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.”
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