SUPER LEAGUE clubs have been placed on alert for Jackson Hastings as Newcastle Knights head coach Adam O’Brien has admitted that the halfback’s future lies away from the club.
Despite making 38 appearances for the Knights during the 2023 and 2024 NRL campaigns, Hastings has been demoted to the club’s New South Wales Cup side.
In the second tier, the 29-year-old has made five appearances but Hastings will best be remembered for the part he played in Salford Red Devils’ rise to the Super League Grand Final in 2019.
That year, the Australian lifted the Steve Prescott Man of Steel before moving to Wigan Warriors with whom he again led to a Grand Final in 2020.
Those performances earned Hastings a move back to the NRL in 2022 with Wests Tigers, but that was short-lived and the 29-year-old again moved on to Newcastle.
However, O’Brien has revealed to The Daily Telegraph that Hastings’ future beyond 2025 will be away from the Hunter club.
“For what we’re trying to achieve at the moment, I don’t believe Jackson could solve our issues,” O’Brien said.
“The problems that we have in the team at the moment, he’s not going to be able to come in and fix it and I’m also trying to be fair to Jackson so that he’s not harboured with that pressure.
“Anyone who is contracted to our club will always be considered. But again, our issues aren’t Jackson’s areas, it’s depth in our forward pack and improving our fundamentals.
“The club has also been up front and honest that going forward he won’t be offered a new deal.”
