Hayne makes NRL money plea

Correspondent

Parramatta superstar Jarryd Hayne has used his gigantic grand final week profile to call for a better deal for the game’s elite players from NRL chief executive David Gallop.

During an exclusive interview in Australian magazine Rugby League Week, the sport’s number one exponent says the departure of rival fullback Karmichael Hunt to AFL means the League should take no solace in his own decision to stay.

“It’s disappointing,” Hayne, who is yet to rubber stamp his new four year, $2 million Eels deal, tells RLW.

“There’s obviously a financial issue there and it’s something the game needs to look at.

“Hopefully David Gallop’s looking at it and trying to find a way to keep the stars in the game and not letting them go to other codes.’’

There were reports on Monday that the AFL was targeting an un-named Sydney-based NRL star with an aussie rules background as its next recruit. Australia captain Darren Lockyer earlier called on the game’s proposed new commission to centrally contract key players.