- published: 13 Mar 2016
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Jarryd Lee Hayne (born 15 February 1988) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Parramatta Eels of the NRL. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian, Fiji international representative winger and fullback, he has played his entire NRL career to date with Parramatta, with whom he got to the 2009 Telstra Premiership Grand Final. Also in 2009 he won the Dally M Medal for the NRL's player of the year. Hayne is the son of former first grader Manoa Thompson and Jodie Hayne.
Jarryd Hayne began playing junior league for Cambelltown City, East Cambelltown and Cabramatta, at the age of six. Hayne went to school at John Warby Public School, Leumeah High and Westfields Sports High School. Hayne won the 100-metre hurdles at the schoolboy nationals without even training and he made his first grade debut with the Eels on 19 May 2006 against the Penrith Panthers at CUA Stadium. He quickly made an impression on the competition scoring 17 tries within 16 games in his debut season. This tally included a personal best of four tries against the Newcastle Knights in a 46–12 win to Parramatta. His excellent try scoring ability saw him rewarded with the 2006 Dally M 'Rookie of the Year' award and a spot on the Kangaroos Squad. Hayne continued to impress in his second season with his talent, in which he secured representative berths in City vs Country Origin, State of Origin and played a Test match for the Kangaroos. He started the season at centre but later moved to fullback due to an injury to Luke Burt and scored 12 tries, including the winning try against the New Zealand Warriors in the First Qualifying Final of the 2007 NRL Finals series.