Not content with the head of Neil Henry on a silver platter in his rec room, Jarryd Hayne engaged in an attack on Henry that could be viewed as nothing other than stunning.
Hayne says that Henry was leading stories to the media rather than dealing with Hayne mano a mano.
The bitter public feud between the two necessitated the club holding an emergency meeting in an attempt to salvage the situation as the club virtually imploded, exploded, and every other manner of ploded, with the ultimate outcome being the Gold Coast Titans to take the more economical route of disposing of Henry’s $400,000 salary for next year, rather than deal with owing Hayne $1.2 million.
Hayne went in front of the media to level accusations that Henry was the architect of his own downfall through Henry’s “relationship” with senior New Corp journo Paul Kent. Hayne said that Henry, and Henry alone, was responsible for his own sacking.
Hayne apparently learned well from his short stint in the NFL, where he was in constant contact with player egos that make even the most diva-like of the NRL seem tame by comparison. He may have learned a thing or two from MLB players along the way, where sticking points in contract negotiations often include disputes as to what song will be played when a big hitter walks up to the plate for an at-bat.
As for Paul Kent’s role in the sordid affair, Hayne could have been basing his finger pointing on a comment Kent made of the Fox League show earlier in August, when he said, “It was the board that wanted to sign Jarryd Hayne, not the coach.”
There are some rugby purists who hold the view that Hayne’s LeBron James of Australia act is growing sour. There have even been some suggestions that Hayne should consider another code hop, this one to the UFC, where he could engage in regular debates with the Irish Mohammad Ali.
