Hayne stays with Eels and NRL...for now

After finally committing his future to rugby league for the next four years,
Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne has warned that the NRL has to do more to keep the
game's best talent from rival codes.
The 21-year-old Dally M Medal winner on Thursday penned league's most prized
signature, securing a new four-season deal with the Eels reportedly worth $500,000 a
season plus third party deals.
It comes after months of speculation surrounding his future, with reports he was
being offered more than $1 million a season to join the AFL's new western Sydney
franchise.
Hayne, who was typically relaxed during a public signing at a shopping centre at
Rouse Hill in Sydney's west, said he always wanted to stay with the Eels, believing
he still had plenty to achieve in rugby league.
But he bluntly admitted it would be hard to resist the advances from rival codes in
four years time, citing the new challenge and financial incentives offered by rugby
union and AFL as "very appealing".
And amid speculation Test halfback Johnathan Thurston is also considering a code
switch, Hayne passionately believed the NRL should be more flexible with the salary
cap to help stem the flow of talent.
"I think I'm too young (to switch codes) now, but I think when it comes up next
time it's going to definitely be an option," Hayne said.
"It'd be sad to go but it just seems like the NRL's just letting players go, it'd be
good to see them sort of step in.
"There's a lot of big name players going and the way the (NRL) sort of sees it is
that one player doesn't make a whole competition.
"But when you're losing such quality players in consecutive years the question's got
to be asked, how many more are we going to let go?"
"You want to play against the best, you don't want to see them go to other codes,
like Sonny Bill (Williams), Mark Gasnier, Craig Gower, Karmichael Hunt.
"... Everyone loves league but the challenge and the financial side of things to go
to other codes is very appealing."
Hayne's current contract had been due to expire at the end of next season but that
has been replaced by a much-improved four-year deal negotiated by manager Wayne
Beavis.
The NSW and Test star said he was relieved to have secured his future for the coming
years and was clear about his ambitions having taken the blue and golds to the NRL
grand final this year.
"I think the top two goals is to win a State of Origin series and win the big one
(grand final)," he said.
"They're the two massive goals every player in the comp wants to achieve."
Eels chief executive Paul Osborne said he was always hopeful Hayne would remain with
the club, calling it a great day for rugby league as a whole.
"It would have been an absolute disaster for us if we had have lost Jarryd given I
can't recall any player that dominated a year like he did this year, week after
week, after week," Osborne said.
"For us to have lost him to another code would have been diabolical."