Jarryd Hayne's roommate, Lance Lewis, in action for the 49ers last season. Credit:Getty Images That's what Lance Lewis asked when the club informed the wide receiver that this 'Jarryd Hayne' would be his roommate for the preseason. "I was like 'who am I rooming with'," Lewis said. "Jarryd Hayne, who that? Then I heard somebody say 'hey mate'. I didn't really hear much about him signing until I found out he was my roommate. Before that I hadn't heard of him but I've watched some of his highlights. He the man in rugby." And he was again the man on Wednesday.

But the reason he hasn't spoken for almost a month since arriving at the 49ers is the strongest indication that he is anything but, despite running the show at Parramatta. Hayne has no shortage of advice and support, but the mentality within the organisation towards Hayne is that he hasn't achieved anything yet, therefore talking is only a means of big-noting himself and giving teammates the perception that he's above the team. He's had to earn his stripes, waiting in line and making sure he doesn't tread on anyone's toes in his journey to the NFL. Inside Levi's Stadium a poster with a quote from legendary 49ers coach Bill Walsh says "champions behave like champions before they are champions". Hayne might have been a champion in Sydney, but in San Francisco he's an easily expendable work in progress.

Which is why Hayne, who was renowned for his reluctance to train during his rugby league days, is working overtime to give himself the best chance of making the 53-man roster at the end of August. "He goes out to walk-through (practice) with a cheat sheet," running back Carlos Hyde said. "That's the first time I've seen anyone go out with notes." Lewis, who has played three NFL games, joins Hayne in late-night sessions spent studying the playbook in the hotel room the pair share in Santa Clara. "Man we stay up together studying at night up until 11 or 12 going over things because he's not really familiar with stuff," Lewis said.

"We actually help each other man. It's hard but I think he's getting it done. To come from playing rugby to play NFL ball, it's a hard transition but he's getting the hang of it learning stuff. He studies a lot. A real lot. Sometimes he might play a bit of PlayStation. He loves Madden but he hate to get beat. He hate to lose, though. "I actually think when he gets the first contact and takes a hit, he'll tell himself "I can do this". That's all it is. Once you find out you can actually do it and you put your mind to it, everything else comes easy." In front of his locker, next to wide receiver Bruce Ellington and running back Kendall Gaskins, the 27-year-old, who complained about American coffee, addressed the media for the first time in an honest assessment of his development. Loading Perhaps seeing "Hayne 38" etched into the timber above a locker inside an NFL change room is success enough, but not for Hayne.

This plane hasn't even taken off. Jarryd Hayne reveals his biggest hurdle to NFL dream