Jarryd Hayne

[jeza]

We'll have to agree to disagree a bit on that Lods.

FYI, the 'depth chart' for the first game has been released/announced.

From the 53 man roster, 46 guys actually 'dress' on game day...which means they can actually play.

Hayne made the 46.

In terms of Running Back (RB) - he is 3rd (out of 4). Usually, you only see 2 actually get game time unless there is an injury.
In terms of Punt/kick returner - he is =2nd out of 3.

That pretty much confirms what i've expected. He makes the team, but you might not see him actually out on the ground.

As is often the case with players in his position, if/when he gets the chance, he better make the most of it, as he may not get another one.

Possibly one of the most negative things I've ever read.

[flyboy77]

And clearly wide of the mark to boot!

[DJC]

We'll have to agree to disagree a bit on that Lods.

FYI, the 'depth chart' for the first game has been released/announced.

From the 53 man roster, 46 guys actually 'dress' on game day...which means they can actually play.

Hayne made the 46.

In terms of Running Back (RB) - he is 3rd (out of 4). Usually, you only see 2 actually get game time unless there is an injury.
In terms of Punt/kick returner - he is =2nd out of 3.

That pretty much confirms what i've expected. He makes the team, but you might not see him actually out on the ground.

As is often the case with players in his position, if/when he gets the chance, he better make the most of it, as he may not get another one.

I defer to your superior knowledge of the game, but you were clearly wrong.

OK, so first game for Hayne has been run and won. 49ers beat my vikings 20-3.

Yes, Hayne did make the 46 who dressed.
Yes, Hayne did make it out on the field......although that was helped by an injury to the 2nd running back Reggie Bush who did his calf in the 1st quarter not to return.

So Hayne first made it out on the field on special teams to return a punt. After talking him up the Awe-see rugby star misjudged the ball in the air, dove forward for the ball and.....FUMBLE. Ball recovered by the vikings.

THE worst start possible for him.

He subbed in at RB.
1st down - He got a handoff. First 'real' touch for the game. Run right. 1 yard gain. Meh.
2nd down - pass, he was a blocker, but had nobody to block.
3rd & 19 - Dump pass to Hayne in the backfield. Sidestepped the first guy who overcommitted got 7 yards in a play where the defense were just protecting the first down line. Nothing play.

Next time he came out was as a punt returner again. Got kicked the ball. Caught it, returned in an easy 10 yards. Meh.
Flag on the play, meant the ball had to be rekicked.
Interestingly, 49ers subbed him out for the rekick. Ellington (Haynes biggest rival for punt returner). Long punt. Caught and returned....for a TD! Another flag on the play. Called back.

Head to head battle, Ellington got the better of Hayne.

Hayne back on as running back. 2 yard gain on a run right. Meh.

Another punt return opportunity, 49ers go with Ellington again.

Hayne back on as running back. 9 yard gain up the middle. Good solid run. Decent gap. Nothing spectacular.
Another run up the middle. No gain.
Passing attempt, Hayne required to block, makes block allows time for Kap to make a completed pass. Good block.

That is all.

End result...
Hayne
4 carries for 13 yards.
1 catch for 7 yards.
1 return, fumble lost.

Got more gametime courtesy of an injury than expected. Didn't disgrace himself, but nothing to get excited about.

As a comparison, their #1 running back (2nd season) had a blinder and picked apart the vikings defense.
Hyde.
26 carries for 168 yards for 2 TDs.
2 catches for 12 yards

Where to now?
Haynes first up fumble will hurt his career. It already showed with Ellington taking over returns in game 1. That could potentially be in order to keep Hayne fresh to sub in as backup running back, but given he was rarely used in that role, i suspect it's more about his fumble.

He might get more gametime as a backup running back while bush recovers from his calf, but then again, Bush might be back next week.

Overall grade: D+

Once again, I admit that I know next to nothing about the game but the professional commentators seem to have a different view of Hayne's performance.

As I said previously, making the roster was a fantastic achievement but actually getting game time and performing adequately is unbelievable.  Don't forget that it is Hayne's first NFL game and his opponents will have been playing the game all of their lives.  They are unlikely to improve but Hayne can only get better.  On today's performance, I reckon that he is going to make a success of his NFL career.

Of course, that raises the question of how his success will attract the attention of NFL talent scouts to likely NRL and AFL players.  Nat Fyfe would seem to have the required attributes.

[kruddler]

I defer to your superior knowledge of the game, but you were clearly wrong.

CLEARLY wrong?

I said you might not see him out there?

If there wasn't an injury in the first quarter you only would've seen him out there for 2 plays. 1 his fumble. 2 a play that had to be replayed due to a flag.

That injury was huge for him. The only injury for the game, happened to be the one that could actually help him get out there.

In AFL terms, it's like have a bench of 20 players. 3 ruckman in total. 3rd is there as backup only. 2nd ruckman gets injured. 3rd gets on the ground for 3 minutes in the whole game.

[kruddler]

Possibly one of the most negative things I've ever read.

What exactly was so negative about it?

In terms of Running Back (RB) - he is 3rd (out of 4). Usually, you only see 2 actually get game time unless there is an injury.
In terms of Punt/kick returner - he is =2nd out of 3.

That comes directly from the club. See for yourself...
http://www.49ers.com/team/depth-chart.html

[kruddler]

Take away the nervous first-up drop seems like he had a good game in his first real hitout. Will just get better from here. For someone with no background in the game he's doing pretty well.

No, he's doing exceptionally well.

This is what people need to understand from my critique of him.

I am an doing it from an unbiased position, as in, if i was coach and he was on my team.
What can he give me in terms of output. At this stage, very little.

From an Aussie point of view, he's doing something nobody else has done. He is to be commended and applauded for it. Great story. He will get better every week.

BUT, fact is, compared to his competition, he is below average. That is not a slight on him, thats just the reality. There are 350million americans. College football coaches are the highest paid profession in something like 20% of states in america. It is HUGE business that a lot of people take very seriously. This is what he is competing with. Don't lose site of that. He is so far behind the 8-ball that he may never catch up. Doesn't mean what he has done hasn't been amazing.

Perspective people.

[DJC]

Take away the nervous first-up drop seems like he had a good game in his first real hitout. Will just get better from here. For someone with no background in the game he's doing pretty well.

That's the way I see it too - admittedly from an uninformed perspective.

[Lods]

@Kruddler

I think we all appreciate the fact that he still has a lot to learn.
It's just a bit of a kick to see him doing as well as he has.
There was always going to be a "fumble" moment somewhere along the way.

This is not like a very good college basketballer coming from the USA to try his hand at Australian Football.... as sometimes happens.
This is akin to LeBron James coming out to play.
Imagine if it was an Ablett or Fyfe who made the move
That's why the hype.

I'm not sure about the coverage it's getting in Melbourne but it's a bit of a  "kick along" for the sport of NFL up here.

[mateinone]

I have read a articles from the US and we also have to be careful of tall poppy syndrome in talking down his efforts as well. Some pretty well respected commentators on the game and former players have really talked up his capabilities. Jerry Rice said he reminded him of himself, that is incredible praise, another commentator said if 49ers had not have taken him, 20 other clubs would have, he had displayed enough to that stage.

He could fail, but most are putting their money on him making it from what I can see and these are people who really do know the game as well, not Aussie jounos

[Thryleon]

I reckon he will make it.

why?

Well, he is good enough to be a depth player, and it suits an agenda for them to have an Australian "be succesful" in converting to the game.

It opens up another market for them, its a feel good story, and from a marketing perspective might give the game more spotlight in another country which all adds up to $$$ for TV rights.

He will be given every opportunity, and only if he is rubbish will they cast him off.