FORMER Wigan Warriors and Salford Red Devils hero Jackson Hastings has been linked with a shock player swap move.
Hastings, who played a bit-part role for the Newcastle Knights towards the latter half of the 2024 NRL season, is being eyed up by new South Sydney Rabbitohs head coach Wayne Bennett.
That’s according to the Sydney Morning Herald which is claiming that Souths halfback Lachlan Ilias could potentially be involved in swap involving Hastings that would see Ilias line up for the Knights in 2025.
Hastings is reportedly earning $800,000 a year on his contract with Newcastle, but he is well and truly out of favour with head coach Adam O’Brien after spending the last few games of 2024 in the reserves.
The 28-year-old has been linked with a move back to Super League in recent months, with Hastings becoming a cult hero at both Salford and Wigan.
Hastings took Salford to the 2019 Grand Final after joining the Red Devils towards the back end of the 2018 Super League season, where they lost to St Helens, and in the process was awarded the Steve Prescott Man of Steel for doing so.
He would then move on to Wigan where he again steered the Warriors to the Grand Final in 2020, but Hastings would again lose out to St Helens.
The 28-year-old joined Wests Tigers in the NRL for 2022, but would make only 16 appearances before leaving for Newcastle for 2023.
Hastings enjoyed a stellar 2023, but found himself a bit-part player for the Knights in 2024, leading to speculation that he could return to Super League.
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