Hastings - Reasons for leaving

[earl]

Battle of Hastings: Real reasons Tigers let halfback leave​

By Danny Weidler​

December 4, 2022 — 5.00am





The mystery behind the hurried exit of fan favourite Jackson Hastings can be put down to some petty and seemingly innocuous differences with new Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens.
After trying for a year to sign Luke Brooks and failing, the Knights turned their attention to Hastings – and the Tigers offered little if any resistance. Today we can explain why they were willing to let a star player go. We already knew of the club’s interest in Mitchell Moses, but there is more to the Hastings exit, which not all Tigers faithful will find palatable.

Jackson Hastings has been granted a release from the Tigers to join the Knights.Credit:Getty
Some at the Tigers are spreading the word that Hastings was hard to handle, but the issues he was having seem to be minor at best. The Tigers have copped plenty of flak for allowing Hastings – a quality performer last season – to leave the club after just one year and join Newcastle. Former Origin prop David Klemmer moved in the other direction at the same time.
On the surface, the problems appeared to start for Hastings when Sheens wanted him moved from halfback – the position the Knights have signed him to play. He was shifted to the No.13 role and, while Hastings was prepared to play anywhere, it’s not his preferred option. But there was more to his falling out with the club than that.

Hastings also showed strong support for former coach Michael Maguire after he was dumped by the Tigers in June, and that put noses out of joint.
Behind the scenes, Hastings also failed to fill in a welfare form that the club required its players to complete. That was held against him by some. It was viewed as an act of defiance. But it seems quite petty when other players can be involved in incidents that grab headlines and they are kept on.
Sources with knowledge of the situation also say the Tigers were upset with Hastings’ use of social media to track his rehabilitation from a broken ankle and syndesmosis injury, which ended his 2022 season. He was posting training and recovery updates, which fans lapped up, which old heads at the club frowned upon. Itwould appear to be a veryold-fashioned attitude fromthe club.
Sheens did not respond when asked for comment about the reasons for Hastings’ exit.

 

[earl]

Interesting article. He is gone now. I hope it works out for us.

 

[Demps]

Sheens doesn't need to explain anything to anyone.

We all know why Hastings left.

No hard feelings.

 

[Kaito]

Sheens doesn't need to explain anything to anyone.

We all know why Hastings left.

No hard feelings.

Didn't want to see him leave
but happy he's gone 2B honest

 

[426Tlgerland]

Jacko was good for us last season , but we had 2 many players for one spot and who ever plays for us should play anywhere required by the coach , it’s a team and I hear people will say he’s this or he’s that , but again it’s a team be a team player , supporting Maguire I get and he just needed to move on from that so he has , sad to see him go but we did get Klemm so I’m ok with it all

 

[tony soprano]

Battle of Hastings: Real reasons Tigers let halfback leave​

By Danny Weidler​

December 4, 2022 — 5.00am





The mystery behind the hurried exit of fan favourite Jackson Hastings can be put down to some petty and seemingly innocuous differences with new Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens.
After trying for a year to sign Luke Brooks and failing, the Knights turned their attention to Hastings – and the Tigers offered little if any resistance. Today we can explain why they were willing to let a star player go. We already knew of the club’s interest in Mitchell Moses, but there is more to the Hastings exit, which not all Tigers faithful will find palatable.

Jackson Hastings has been granted a release from the Tigers to join the Knights.Credit:Getty
Some at the Tigers are spreading the word that Hastings was hard to handle, but the issues he was having seem to be minor at best. The Tigers have copped plenty of flak for allowing Hastings – a quality performer last season – to leave the club after just one year and join Newcastle. Former Origin prop David Klemmer moved in the other direction at the same time.
On the surface, the problems appeared to start for Hastings when Sheens wanted him moved from halfback – the position the Knights have signed him to play. He was shifted to the No.13 role and, while Hastings was prepared to play anywhere, it’s not his preferred option. But there was more to his falling out with the club than that.

Hastings also showed strong support for former coach Michael Maguire after he was dumped by the Tigers in June, and that put noses out of joint.
Behind the scenes, Hastings also failed to fill in a welfare form that the club required its players to complete. That was held against him by some. It was viewed as an act of defiance. But it seems quite petty when other players can be involved in incidents that grab headlines and they are kept on.
Sources with knowledge of the situation also say the Tigers were upset with Hastings’ use of social media to track his rehabilitation from a broken ankle and syndesmosis injury, which ended his 2022 season. He was posting training and recovery updates, which fans lapped up, which old heads at the club frowned upon. Itwould appear to be a veryold-fashioned attitude fromthe club.
Sheens did not respond when asked for comment about the reasons for Hastings’ exit.

Thank God he is gone. It sounds petty but small things undermine team harmony. Started with sheens blocking Hastings petty cash travel to QLD. Where madge was happy to give him special treatment. There is noone special above the team and Jackson needs to feel special.

All this is moot if we get Mitchell too.

 

[batboy]

Sheens doesn't need to explain anything to anyone.

We all know why Hastings left.

No hard feelings.

For more money….
Also becoming obvious - it doesn’t matter to him where it is, as long as he’s getting what he wants. Knights will be another stepping stone in the path for him - hopefully, upwards…
I can’t see it though.

 

[Telltails]

The media around the NRL off the field stuff has become almost bigger than the game itself. Not sure it's them who we should blame for it, or the fans who have this need to know stuff - fact or fiction.

 

[Jedi_Tiger]

For more money….
Also becoming obvious - it doesn’t matter to him where it is, as long as he’s getting what he wants. Knights will be another stepping stone in the path for him - hopefully, upwards…
I can’t see it though.

If it is all about Hastings then all good it seems

 

[tigerap]

A nothing article by Weedler....Hastings is too slow to be an effective half back...Sheens saw it Hastings didn't....The Knights will soon find out

 

[earl]

A nothing article by Weedler....Hastings is too slow to be an effective half back...Sheens saw it Hastings didn't....The Knights will soon find out

I'm not sold on this but time will tell. Brooks has been our half for years and we've never had any success. Brooks is fast.

 

[tigerap]

I'm not sold on this but time will tell. Brooks has been our half for years and we've never had any success. Brooks is fast.

Brooks has rarely played behind a decent pack....2023 will be different

 

[finnzo]

I swear they just make this crap up hahaha honestly any one could be journo these days

 

[Leck]

I liked Hastings ability to organise and lead on-field, and I reckon we would have won more games if we weren't decimated by injuries.

But he's now onto his 6th club which speaks volumes about his attitude off-field.

 

[Le Tiger]

Weedler is a tool.

Plays favourites and since no one from the Tigers will talk to him he'll always try to stick the boot in.

No surprise he has another SBW puff piece this week and helps out his mate Gus with positive Bulldogs news too.

 

[mikey]

Weidler's stocking-filler for Xmas three weeks out.

Hastings may not have been quick but at least he had drive and a brain. Couldn't care less that he 'ruffled a few feathers by offering his thoughts.

 

[Speed2burn]

Sounds like he’s still a bit self entitled

Probably still got another 5 clubs left in him in his career

 

[happy_tiger]

All those quotes from close sources etc .....Danny "Pin the tail on the Donkey" Weidler

 

[twentyforty]

Hastings never made the leadership group?
Seems odd, considering most posters here thought he was the leader we needed?
I think he’ll kill it at Knights and probably play his best against us 😜

 

[earl]

Brooks has rarely played behind a decent pack....2023 will be different

I hope so. I don't think he is that bad but he isn't a great decision maker at key times and decision making is so critical in that role.

I hope they at some point let him be a running half and the other half makes the key decisions. Then I remember Hastings told him to kick it last season and it was the wrong decision.

If Brooks can improve his decision making and make sure he is tidy in everything he does especially defensively then maybe he can do the job.