Former Manly Sea Eagles hooker Manase Fainu says he helped prevent a plan to stab former NRL star Jarryd Hayne while they were incarcerated together at a Sydney prison. Fainu, released on parole Friday after serving an eight-year sentence for stabbing a Mormon youth leader, described how he and other islanders backed Hayne, who told them he had not done it; Hayne’s convictions on sexual assault charges were later quashed.
Fainu served his sentence at several facilities including the Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Berkshire Park, where he crossed paths with Hayne, the former Parramatta Eels fullback. Hayne was found guilty of two charges of sexual assault but the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal quashed his convictions in June 2024, and prosecutors decided not to pursue a fourth trial.
Fainu said there were rumblings among inmates of a plan to knife Hayne upon his arrival at the facility in 2023.
"We looked after him at Windsor," Fainu said. "We found out a day before that he was coming into the jail. There were talks already, the Aussie boys were saying, 'When he comes in, we're going to blade him 1-2-3'. So there were boys already planning it up."
He said islanders stuck together in jail. Two other inmates proposed backing Hayne, and Fainu said he and others sat Hayne down and asked if he had done it.
"So Haynesy came through and we sat him down and asked, 'Did you do it or not? Just tell us the honest truth'. And he said, 'No, I didn't do it'. So we just took his word for it. We backed him … the charges [subsequently] got dropped."
Fainu added: "The islanders looked after him. As soon as they got the word across, all the [other] boys backed off."
Hayne expressed gratitude in a statement.
"Given my profile and charges, I knew I would receive unwanted attention while I was in jail," Hayne said. "It was a blessing that me and Manase ended up at the same place. Manase and others had my back because they were convinced of my innocence and I'll always be grateful for that."
Fainu, who made 34 NRL appearances for Manly between 2018 and 2019 and played for Tonga, hopes to make an unlikely return to the NRL. He described his time inside as unsettling.
"You get scared in there," he said. "You're nervous, it's nerve-wracking in there. You see some stuff where you're like, What the 'f'? Where the hell am I?' … I saw stabbings and all that. It's normal in there … it's a crazy thing inside."
Corrective Services NSW was contacted for comment.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The revelation highlights the real threats high-profile inmates face in prison and how inmate hierarchies can determine safety
- It underscores the continued public attention on both players' legal cases and the lasting impact on their lives and careers
- Fainu's account may prompt further scrutiny of prison safety protocols for high-profile detainees
Background
Manase Fainu, 28, was jailed for stabbing a Mormon youth leader at a church dance in Sydney's south-west in 2019. He was released on parole in late October 2026. Jarryd Hayne, a former Parramatta Eels and NSW State of Origin star, was charged with sexual assault after an incident in Newcastle in 2018. After multiple trials and appeals, his convictions were quashed in June 2024, and the DPP did not proceed to a fourth trial. Both men spent time together at the Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre.
Key Perspectives
Manase Fainu: Said he and other islander inmates backed Hayne after Hayne denied the charges, and that they warned other inmates against attacking him.
Jarryd Hayne: Expressed gratitude, saying Fainu and others had his back because they were convinced of his innocence.
What to Watch
- Whether Fainu succeeds in an NRL comeback and how clubs and the league respond given his criminal record
- Any further statements from Corrective Services NSW on prison safety or the alleged plot
- Potential legal or parole developments for either player
Checked
11 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 10 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedFainu says he helped foil a plot to stab Hayne in jail.The Age - Latest News: “Former Manly hooker Manase Fainu says he helped foil a plot to have Jarryd Hayne stabbed while the former NRL stars served time in a Sydney prison.”
- SupportedInmates planned to knife Hayne on his arrival, and islanders backed him until the other boys backed off.The Age - Latest News: “Fainu said there were rumblings among the inmates of a plan to knife Hayne upon his arrival at the Geoffrey Pearce facility in 2023.”
- Partly supportedFainu was released on parole Friday after serving an eight-year sentence for stabbing a Mormon youth leader.The Age - Latest News: “Fainu was released on parole on Friday after being jailed for the stabbing of a Mormon youth leader at a church dance in Sydney’s south-west in 2019.”
- SupportedHayne’s sexual-assault convictions were quashed in June 2024, and the DPP decided not to pursue a fourth trial.The Age - Latest News: “the NSW Court of Criminal Appeal quashed Hayne’s convictions in June 2024. The DPP ultimately decided not to pursue a fourth trial .”
- SupportedFainu quoted inmates saying, “When he comes in, we’re going to blade him 1-2-3”.The Age - Latest News: “the Aussie boys were saying, ‘When he comes in, we’re going to blade him 1-2-3’.”
- SupportedFainu said he and others asked Hayne whether he had done it, and Hayne said no.The Age - Latest News: “So Haynesy came through and we sat him down and asked, ‘Did you do it or not? Just tell us the honest truth’. And he said, ‘No, I didn’t do it’.”
- SupportedHayne said he knew his profile and charges would bring unwanted attention in jail, and thanked Fainu and others for having his back.The Age - Latest News: ““Given my profile and charges, I knew I would receive unwanted attention while I was in jail,” Hayne said in a statement.”
- SupportedFainu and Hayne crossed paths at the Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Berkshire Park, where a plan to knife Hayne was reported for 2023.The Age - Latest News: “The 28-year-old served his eight-year sentence at several facilities including the Geoffrey Pearce Correctional Centre in Berkshire Park, south of Windsor. It was here that he crossed paths with Hayne”
- SupportedFainu made 34 first-grade appearances for Manly between 2018 and 2019 and was a Tongan international.The Age - Latest News: “Fainum who made 34 first-grade appearances for Manly between 2018-19”
- SupportedCorrective Services NSW was contacted for comment.The Age - Latest News: “Corrective Services NSW was contacted for comment.”
- SupportedFainu said he had seen stabbings in prison and described prison as frightening and “crazy”.The Age - Latest News: ““You get scared in there,” he said. “You’re nervous, it’s nerve-wracking in there. You see some stuff where you’re like, What the ‘f’? Where the hell am I?’ You know what I mean? ‘Where did I land?’ I saw stabbings and all that.”