NFL News: Jarryd Hayne confident to make 53-man roster, says Blues coach Laurie Daley

Australian rugby league star Jarryd Hayne has been turning heads in his attempt of an NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers. Hayne continues to earn praises from team coaches and teammates after an impressive debut against Houston Texans at the weekend, which no doubt made the Aussies proud, including NSW Blues coach Laurie Daley.

Daley has joined the “Hayne Train” express and like everyone else in Australia, got excited about the former rugby star’s first actual American football game in the club’s preseason opener. The 45-year-old coach, who is currently in charge of NSW’s State of Origin team, revealed that Hayne could see himself make the 49ers list.

“I spoke to Jarryd at Origin, he was very comfortable with where he was at and very confident that he would be able to make the list,” Daley said, reports Fox Sports. Hayne returned to Australia last month to undergo minor foot surgery during the 49ers’ break. While back in Sydney, Hayne spent time with Daley and the NSW Blues in the build up to their State of Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium.

Daley has been in constant contact with Hayne since declaring his intention to play for NFL, and the Blues coach has nothing but praises to the 49ers hopeful, describing his NFL venture as one of the greatest sporting stories for Australia. Daley also added that Hayne needs to make his mark in the sporting landscape of the 49ers.

Despite the noise around the Aussie’s attempt for a spot in San Francisco’s roster, not everyone is aboard the “Hayne Plane.” Jay Mariotti, a columnist for The San Francisco Examiner, suggested Hayne’s sudden rise in the world of American football was not surprising given the way the 49ers was spiralling down, reports News.

“What else would anyone expect from the 49ers in their post-Harbaugh, turf-challenged, mass-exodus, first-to-worst mode than a raw project from Down Under as they plunge under .500?” Mariotti wrote. However, Mariotti still expressed optimism that Hayne could be the 49ers’ “spark.” He added that the Australian sensation could be “the real thing” who can prompt NFL teams to scout rugby league players in Oz.

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