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FORMER Super League star Jackson Hastings refused to train with Newcastle Knights’ New South Wales Cup team after being axed from the first-team by head coach Adam O’Brien.

The Knights have lost their opening two games of the 2024 NRL season and O’Brien has responded by dropping Hastings, despite the playmaker an often shining light in a dark start to the year so far for the Knights.

Replaced by former Huddersfield Giants playmaker Jack Cogger in the starting line-up, Hastings didn’t respond in the fashion that O’Brien may well have wanted him to.

Journalist Dean Ritchie discussed the axing on NRL 360, outlining his surprise at O’Brien’s decision and the aftermath.

“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,” Ritchie 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.

“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.”

https://www.totalrl.com/ex-super-league ... eing-axed/

He is one bad egg.
Ego bigger than his ability.

They’re now saying he didn’t refuse but was asked if he wanted to train with the reserve squad or whatever they call it over there but then said the coach said he could take the day off!

Salford bound?

Theres a theme in that he tends to be the shining light in the team he plays in but the team around him are worse with him in it

Barney841 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 2:58 pm Salford bound?

Swop for Dodd.

Wigan_forever1985 wrote: ↑Wed Mar 20, 2024 3:59 pm Theres a theme in that he tends to be the shining light in the team he plays in but the team around him are worse with him in it

Hes an odd one for sure he has all the talent in the world but theres just something about him and im not sure what.

Seems more than being dropped for the next match. I'd imagine Hampshire trains with the first team even though he's not playing every week. So to be asked to train with a different squad sounds like a more permanent demotion, or a disaplinary issue?

Ive watched a lot if his games and he seems steady but hardly ever runs the ball.Ive also heard the commentators mention this.Maybe he just gets under other players skins? Who knows

He always seemed obsessed with being a superstar which in itself isnt a bad thing but it seemed to focus most around the glitz and glam rather than the achievement.

I think this is why he loved Salford so much because he was treated like a god by their fans but when he came to Wigan we had seen people of his talent and better regular in our team

He prefers to be a big fish in a little pond IMO