Just days after indicating he will fight to clear his name, Jarryd Hayne made a rare public appearance alongside some of his former Parramatta teammates.
Support: Jarryd Hayne having dinner with former Parramatta teammates Corey Norman and Nathan Brown on Wednesday night.
Hayne caught up with Eels stars Corey Norman and Nathan Brown at On Sunset on Wednesday night. The trio and another dining companion spent the evening at the new Middle Eastern restaurant, one of the first times Hayne has been spotted outside of a courthouse or a police station since he was charged with aggravated sexual assault last month.
A huge media scrum greeted Hayne when he fronted Burwood Local Court on Monday, where his barrister Richard Pontello said the cross-code star "maintains his innocence and maintains he will be pleading not guilty".
However, he was able to catch up with Norman and Brown in relative anonymity until he was spotted by the Herald. Hayne appeared in good spirits while sharing a meal and hookah pipe with his companions, with diners opting not to approach them for photos or autographs.
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Parramatta opted not to pursue Haynes signatures after charges were laid, effectively ending his time at the club. St George Illawarra had also expressed interest, although their interest dropped off when the allegations became public.
Charges: Jarryd Hayne leaves Burwood Local Court on Monday.Credit:AAP
That prompted the Dragons to instead pursue the signature of Norman and on Thursday the club got their man. The Eels have granted Norman an immediate release from the final year of his contract, ending months of speculation over his future.
Parramatta was keen to offload either Norman or Mitchell Moses after the pair struggled to gel during a difficult season that finished with the wooden spoon. Normans departure will free up Moses to be the main half at the Eels and give the Dragons the added backline depth they were craving.
The addition of Norman will likely prompt the Red V to look more favourably at the prospect of an early release for Gareth Widdop. The Dragons skipper is contracted for three more seasons, but has indicated he wants to finish his career in the Super League. Coach Paul McGregor now has the option of playing Norman alongside Ben Hunt in the halves, allowing Widdop to fill the No.1 jersey. Alternatively, Norman could drop back to fullback, having spent time there during his stints with the Eels and Broncos.
While the Eels will have to pay some of Normans freight, his departure will free up salary cap space. The club had only $200,000 to spend for 2019 with Norman on the books, but that figure will now likely triple.
The Eels have several halves options as they seek a playmaking partner for Moses, including young gun Dylan Brown, Jaemon Salmon and Will Smith.
Adrian Proszenko is the Chief Rugby League Reporter for the Sydney Morning Herald.
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