As Jarryd Hayne learned from a judge that he was headed back to jail for at least two more years, an anonymous close mate sent a signal of support via the court’s video streaming link – changing his username to ‘love you brovy’.
In the courtroom itself, just a handful of family and friends stood by the former footy superstar in person last Friday as a NSW District Court judge sentenced him to a maximum of four years and nine months in prison. His wife Amellia was watching online.
Hayne has now been found guilty of rape twice across three trials, with an older verdict overturned after he spent nine months behind bars. The 35-year-old’s band of supporters had a muted reaction last week when Hayne was locked up for rape yet again.
Judge Graham Turnbull SC handed Hayne a minimum non-parole period of three years, with his sentence backdated to July 2, 2022, to account for his previous time spent in custody.
When Hayne was first jailed in May 2021, there was an uproar in his inner circle, including from within the NRL. At the time, many mates posted photos with Hayne.
They shared messages of support and outrage, and one supporter was even forced to deny allegations he spat in the direction of Hayne’s victim after a court appearance.
But in the wake of Hayne’s most recent sentencing, there has been a notable silence from many of his supporters who were once so quick to defend the footballer who now in the words of Judge Turnbull ‘won’t be remembered for sport’.
Instead it was left to Hayne himself, and his legal team to argue he was innocent.
On Friday the former NRL superstar was sentenced to four years and nine months in jail, with a minimum non-parole period of three years (pictured is Hayne and his wife Amellia Bonnici)
One of Hayne’s long-time friends Daniel Son was seen at Hayne’s sentencing on Friday – one of just a handful of supporters in the courtroom itself
Among of the handful of Hayne’s supporters sitting in the courtroom for his sentencing on Friday was Mr Son, a close mate, who was clad in a long-sleeve black shirt and blue jeans.
Both Hayne and Mr Son’s Instagram accounts are filled with pictures of the pair partying together. Just days ahead of Hayne’s first jail stint two years ago, Mr Son shared a snap of himself smiling beside Hayne and former St George-Ilawarra and Parramatta star Corey Norman.
‘People will always have their own opinion, but nothing will ever break the BROTHERHOOD❤️. Always a giggle with these two,’ Mr Son controversially captioned the post.
Norman had shared the same photo as Mr Son at the time Hayne was going to jail in 2021.
‘Catch ups,’ he captioned his post, drawing criticism from ex-Wallaby and media commentator Peter FitzSimons.
FitzSimons at the time wrote an opinion piece for the Sydney Morning Herald where he labelled Norman’s post ‘troubling’.
Both Norman and Mr Son haven’t said a word publicly about Hayne’s fate since the sentencing was handed down last week.
Just days ahead of Hayne’s first jail stint, Mr Son shared a snap of he, Hayne and former St George-Ilawarra and Parramatta star Corey Norman.
Mr Son (far right) is seen celebrating Hayne and Ms Bonnici’s (centre) wedding
Indeed, Norman has not shared a post with Hayne since the photo two years ago.
As FitzSimons said at the time: ‘Those who still support Hayne, I suspect, will say that by posting the photo with that caption, Corey Norman is showing true friendship. I say bull***t,’ he said.
‘But the real friend, the true friend that Hayne most needed was the one who would have gripped him by the shoulders a few years ago, looked him in the eye and said, ”STOP treating women like this! You stupid, arrogant, dangerous b*****d! Take a look at yourself, what you are doing to women, and if you can’t stop yourself, then get help”.’
On the day Hayne was jailed for the first time there was a frenzy outside the court with claims flying that one man appeared to spit towards Hayne’s victim. The Hayne supporter furiously denied the allegations and even sued Channel Seven for defamation over them, in a case that is ongoing in the Federal Court.
Following his sentencing in 2021, two more of Hayne’s former teammates were also called out for posting shocking messages of support for the one-time footy star.
Former NRL player Tony Williams took to Instagram (pictured) to showcase his support for Jarryd Hayne, when he was first jailed in 2021
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Fellow ex-teammate Krisnan Inu also weighed into the discussion, encouraging the victim to ‘actually get the help you need’ – after Hayne’s guilty verdict in the Newcastle District Court in May, 2021
Ex-Parramatta Eels teammates Tony Williams and Krisnan Inu both posted lengthy messages to their Instagram stories.
‘To all Haynsy’s family and friends stay strong for him and let God do his thing I love you all…God always prevails,’ Williams wrote.
‘Before I let this be just want to congratulate the victim and the so called justice system…you’ve sent an innocent brotherly to jail away from his kids you bunch of flops…that’s all respectively.’
Inu started off his post with: ‘Not enough words can express how I’m feeling for my lil bro.
‘Don’t think justice was served to its proper intent. To the so called victim. Hope you actually get the help you need, because the things that was said about my boy, wasn’t what he’s about. Never has, never will be.
‘I’m praying for you my Uso. Keep your faith strong like it has been, and let your loved ones come together to help look after your family. Love you Bula.
‘And to his loving family, if there’s anything youse need, I got youse.’
There has been an absence of Instagram posts defending Hayne this time around.
His wife, however, has been a constant by his side.
When he was found guilty of rape for the second time in April this year, Ms Bonnici hugged her husband for several minutes and repeatedly told him she loved him in between tears.
Jarryd Hayne (above with his wife Amellia Bonnici) is seen at an earlier court appearance before he was jailed for the second time
Several NRL fans had turned up to court to throw their support behind Haynes and shared words of encouragement as he was led away in handcuffs.
‘You’re innocent,’ one yelled. Another said: ‘Stay strong, big fella.’
NRL great Laurie Daley addressed Hayne’s guilty verdict on breakfast radio and was blasted by footy fans on his reaction to the news.
‘The Jarryd Hayne that I know, I couldn’t imagine him being part of that,’ Daley said on Sky Sports Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast.
‘But the jury have found him guilty, he has indicated he plans to appeal.
‘I’ve always found Jarryd to be a guy that I had plenty of time for.
‘Obviously I haven’t stayed in touch with him since his footy career finished … but I always found him to be a very good person, someone that was an outstanding footballer.
‘But it’s terrible, all parties involved. I feel for everyone. I feel for the families, I feel for the victim.
‘But you feel for everyone associated, the victim and Jarryd’s family as well.
‘You never like to see this happen to anyone, particularly a high-profile player.’
Australian cricket legend Michael Clarke, who is a co-host on the radio show, said he believed that Hayne will now be stripped of his Dally M medals.
Clarke then added his own eyebrow-raising take on the verdict: ‘It’s always sad when you see someone like Jarryd, who’s had so much success, who’s inspired so many young boys and girls, what he’s been through.’
The remarks made on the show, particularly Daley’s, were heavily criticised on social media, with listeners outraged at the hosts for showing sympathy for the convicted rapist.
‘Imagine expressing any sympathies (for Hayne) because ”I know him and he’s a good bloke”,’ one Twitter user wrote.
‘@bigsportsbrekky really poor form Laurie Daley. Jarryd Hayne has been found guilty of rape twice and settled a civil suit against him in the US for sexual assault. He’s a stand up guy,’ said another.
For once, at court on Friday, there was none of the drama. Hayne will be eligible for parole on May 6, 2025.
