So when he first spoke to Fiji coach Mick Potter two months ago about playing for the Bati instead, the polarising Titans star didn't hesitate in committing to the country he first represented in 2008.

He was never forced to consider defecting to Fiji given Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga didn't select him in his 24-man Australian World Cup squad, and that came as no surprise to Hayne, who said there were too many players ahead of him.

But he did label the respective decisions of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita to switch from New Zealand and Australia to Tonga as "courageous", and a choice that "took a lot of guts".

Hayne has loved every minute since linking up with his Fiji teammates ahead of Saturday's three-way match against Australia and Papua New Guinea in Suva, and hoped he could use the World Cup to rediscover his best form.

"It's disappointing how I finished the season, it's very refreshing to come back in here," Hayne said.

"It's always a blessing, it's been great so far. The back-end of the year was definitely tough and I lost my way a little bit.

"We built something special [at Fiji] in '08. Now it's leaps and bounds advances to what we had in '08, and that's down to everyone that's been supporting Fiji, the local guys that are putting in.

"We've got about four or five local guys that are in camp this week, just trying to help out and breed the next generation."

Hayne played all three State Of Origin games this year, but has been unable to recapture the form he displayed for the Eels before deciding to try his luck in the NFL in late 2014.

He activated a clause to trigger a reported one-year, $1.2 million contract extension at the Titans in May before his much-publicised feud with Gold Coast coach Neil Henry late in the year. Henry was ultimately removed from his post, and the coaching job remains vacant.

Potter plans to use Hayne primarily at five-eighth throughout the World Cup, keen for his superstar to handle the ball as much as possible, and the former Wests Tigers coach said Hayne had been a welcome addition to the Fiji camp.

"He's been good, he's contributed at training and in the meetings. He's helping the boys and helping the younger guys and helping the Fijians get through the plays. He's really controlled some of the play for us and he's instrumental in setting some of that stuff up for us," Potter said.

"I don't take too much notice of what's written about him but my dealings with him here is he's been fantastic.

"He's a team player and he trains hard. He gets the team around the park in the position I'm playing him.

"He's an ultimate professional as far as I can see. When he's dealing with the public he's quite humble, he's modest, he's still cautious but he's quite happy to do whatever they need whether it's a photo or a signature.

"I spoke to him a couple of months ago about being part of the Fiji Bati and he wanted to do it, he was looking forward to it.

"For someone to commit to that early and perhaps still be part of another team I think's really good. For him to say that I think's a credit to him and we really appreciate him being here and it's going to make our team stronger."