Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:54 am  

Cruncher wrote:

It's an oddity, for sure. English when it suits you, but Aussie most of the rest of the time?

And it really paid off too.

No wonder the NRL sees us as a joke.

The NRL can see us for what ever they want but for certain they wont be worried about us currently as they got enough of there own problems going on. At the end of the day Hastings and Austin both qualified to play for England but that does not make them English and as far as i am aware neither have pretended to be. Hastings has been asked a question and has answered it honestly, i am ok with that. Don't see the need to create a big issue over it but that said the doom and gloomers are struggling for something to be negative about at the minute we’ll certainly about Wigan anyway.

We need to accept the situation for what it is. And not start personally abusing one of our players via twitter. He is evidently a fragile person and abusing him via social media might be the trigger to set him on his way. Then the idiots who have caused it are the ones who will be critiquing the most about him. As previously posted by someone his love for rugby league and the Wigan fans is currently evident if you go the game you can see that in spades both during and particularly after.

Rant over.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:02 am  

I wonder if these people abusing him and questioning his loyalty did the same with Sam Tomkins when he left not once but twice, or Trent Barrett who left midway through a contract.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:33 am  

Hastings is no different to any other player where a contract with a "get out" clause is concerned.

Money now comes before any loyalty to club as proved with the the example of the move by Hastings from Salford to Wigan and no doubt will be the same if a bigger contract from any NRL club comes along which is better than that any player from down under is on at any of our clubs.

The decline in loyalty to our clubs is shown by the fall in testimonials in recent seasons and the desire by some of our players wanting to play in the NRL or even Rugby Union in our country where thanks to Fox/Sky Sports, there is now more money than what there is in our game.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 9:25 am  

Hastings is a top class player. A big attribute that makes his so good is that he is a world class competitor.

This was the reason I wanted us to sign him when he first became available prior to joining Salford. I hadn’t seen that much of him however from what I had seen he had a real passion to win and be top dog.

Prior to his fall out with Evans at Manly there were plenty of rumours about some players getting rubbed up the wrong way by him due to the intensity in which he trained and his desire to be “the man” despite the team having the Australian half along side him.

That attitude makes him the player he is. He is a player that will always want to test himself at the next level. He probably lacked the maturity when he left the NRL to be able to keep a lid on that side of his personality but it seems something he has gained during his time in the UK.

I think he is a player that wears his heart on his sleeve. I’ve no doubt he has matured into a top teammate but you can’t ask him to be something he isn’t or expect him to lose that edge that makes him the player he is.

When we signed him it was widely accepted it would be for a year, 2 at best. He clearly has unfinished business in the NRL that he needs to draw a line under.

The current situation doesn’t help as it leaves so much up in the air, however I don’t blame him for his response the the question and I look forward to seeing him in the Cherry and White for whatever limited time this season has left.

My only concern is that the decision is made early so we can sort our plans out for next year. Smith I’m sure will be our 7 next year and he will need an experienced and quality 6 outside him.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:15 pm  

Cruncher wrote:

It's an oddity, for sure. English when it suits you, but Aussie most of the rest of the time?

And it really paid off too.

No wonder the NRL sees us as a joke.

Don't forget he can no longer play for Australia so if he wants to continue playing international rugby he might decide it's better to stay in Super League. If he does I hope it's with us.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 5:59 pm  

jonh wrote:

Hastings is a top class player. A big attribute that makes his so good is that he is a world class competitor.

.

And this has been proven when?, While he was at Salford?, He was that world class down under that no other NRL club wanted him

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 6:28 pm  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

And this has been proven when?, While he was at Salford?, He was that world class down under that no other NRL club wanted him

They didn't want Jamie Lyon in 2003 either

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:06 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

They didn't want Jamie Lyon in 2003 either

Oh deary me, How embarrassing, You really do need to get your facts right

Not wanted in 2003 yet played in all 3 origin games
Not wanted yet played in 21 games scoring 14 tries

Are you in fact confusing his 2004 controversial retirement to "They didn't want him"

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 7:58 pm  

The Whiffy Kipper wrote:

Oh deary me, How embarrassing, You really do need to get your facts right

Not wanted in 2003 yet played in all 3 origin games
Not wanted yet played in 21 games scoring 14 tries

Are you in fact confusing his 2004 controversial retirement to "They didn't want him"

Yes I probably am.

Still.....now that Hastings is in a better place mentally (thanks to Salford) I'm sure he will give the NRL a better crack.

Re: Hastings : Thu Mar 26, 2020 8:07 pm  

Egg Chasing wrote:

Yes I probably am.

Still.....now that Hastings is in a better place mentally (thanks to Salford) I'm sure he will give the NRL a better crack.

No probs, I keep mixing the 2006 season up with the 2007 season