Which rugby/league players could possibly excel in the NFL? Lets have the discussion

Originally posted by JoNeo:
https://youtu.be/PEyanmWO1iU
Posted elsewhere
This kid could be spectacular in a few years of growing n learning
NFL should pick him up young to groom him

Posted earlier with link only

Originally posted by 4x9er:

Originally posted by Niners99:

It was a tremendous feat for Hayne to even make an NFL roster. Id wait until hes done something before having the discussion of who else is Rugby would come over next.

Historically american football came from the parent, rugby so imao it can work both ways, albeit the adjustment, you dont seem to understand, football is football, a gymnast or a basketball player would have difficulties, but a person who has played football and goes to another football code like hayne has done has more success. Now success doesnt mean you become a instant football star, success is showing you can play the game understand it and be able to contribute to what your positional duties are required to do. Hayne has already proved he can contribute.

Also rugby players have to catch, defend, attack, pass and kick sometimes in one fluid motion all at the same time while running.

And the funny thing is hayne is playing in a 11 man team at any one time whereas hes used to playing against 13. Union has 15. Aust. Rules football has 18 players for each team on the field so thats 36 on the field alot more traffic than NFL and you get the 360 ° hits from anywhere.

Football is a totally different game. Rugby is more endurance based, like soccer. Obviously theres hard hits as well, but it flows like soccer.

The NFL is short bursts of speed followed by brutally violent collisions. Being good at Rugby doesnt mean youd be any good at football, and vice versa. Hayne showed skill in the preseason against backups and guys who didnt all make the team.

Entering the regular season, it became apparent that his technique and skills weren't up to par with NFL starters. He showed a lack of spacial awareness for the NFL game on punt returns. Ball security is priority number 1 on returns, and he fumbled several times.

Its harsh to judge him in his first ever season in a new sport, but it shows you that being a superstar in Rugby doesn't translate over to football. Its still a brand new game. I wouldn't expect any of the elite NFL players to go play Rugby over there and be a big success either. The skills you possess in one sport are only going to help you in certain aspects of the transition. Hayne is playing against guys who have taken hundreds of thousands of reps in their life in the game of football. Carlos Hyde has been practicing ball protection since he was a kid. Thousands of reps of proper technique to protect pressure points against defenders trying to strip the ball. Hayne is brand new to that. What hes doing is extremely hard. If he ends up a regular backup RB in the NFL his career will be considered a booming success.

Originally posted by Niners99:
Football is a totally different game. Rugby is more endurance based, like soccer. Obviously theres hard hits as well, but it flows like soccer.

The NFL is short bursts of speed followed by brutally violent collisions. Being good at Rugby doesnt mean youd be any good at football, and vice versa. Hayne showed skill in the preseason against backups and guys who didnt all make the team.

Entering the regular season, it became apparent that his technique and skills weren't up to par with NFL starters. He showed a lack of spacial awareness for the NFL game on punt returns. Ball security is priority number 1 on returns, and he fumbled several times.

Its harsh to judge him in his first ever season in a new sport, but it shows you that being a superstar in Rugby doesn't translate over to football. Its still a brand new game. I wouldn't expect any of the elite NFL players to go play Rugby over there and be a big success either. The skills you possess in one sport are only going to help you in certain aspects of the transition. Hayne is playing against guys who have taken hundreds of thousands of reps in their life in the game of football. Carlos Hyde has been practicing ball protection since he was a kid. Thousands of reps of proper technique to protect pressure points against defenders trying to strip the ball. Hayne is brand new to that. What hes doing is extremely hard. If he ends up a regular backup RB in the NFL his career will be considered a booming success.

Fair enough
But if he was no hope at the game that 37 yd return doesn't happen

Originally posted by JoNeo:

Originally posted by Niners99:

Football is a totally different game. Rugby is more endurance based, like soccer. Obviously theres hard hits as well, but it flows like soccer.

The NFL is short bursts of speed followed by brutally violent collisions. Being good at Rugby doesnt mean youd be any good at football, and vice versa. Hayne showed skill in the preseason against backups and guys who didnt all make the team.

Entering the regular season, it became apparent that his technique and skills weren't up to par with NFL starters. He showed a lack of spacial awareness for the NFL game on punt returns. Ball security is priority number 1 on returns, and he fumbled several times.

Its harsh to judge him in his first ever season in a new sport, but it shows you that being a superstar in Rugby doesn't translate over to football. Its still a brand new game. I wouldn't expect any of the elite NFL players to go play Rugby over there and be a big success either. The skills you possess in one sport are only going to help you in certain aspects of the transition. Hayne is playing against guys who have taken hundreds of thousands of reps in their life in the game of football. Carlos Hyde has been practicing ball protection since he was a kid. Thousands of reps of proper technique to protect pressure points against defenders trying to strip the ball. Hayne is brand new to that. What hes doing is extremely hard. If he ends up a regular backup RB in the NFL his career will be considered a booming success.

Fair enough
But if he was no hope at the game that 37 yd return doesn't happen

I never said he had no hope of making it. Hes shown flashes of ability. The challenge will be to become fundamentally rock solid, so he can build his skillset on a strong foundation. Once his technique is automatic, he can stop thinking about that part, and focus on using his athleticism to react to the game.

The biggest challenge about the NFL is that its taken the entire USA, and filtered out the best of the high school players into the college ranks, and then filtered out the college players into the pro's, and then filtered the pro's into the guys who actually make the roster, and then filters those players into the guys who see the field regularly. So every single man on the field at all times is fundamentally sound, AND an athletic freak, AND has taken thousands of mental and physical reps at playing their specific position.

To step in as a new guy to the game of football itself, and face those guys is borderline impossible. Hayne should be commended for what he's accomplished already.

He is now playing catch up with guys who have 10-20 years of a football head start on him. Plus trying to learn 2 jobs at once doesnt help. Next year will give us a much clearer idea of if hes going to get any better. His comments about how the heavy hits scared him tells me he might not be in this for the long term. Especially when the Eels are trying to lure him back with a better contract offer.

Originally posted by Niners99:
I never said he had no hope of making it. Hes shown flashes of ability. The challenge will be to become fundamentally rock solid, so he can build his skillset on a strong foundation. Once his technique is automatic, he can stop thinking about that part, and focus on using his athleticism to react to the game.

The biggest challenge about the NFL is that its taken the entire USA, and filtered out the best of the high school players into the college ranks, and then filtered out the college players into the pro's, and then filtered the pro's into the guys who actually make the roster, and then filters those players into the guys who see the field regularly. So every single man on the field at all times is fundamentally sound, AND an athletic freak, AND has taken thousands of mental and physical reps at playing their specific position.

To step in as a new guy to the game of football itself, and face those guys is borderline impossible. Hayne should be commended for what he's accomplished already.

He is now playing catch up with guys who have 10-20 years of a football head start on him. Plus trying to learn 2 jobs at once doesnt help. Next year will give us a much clearer idea of if hes going to get any better. His comments about how the heavy hits scared him tells me he might not be in this for the long term. Especially when the Eels are trying to lure him back with a better contract offer.

Mabye
I agree with most of what you have said
The screening process of this sport means the guys there aren't just making up the numbers
They are the elite players
As far as the hits are concerned I dont think he indicated he was scared may just be acknowledging that the sport is V physical
In any case he never refused to take the ball foward in heavy traffic
My understanding of Rock Solid is "confidence"
You guys havent seen a confident Hayne Plane just yet
I hope you do this season
As far as to how this will go
Anybodys guess
Cheers Mate