It has been revealed Knights halfback Jackson Hastings refused to train with the NSW Cup after he was dropped for Round 3.
Hastings has been axed just two games into the season after Newcastle started 0-2 and replaced with Panthers recruit Jack Cogger.
But instead of copping it on the chin, Hastings opted against training with the reserve-grade side and instead went home after learning his fate from coach Adam O’Brien.
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Hastings has divided opinion inside every club the 28-year-old has been at and things are reportedly no different at the Knights, which is his sixth club in eight years.
The NRL 360 panel discussed Hastings axing on Tuesday night and the decision stunned veteran journalist Dean Ritchie.
“I’m stunned, I really am, because I think Jackson Hastings is their key playmaker, the No. 1 man they go to when they need someone to lead,” he said.
“He was a big part of the 10 successive wins last year, which drove Newcastle to the finals
And after 160 minutes, after all the work he did with him in the off-season, Adam O’Brien has got rid of his halfback.
“Adam O’Brien asked Jackson Hastings if he wanted to train with the NSW Cup side and he said no. He went straight home. So clearly he’s rattled and I don’t know whether he’s going to be ready to come back.
“He said ‘No, I’m done, I’m going home’. It wasn’t a dummy spit, please don’t misinterpret that, he was given the option and just didn’t want to be involved.
“Obviously he was stunned to be given the boot after two games.
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“Tyson Gamble was poor last week. I can’t believe that, if they were going to make a change, it’s Cogger who has come in for Hastings and not Gamble.”
Braith Anasta wasn’t a fan of Hastings leaving training and said it will be telling if he fronts up to reserve grade on Wednesday.
“I’m not sure how I feel about him leaving training, I suppose he was probably shocked by it and just wanted to get out of there, but at the same time… (whether he turns up to training tomorrow) is the most important thing,” Anasta said.
But Paul Kent wasn’t surprised to see Hastings dropped because the halves weren’t getting the best out of reigning Dally M Medal winner Kalyn Ponga.
“Jackson Hastings is endemic of the problem at the Knights in the first two rounds in they’re just very slow in the way they play, they’re slow through the halves, they don’t have a lot of speed out wide now that Dom Young is no longer there and it’s been telling in their performance,” Kent said.
“I think the team needed to spark it up, I don’t think the team is clicking and they play a lot of sideways footy.
“The 10 games in a row they won last year was on the back of Ponga playing some pretty impressive football and so far he’s been unable to do that because of the service inside him because they’re playing sideways footy.”
“Dont tell me they’re being honest!” | 01:23
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Anasta said there was an argument that Cogger was a more “capable” half than Hastings, but journalist Dave Riccio believes they’re all on par.
“The Knights are trying to straighten up the attack to get Kalyn Ponga back to his best footy,” Riccio said.
“The basis of the Hastings decision, fans will look to the two games but he got the two trials matches too, internally at the Knights they’re saying we’ve given you four chances and it just hasn’t clicked.
“They gave Hastings the keys to the car, they said this is your team, come and show us what you’ve got, and you’ll get the head start. He got the head start, Round 1, Round 2, duck egg, duck egg.
“I see the Knights’ halves as being very similar, there is no elite half in that footy side, Hastings, Cogger and Tyson Gamble.
“The key for Adam O’Brien, he can’t afford to lose Hastings because he’s going to need him again this year, so how he handles this is important.”
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