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2x Australian Rugby MVP wants a shot at the NFL

Tudeski

By Tudeski
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Tudeski Newbie

Tudeski

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Hey guys,

Sorry if this is a lengthy post, but I believe this could be very interesting.

I am a Browns fan from Australia, I mostly lurk on the forums, but I thought I'd bring up an interesting topic that has been huge in Australia in the last 3 months, front page stuff, tonnes of interest and a lot of pissed off Rugby fans.
The best Rugby player, arguably of all time, has left the game to pursue a career in the NFL. He has been a fan since he was a boy.

His name is Jarryd Hayne, he's 6'2, 220 pounds, fast, evasive, can catch any ball kicked or thrown at him, tackle anyone, has a very strong core, can stop on a time and step anyone.

He has no weaknesses in the Australian game, and is one of the best athletes in the country.

However,

As we know, Football is a complex game, it has set routes and plays. Rugby however doesn't have a huge amount of structure by comparison, and Hayne's strength in play is improvisation and instinct.

He's 26, this doesn't give him much time to succeed, his age could impair this.

Where does he fit? I could see him playing as a punt/kick returner in the NFL to start with, and perhaps moving onto a running back role if he shone as a returner and started to understand the plays. In the Australian game, if you drop the ball it's an instant interception to the other team, they don't even have to catch the ball, he played a position called "Fullback" where in Rugby you're the last line of defense, and you need to catch the ball when it's kicked deep (one in every 4 plays), I don't think I once saw him drop it.

By rugby league standards, he has elite pace. By Football standards, probably just very fast. We don't use the 40 yard dash as a pace measurement, but apparently has run a 4.5 in recent testing.

 

I'd be absolutely thrilled to find he'd be in any NFL training camp in the off season, let alone the Browns (the dream).

Do any of you think he's even a shot at making an NFL squad?

 

 

Below is a video displaying his ability to run with the ball and step players with very little space.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yItnEVoD0VQ#t=92

 

Thanks for your time.

Tudeski.

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Clevfan4life Newbie

Clevfan4life

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I don't think he will pan out at all with the ball in his hands. He developed those moves specific to the game of rugby, which is a more lateral game and mostly arm tackles. NFL football is a north/south game hence the need for equipment. Obviously head on collisions do happen in rugby, but not nearly to the extent they happen in the NFL...which is literally constantly. Basically his skillset will not translate to an NFL field. These kids playing in the NFL, even those that didn't immediately start when they were little kids....still have "years" of football experience before they land in the NFL. If they put a helmet and pads on him maybe he could play a 4-3 OLB'er. Maybe if he's a really really really good tackler he could play safety. But that also comes with a high learning curve so who knows. But it's fact that some of the most athletically gifted people in the entire world would fail miserably on a football field, something Usain Bolt should be glad was explained to him as I remember people wanted to see him in an NFL uni. Somebody obviously said dude you'll be snapped, you will be most remembered for the image of you on a stretcher in a neck brace not moving.

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bringbackbrownie2 Newbie

bringbackbrownie2

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I don't think he will pan out at all with the ball in his hands. He developed those moves specific to the game of rugby, which is a more lateral game and mostly arm tackles. NFL football is a north/south game hence the need for equipment. Obviously head on collisions do happen in rugby, but not nearly to the extent they happen in the NFL...which is literally constantly.

You haven't ever watched rugby, have you? There are more head on collisions in rugby than football because the game is non-stop. Hardly just arm tackles. Both games have lateral movement and the end goal for both is to move north/south. Technique is the big difference. Route running and blocking don't exist in rugby.. I don't see why an NFL team wouldn't let him try out. I don't know anything about this guy but I would think rb would be the easiest position for a rugby player. And maybe linebacker. Assuming the athletic ability is there... IMO Every other position would require a lot more time to learn technique.

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Tudeski Newbie

Tudeski

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Clev, I have played Rugby my whole life, a coach would kill you if you did an arm tackle, and there's significantly more head on stuff in Rugby, trust me, the physicality won't be something he will need to get used to.

And with regards to north south running, Rugby is ALL north/south. I am starting to think you are thinking of Australian Rules Football, which is a completely different game to Rugby. That's where you guys pick up all your punters from.

 

Here's Aussie Rules: Which is a mix between Basketball and Rugby, and actually does have blocking schemes.

 

 

Here's Rugby League: Which is a north/south game, the code closest to NFL out of all other ball sports. This is Jarryd Hayne scoring a try. (touchdown)

 

As a fullback in Rugby League you have to be the best tackler in the team, and he was the best full-back in the league. I myself have started playing Football this year, I have been told I have the perfect tackling technique for Football because of my Rugby background. Hayne will have no issues there.

As BBB2 said, route running is the biggest thing to get used to, I have been going between centre and full-back, and the complexity of the positions are absolutely bewildering at a club level, so I dread to think how complex it is at NFL level.

 

Also, the below article was released today about the 49er's and the Seahawks showing interest.

http://www.foxsports.com.au/us-sports/jarryd-hayne-meets-with-nfl-sides-san-francisco-49ers-and-seattle-seahawks-as-speculation-over-his-future-continues/story-e6frf6ju-1227151115193

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tiamat63 Veteran

tiamat63

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At 6'2 220 you'd think OLB for certain schemes. Perhaps RB or Hback.

 

The isn't so much the physicality of the game but the intricacies that take years to learn. The mental aspect holds back even players who've devoted their entire life to football. The chances of a Rugby player coming in and making contributions on defense or offense are slim to non. However he could end up being a special teams demon.

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DieHardBrownsFan Rookie

DieHardBrownsFan

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Yep. So you'll know, if he tears it up in rugby, you'll know. Then again, american rugby is about as good as english gridiron.

Australia has good teams also. We played against an English Royal Marine Rugby team and got our asses handed to us. Had 24 stitches above my left eye. These guys had been playing since they were young, and most of us had just started or played 1 or 2 years. Afterward we had a keg party. Damn good people.

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gftChris Newbie

gftChris

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Australia has good teams also. We played against an English Royal Marine Rugby team and got our asses handed to us. Had 24 stitches above my left eye. These guys had been playing since they were young, and most of us had just started or played 1 or 2 years. Afterward we had a keg party. Damn good people.

Yep, the australians are among the best. Not so much at american football though!

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The Gipper Newbie

The Gipper

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Yep. So you'll know, if he tears it up in rugby, you'll know. Then again, american rugby is about as good as english gridiron.

What is English gridiron? Something you cook on?

 

Nevertheless......anyone is entitled to a tryout. The skillset required of a rugby player may not be the same as for a football player, but some of the instincts could translate.

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gftChris Newbie

gftChris

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What is English gridiron? Something you cook on?

 

Nevertheless......anyone is entitled to a tryout. The skillset required of a rugby player may not be the same as for a football player, but some of the instincts could translate.

The technical skills will have some crossover, but the physical skills will be pretty much the same. As mentioned before, a game of rugby is like one long broken play, so punt returns might be his best place to start, and special teams in general. In a simple scheme, running back is possible.

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tiamat63 Veteran

tiamat63

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The technical skills will have some crossover, but the physical skills will be pretty much the same. As mentioned before, a game of rugby is like one long broken play, so punt returns might be his best place to start, and special teams in general. In a simple scheme, running back is possible.

 

It would depend on how you define "simple", also when and where he would get carries. I will confess my ignorance on the game of rugby. Although I'm certain they share a common theme - ball security.

 

However reading your blockers/blocking point, setting up tacklers in the hole, keeping your pad level low might be completely new concepts. I'd say start on special teams and work there. I do wish this man the best of luck,

I just hope he realizes he'll be playing along side some of the greatest athletes in the world, regardless of size.

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Tudeski Newbie

Tudeski

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Got any good futbol players over there that can kick?

Aussie Rules players can all kick, the pressure of NFL would be the issue :)

If I were the Browns, I'd be scouting here for kicking talent.

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Clevfan4life Newbie

Clevfan4life

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and let me clarify my statements on Rugby or aussie league whatever, it all looks the same to me. In no way shape or form did I intend to come off like Rugby isn't it physical...oh hell it is. In fact Rugby players are probably in better overall shape than 60-70% of the NFL. They have to be, it's a completely different game. I still stand behind my lateral remark. In none of those video's that I looked at does rugby or aussie league look remotely as North/South as the NFL. Not even close. Only NFL WR'ers though come close to covering as much distance per time over the course of a game than Rugby players do. But because Rugby players are constantly moving they don't bring the same impact at the point of attack that players who burst for 10 seconds and rest for 45. They don't...period. If NFL players played without helmets the season wouldn't last 2 weeks....if they played like they do now. The game of football would look vastly different if it were played as upright as Rugby. It wouldn't look right at all. For those of you that watch Rugby would you like the play to be halted every 10 or so seconds for 45 seconds? No...wouldn't look right for that game.

 

Look toughness wise obviously this Hayne kid could play. Probably be durable as fuck too. That's not the issue. But there would be a learning curve as players would be coming at him differently...different angles, different speeds. They physics changes when you put pads and a helmet on. That isn't a cut on Rugby and I get really irritated when they act butthurt about this subject. I have aussie and kiwi friends who I play an online game with from time to time and we chat on coms this subject comes up probably 2-3 times a month and they always act like Americans are pussy's for wearing helmets blah blah. They don't get the difference in physics between a 300lb man crashing his nog into you vs someone in the low 200's. One of Hayne's biggest hurdles would be adjusting to the fact that while he would be able to outrun a lot of front 7 guys to the sidelines, the first time he turns upfield and a 300lb lineman hits him moving at similar speeds that he's used to guys his size coming at him....he's not gonna know where he is for a moment or two. Those same 300lb lineman wouldn't hang on a Rugby field for more than a minute before they started walking...than obviously their force is diminished. But on a football field where they've tailored their metabolic conditioning to produce tremendous amount of force for a short period of time, they would annihilate Rugby players who aren't ready for that.

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