, but acknowledging his accomplishments in rugby league and his Fijian heritage, Kativerata was able to persuade him. Many players on the Fiji team admire Hayne for his exceptional skills, given his 214 NRL games and 10 Test appearances with the Bati.
Fiji is set to face Papua New Guinea on Saturday night.