We've come a long way from the 1990s, when All Black Marc Ellis was vilified for switching to league.
Now we hardly bat an eyelid when footballers jump to and fro between league and union, or take a sabbatical from one sport to try another.
The recent switch by Jarryd Hayne from NRL to NFL, however, has captured our imagination. Why is that?
Hayne isn't the first Australian rugby league player to try his hand at American football.
Back in the 1980s, Colin Scotts, who played for the Australian schoolboys team, played in the NFL, and more recently, Hayden Smith, who grew up in Sydney, went on to play rugby union for the Saracens FC and the US rugby team before dabbling in NFL (2012-2013).
Smith's time with the NFL was short-lived, and after touching the ball only once, he went back to rugby union.
Hayne's story is one of those rags-to-riches stories Americans love. He was brought up in Sydney, the son of a Fijian father and Australian mother who single-handedly raised her three children while living in public housing.
Hayne showed early athletic potential, winning the 100m hurdles with little training, and dropped out of school early to pursue a rugby league career.
So far, so good: boy from the wrong side of the tracks has potential and pursues it. The movie moguls will be lapping this up.
His progression through the rugby league ranks was fast and furious with several wins, milestones, achievements and awards to his name. In the meantime, he rebuffed several approaches by both AFL and rugby union to convert.
Now here comes the storyline twist. Despite a rugby league career that was progressing nicely and reaping huge financial benefits, the 23-year-old announced in 2011 he wanted to quit rugby league to pursue his dream of playing in the NFL.
People probably scoffed at his delusions. Unperturbed by the naysayers, he put in place opportunities to be spotted with training sessions, open trials and video montages, while continuing to fulfil his league obligations.
Eventually, when league obligations no longer held him back, and after turning down a massive five-year contract with Parramatta Eels, Hayne announced his departure from the NRL in October 2014.
Five months later and Hayne's dream was starting to shape into reality when he was signed as an undrafted free agent to a three-year contract by the San Francisco 49ers.
So far, his pre-season performances in the No 38 jersey have caused quite a stir. This kid from down under can punt, run, catch (even over his shoulder), make the yards, burst through holes and make an impact.
These are skills he learned in league that have transferred nicely, but he still has to learn the mindset of NFL as a game and culture, and get used to doing all of this with a helmet and padding.
Hollywood producers will be watching with interest from the bleachers, to see how this part of the story unfolds.
Risking all for the pursuit of a dream reinforces the US ethos that the land of red, white and blue stars and stripes is the ''land of opportunity'' for anyone who is brave (and crazy?) enough to pursue it.
If Hayne's high hopes in the NFL don't come to fruition, will this all have been a waste of time?
Most of us wish we had the same talent and gumption to do what he has done and follow our dreams, so on that note, if Hollywood does make a movie about his journey, I'd be keen to watch it.
Who doesn't love a hyped-up ''hoop dreams'' story to escape from reality?
