Nobody's saying publicity is bad as such. What I and others are saying - consistently - is show me the money. Vague notions of "capitalizing" on Hayne are just that.

The fact is that if and when Hayne becomes a big star bin the NFL, it will be as an NFL player. His RL background will quickly become a footnote. Just as Sam Burgess in the RU WC will be seen as an RU player if he does well, as it was previously for Jason Robinson.

A some others have said, I'm not sure why this is great for Rugby League(?).

It's great for Hayne himself & it's great for the NFL. His story of rugby player and rookie to making the roster is a great one. But doesn't do anything for our sport.

The game in the US is doing fairly well and has got it's act together the past couple of years.

Hayne is not the first player to make the NFL from a completely different sport. I expect he'll generate about as much interest in his former game as they did.

Terry Price from Welsh RU and then Bradford Northern played grid iron.
So what's new?

He was a kicker - huge difference, surely even you can see that?

Didn't Ellery Hanley want to give it a go? I've got a feeling he may have tried after he finished his RL career in Oz

People are forgetting these are Americsn sports fans. They won't give a damn about what sport he use to play and want to watch it if he's a success at the 49ers. They don't really see past their own big sports.

Probably over in LA now they're talking about how Steven Gerrard use to play for LiverChester Rovers in the QuarterBack position and scored some great home runs in his time especially late on in the 4th quarter of games.

His background will become a footnote but it will also open doors.

It will do nothing on its own. But as part of a larger longer term plan. Why not use every tool in the box?

Russel Crowe got 15k to watch leeds v south's in florida for a friendly. Names open doors.

Most of those other players were from the AFL and their position was simply as kickers. That is why they were quickly forgotten. Hayne is the only one to have grabbed attention as a kick/punt returner, and as a running back, which is far more significant and eye catching in the NFL. The NFL has produced a slick little video introduction to Jarryd Hayne, interweaving his NRL highlights with hisa preseason NFL highlights. It is a great promotion for rugby league and if the NRL were to try to use it to promote rugby league then they may have some success. But what is also needed is a few USARL teams on the west coast (viz San Francisco, Oakland, Seattle and Los Angeles/San Diego).

I knew I'd seen your posts before.......

I often wonder if holding some kind of trial for American Footballers in the weeks after their draft would throw up any possible players. Add in the opportunity to visit Wigan and how could we fail?

If Dwain Chambers had been successful with his attempts at Castleford and turned out to be a really good player would it have made you watch the 100m more than you might do or do much for athletics?

Therer is a huge difference between athletics and team games. Athletics is a sport with no points of commonality except running skills. Team games are rule based and utilise different skills. Apples and oranges.

Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "What makes you so certain that Hayne's fame will only last 5 minutes? I expect him to shine on Special Teams this season, and get heaps more publicity in the NFL. If he carries on like this he will be lucky to last 1 minute. 5 seconds into his debut and he messes up. He will be given about two more catches before he is shown the door if he does this again. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/34256053

Quote: JEAN CAPDOUZE "What makes you so certain that Hayne's fame will only last 5 minutes? I expect him to shine on Special Teams this season, and get heaps more publicity in the NFL. If he carries on like this he will be lucky to last 1 minute. 5 seconds into his debut and he messes up. He will be given about two more catches before he is shown the door if he does this again. www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/american-football/34256053