Raiders sign Jarryd Hayne's cousin

The Raiders have signed the first cousin of former Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne. Josh Thompson, a rampaging 114 kilo front-rower who is still growing at 18 years of age, joined the Raiders last week. He was scouted by Raiders recruitment guru Peter Mulholland, who sees the youngster as a special talent.
“He is still young and raw but the ability is there and he is a great kid,” Mulholland said. The giant prop is the nephew of Hayne’s father, former Souths centre Manoa Thompson. He was actually signed to a scholarship by the Knights at just 16 years of age two years ago, but got homesick and the deal fell through.

NRL must fine clubs dock points over players

The raft of allegations concerning sexual assault and violence by NRL players over the last month? I can't keep track. You can't keep track. But writing in Mamamia.com this week, Jessie Stephens nailed it: "If this were any other demographic in the country; 'African gangs', Muslims, refugees, our Indigenous population, then we would be in a hysterical state of moral panic. Prime Ministers would be making speeches. Policy would be reconsidered. We'd be clutching our pearls
and locking our doors. But NRL players can do what they like." The move by Todd Greenberg this week to deregister Sharks  coach Shane Flanagan and Tigers CEO Justin Pascoe for allegedly breaching NRL suspension provisions and salary cap regulations is a signal: We are serious about this. Get it right. The NRL needs to get even more serious about the appalling track record of NRL players when it comes to the treatment of women. In criminal law, a conviction requires proof "beyond reasonable doubt".

Jarryd Hayne to plead not guilty

Rugby league star Jarryd Hayne will fight allegations he raped and injured a woman in NSW’s Hunter Valley. The 30-year-old sat quietly on Monday morning with his mother and manager as he faced Burwood Local Court for the first time over the alleged incident. Hayne was charged with aggravated sexual assault and inflicting actual bodily harm after he handed himself in to Ryde police station in November.

It’s alleged the one-time NFL player had sex with a 26-year-old woman without her consent and knowing that she was not consenting in “circumstances of aggravation” in Newcastle on September 30. According to court documents, police say Hayne recklessly inflicted actual bodily harm to the woman at the time of the offence. His barrister Richard Pontello told the court on Monday Hayne intends to plead not guilty. The matter will return to Newcastle Local Court on February 13 but Hayne will be excused from appearing if he is legally represented. He emerged from court on Monday stony-faced alongside his supporters and legal team.

Police could question a third Eel over Jarryd Hayne case

Police may require a third Parramatta player to be interviewed in their case against Jarryd Hayne after it emerged former teammate Kane Evans had contact with him in the hours preceding the alleged sexual assault. The Herald can reveal Hayne spent time in the company of Evans on the Central Coast on the night of the NRL grand final. It’s understood Evans and other members of a party moved on to another establishment, but Hayne chose not to join them.

Evans is one of three Parramatta players who had contact with Hayne during the course of the evening. As revealed by Fairfax Media, police captured CCTV footage of Hayne drinking with former Eels teammates Brad Takairangi and Kaysa Pritchard at the Merrylands Bowling Club at about 3am. All of the Parramatta players were on annual leave and there is no suggestion whatsoever that the trio were involved in, or had any knowledge of, the alleged incident. A Parramatta spokesman declined to comment on the latest revelations.

Jarryd Hayne released on strict conditional bail

Hayne, 30, was charged with aggravated sexual assault and inflicting actual bodily harm after handing himself into Ryde police station on Monday afternoon. A woman claims she suffered injuries during a sexual encounter with Hayne in the NSW Hunter
Valley and that she had photographs to back up her story. Hayne has been granted strict conditional bail to appear at Burwood Local Court on December 10.  The former Parramatta and NSW origin star is currently out of contract and the allegations will severely damage his prospects of a new NRL deal.

Jarryd Hayne has handed himself into police

Jarryd Hayne has handed himself into police as detectives reportedly investigate a rape allegation made against the out-of-contract NRL star. Sex Crimes Squad detectives arrested a 30-year-old man at Ryde
Police Station about 4pm on Monday, police say. It was reported last week that a woman claimed that she suffered injuries during a sexual encounter with Hayne in the NSW Hunter Valley on September 30, and that she had photographs to back up her story.

Dragons clarify Hayne for Dufty reports

St George Illawarra have squashed suggestions they were attempting to offload fullback Matt Dufty, assuring him of his place at the club for the 2019 NRL season. Dufty was reportedly being shopped around and set to be a casualty of the club's pursuit of Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne. However, the 22-year-old Dufty has been told his spot is safe after returning to pre-season training earlier than scheduled last week.

"The speculation and misinformation surrounding Matt's future has been disappointing," Dragons recruitment manager Ian Millward said. "Matt is contracted for 2019 and will definitely be a part of our squad next year, there has never been any internal discussion that suggested otherwise." It was believed that Dufty was poised to be offloaded to make salary cap room for Hayne, who is still searching for a contract.

Dragons players unsure on Hayne landing

If Jarryd Hayne is headed to St George Illawarra, winger Jordan Pereira just hopes the NRL superstar has forgotten the boot to the face he copped from the young flyer late last season. Hayne's destination for 2019 still remains one of the biggest pieces of the off-season puzzle, as he enters his third week of free agency after being unsigned by Parramatta. The Eels still remain hopeful they can retain their marquee player, however they will have to offload talent to do so to stay under next year's salary cap.

The chances of that happening have taken a hit with Newcastle's decision to purchase centre Hymel Hunt and not Michael Jennings, while winger Josh Hoffman also looks like staying put. The Dragons have emerged as the other contender to sign Hayne if the 30-year-old stays in the NRL, as they weigh up whether to pursue him as a winger or fullback. Dragons players remain in the dark over the situation, but Pereira could at least see the lighter side of the situation - with his only meeting with Hayne resulting in the Eels winger needing stitches after his stray boot left him bandaged up mid-match in round 22. "If he did come down here I just hope he's not angry that I kicked him in the face, Pereira said.

Dragons look at Hayne for 2019 NRL

St George Illawarra have reportedly expressed an interest in Jarryd Hayne joining the NRL club next season as the two-time Dally M Medal winner remains without a contract. Hayne will meet the Dragons to discuss his future, according to a NRL.com report, which says the club have been in discussion for a number of days with the star back. It comes after veteran Dragons winger Jason Nightingale's retirement at the end of last season and fellow flyer Nene Macdonald's move to North Queensland.

The Dragons' younger brigade returned to training on Monday along with coach Paul McGregor and recruitment manager Ian Millward, with senior players expected back in coming weeks. Hayne last week admitted he was resigned to not being able to stay at Parramatta in 2019, as the Eels juggled their salary cap for next year. However, Parramatta management at the time were hopeful he could stay and that a deal would be signed in coming weeks depending on their ability to offload players.

Eels confirm 'a few issues' holding up contract talks with Jarryd Hayne

Parramatta could start their NRL pre-season without star Jarryd Hayne as contract negotiations look set to continue into the summer. Barely a month has passed since the grand final, but the Eels will be one of the first clubs to begin preparations for the 2019 campaign next Thursday. Whether Hayne will join them is under a cloud, with Parramatta CEO Bernie Gurr suggesting the parties are unlikely to strike a deal by next week.

"I don't think it's imminent in the next few days. It wouldn't be in the next few days," Burr said on Thursday. "We're still talking to Jarryd. We've obviously expressed our desire, and let that be known publicly that we'd like Jarryd to stay at our club. "But there's a few issues to work through before we cross that bridge." Gurr's comments come just days after the former NFL convert was linked with a possible move to St George Illawarra. Pressed on whether the club would like Hayne's future to be sorted out before day one of pre-season, Gurr said: "Obviously we would.

New legal stoush in Jarryd Hayne's rape case

A legal stoush is brewing between Jarryd Hayne and his US rape accuser over whether the NRL star should be forced to fly to California for a potential grilling by her lawyers. Hayne wants to be deposed in Australia ahead of their civil trial in San Jose, California, but the alleged victim, known in court filings by the initials JV, argues Hayne should be in California for the high-stakes questioning. Lawyers for both sides have indicated a judge may have to decide the matter. “Defendant contends that the appropriate forum for defendant’s deposition is in Australia,” lawyers for both sides, in a joint US District Court filing to update the case, wrote.

“If the parties cannot agree on a location for this deposition, the parties will submit this discovery dispute to the Magistrate Judge.” JV claims she was a virgin and heavily intoxicated when she met Hayne at a San Jose bar with friends in 2015 while he was playing in the NFL with the San Francisco 49ers. She alleges having “minimal interaction” with Hayne at the bar and taking an Uber with him to his apartment where he sexually assaulted her. Hayne has strongly rejected her rape claim and said they “willingly engaged in sexual interaction that did not include sexual intercourse”. Police investigated and decided not to charge Hayne, but JV pushed ahead by filing a civil lawsuit in California seeking monetary damages. The matter is still more than a year from being decided, with a jury trial scheduled to take place on January 27, 2020. Depositions with San Jose Police Department Officers Brandon Scholton and Steven Biebel are scheduled to take place next week.

Eels respond to Hayne saga after series of bizarre Tweets from star

The Parramatta Eels have responded to speculation around the future of Jarryd Hayne in the wake of a series of bizarre Tweets from the NRL star. Parramatta have have told Hayne they still want him to be at the Eels next year despite the NRL star turning up the heat on the club for a new contract. Off-contract Hayne took to social media over the weekend to claim he was still waiting on an offer from Parramatta, before the club returns to pre-season training at the start of next month. Responding to fans questions on Twitter, Hayne reiterated his desire to bring a premiership to the Eels but insisted he was being honest in his claims he was yet to receive an offer to stay.

“5 weeks still waiting for a contract??” Hayne tweeted in reply to a plea from a fan for the club to re-sign him on Friday night. Eels chief executive Bernie Gurr confirmed to AAP on Monday they were still talking to the 31-year-old about a new deal, and they had told him they wanted him at Parramatta. The two-time Dally M medallist’s tweets come after he claimed earlier this year he did not want to make a decision on his future until the end of the season. At the time Hayne also avoided questions over a potential move to the 15-man game with Fiji, before the Rugby World Cup at the end of next year. But it now appears clearer that both Hayne and the Eels want to stick together in 2019.

Girdler backs Eels to sign Hayne

EELS star Jarryd Hayne did enough in the back half of the 2018 season to warrant a new deal with the club. That is the opinion of league legend Ryan Girdler who doesn’t see the off contract dual Dally M Medal winner as the problem at the Eels. After securing the wooden spoon three times in the last eight years, Parramatta released an in-depth, end-of-season review which put everyone from players to coaches to management under the microscope.

The findings were released on Wednesday, with the club aiming to return to top four contention in the coming years. One of the major decisions the club has to make is whether to offer Hayne a new deal, but Girdler is adamant he has earned it. “The hard thing is he played really well in the back end of the season,” Girdler told Triple M. “He made it really hard for the officials and administrators at the Eels to not resign him. “The facts are they finished last and they need all the help they can get.” While few can doubt Hayne’s talent when he is at the top of his game, his inability to take the Eels to the finals on a consistent basis is a cause for concern.

Eels won't put deadline on Hayne signing

Parramatta are refusing to put a deadline on Jarryd Hayne's contract negotiations despite having just over two weeks before they begin NRL pre-season training. The Eels are expected to resume talks with the cross-code star in the coming days after he returned from his post-season holidays. Hayne's next move remains a mystery with the former NSW and Australian star still unsigned for 2019 and weighing up his future. Having finished last this year, the Eels will waste no time and return to pre-season training on November 1.

Hayne was reported to be on a cut-price $500,000 deal this year after his tumultuous exit from the Gold Coast. When asked if the blue and golds wanted clarity around their salary cap and Hayne's future just 23 days out from the club's return, CEO Bernie Gurr said: "We're patient. "Certain dominoes need to fall where they need to fall. We're patient." Gurr reiterated the club's desire to retain Hayne however said they had yet to speak to him after giving him time away to decide on his next step. Gurr denied that the length of contract being offered was a sticking point. It had been rumoured that Hayne was asking for a one-year deal while the club wanted him to sign for longer.