THREE hours after Jarryd Hayne announced he wanted to take on the NFL, Digby Ioane asked his manager to ­investigate if he too could make the switch to gridiron.

If Hayne is successful in his bold and commendable attempt to make the grade in the richest football competition in the world, he will soon be joined by several Australian league and union players.

Wallabies winger Joe Tomane played against the All Blacks on Saturday night but he is also curious about a gridiron switch.

He loves NFL and is one of few athletes who have offered in-depth analysis of Hayne’s chances of succeeding.

Asked if he would follow Hayne, Tomane was deliberately vague.

“Ummmm … I’m just looking forward to playing the All Blacks,” he said with a grin.

Ioane is more serious. The former Queensland Reds and Wallabies star is playing rugby in France but he is a man who, like Hayne, needs challenges to thrive.

media_camera Digby Ioane is serious about a shot at the NFL.

Player managers have been swamped with questions about the NFL this week, as Australian athletes wonder if they could make a successful switch.

Gold Coast Titans behemoth Dave Taylor was invited to trial for NFL teams three years ago.

Taylor, weighing 123kg, seriously considered attempting an NFL career while at South Sydney but a shoulder injury curtailed a planned American sojourn to showcase his skills to NFL scouts.

“I had a couple of clubs over there who noticed me. I had an opportunity to go to a sports facility in the States where NFL clubs come to watch you,” Taylor said.

“I was going to go after the Four Nations but I had a shoulder injury so I missed Aussie selection and I also wasn’t able to go over to that.

“I said I would go the year after but it never happened.

“If I didn’t bust that shoulder, who knows what could have happened?

“I’m getting a bit too old now. I would have needed two years over there just to understand the game.”

Kangaroos halfback Cooper Cronk revealed he was jealous of Hayne and wished he could embark on a similar opportunity.

Cronk has spent extensive time training with AFL teams, including the Brisbane Lions, but said switching to running with a Sherrin instead of a Steeden was not an option.

Cronk is in Brisbane preparing for the Kangaroos’ Four Nations tilt. Hayne’s defection has been hotly debated among the group.

“First and foremost, I adore Jarryd’s decision. I am in awe of it,” Cronk said.

“I wish I had the chance to do something like that.

“He will have to learn a lot about himself.

“He will go from the elite position of winning the Dally M to re-learn what workrate it takes to master a different skill.

“He is going to be asked a lot of questions and I wish him all the best.”

Outside of Hayne, Greg Inglis would be the most capable NRL player of switching to NFL.

He too admitted he wanted to challenge himself like Hayne has, but suggested French rugby union was a more likely option once his Rabbitohs contract ends.