OPINION: As sprinter Usain Bolt begins his football adventure in Australia this week, it’s timely to reflect on the risks of switching sporting codes.
Sometimes it works, sometimes it’s a flop.
Maybe Bolt will be different to the following five supreme athletes - maybe not.
Benji Marshall
Marshall's switch to the Blues was poorly timed, ill-conceived and ultimately a complete failure. The 2005 NRL-winning standoff made the move to the 15-man code in 2014, after a spiteful contract dispute at the Wests Tigers.
The former Kiwis captain nobly refused to play against the club he had played for since a teenager, so decided a switch to the Blues would cure his predicament. Maybe the Crusaders or Chiefs, but why the Blues, Benji, why why why?
Coach Sir John Kirwan was never able to figure out where Marshall should play and the experiment ended as soon as it began, with Marshall signing a two-year-deal with the St George Dragons after six Super Rugby appearances.
Michael Jordan
Without wanting to start the LeBron v MJ GOAT debate on this forum, Jordan was the greatest basketballer of all time when he ‘retired’ from the sport at the end of the 1993 season.
He had just completed a seven-year stretch where he won seven scoring titles and three championships, but was tired of his celebrity status and the attention that came with his fame.
In February 1994, Jordan announced he had signed a minor league baseball contract with the Chicago White Sox – he loved baseball as a kid, often attending games with his baseball-mad father.
Despite his best efforts and some reasonable success, MJ was never able to break out of the minor leagues and returned to basketball in 1995, where he went on to win another three NBA titles with the Chicago Bulls.
Sam Burgess
Fresh off winning the 2014 NRL title with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Burgess jumped to rugby union to have a crack at England's 2015 Rugby World Cup squad. Initially, Burgess played as a number eight, but on the request of England coach Stuart Lancaster, his Bath club switched him into the midfield, hoping he could emulate the playmaking skills of Sonny Bill Williams.
Despite struggling to transition into the 15-man code, Burges was somewhat controversially selected in Lancaster's squad, after only one international for his country against France, in which he spent 10 minutes in the sin bin.
Burgess and England flopped dramatically at their home tournament, with some critics probably unfairly blaming the league convert for their pool-stage exit.
Burgess re-signed with the Bunnies less than a month later.
Jarryd Hayne
The 'Hayne Train' was the best thing going in the 2014 NRL, jointly winning the Dally M Player of the Year award, alongside Johnathan Thurston.
Hayne, a lifelong NFL fan, had often expressed a desire to give the code a crack and went all-in less than a month after Parramatta's exit from the 2014 premiership.
Turning down what would have been the largest NRL playing contract ever offered, Hayne headed to the US to try out for several NFL sides.
In March 2015, he signed with the San Francisco 49ers, eventually making their 53-man regular season roster as a running back - no mean feat.
Hayne started the first game of the season as the side’s punt returner, but a few errors on national television exposed his shortcomings.
Despite a few shining moments, Hayne was never able to replicate his NRL talents and ultimately left the sport just over a year later.
Hayne returned to the NRL, signing a two-year deal with the Gold Coast Titans. He has since returned to the Eels, where he is expected to sign another one-year deal at the end of the season.
James Toney
'Lights out' is one of the best heavyweight boxers to never win an established title. His 19-year career included fights at several weight classes against the likes of Hasim Rahman, Evander Holyfield, John Ruiz, Lucas Browne and Roy Jones Jr.
Toney was never knocked out in 90 fights, losing 10 times via decision.
In 2010, Toney decided to turn his attention to mixed martial arts, begging UFC promoter Dana White for a high profile fight. White eventually agreed and in August, Toney entered the Octagon against UFC legend Randy "The Natural' Couture.
Three minutes and 19 seconds later, Toney was tapping out, as Couture locked in an arm-triangle choke and his brief UFC adventure was over.
Toney didn't land a single strike, quickly realising that in a 'real fight', all the boxing skill in the world can't help you when a world-class grappler takes you to the ground.
Brad Lewis is a Newshub online sports producer.
