Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens is adamant there was just one purpose for Jackson Hastings’ exit because the Newcastle Knights halfback prepares to face his former membership.
Speaking to reporters on Saturday afternoon, Sheens pressured that Hastings was a part of the crew’s plans for 2023 — however provided that he was keen to play within the lock place.
With Adam Doueihi and Luke Brooks already thought of the crew’s first-choice halves pairing, Sheens mentioned the Tigers had recruited Hastings to put on the No.13 jumper particularly.
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“He didn’t want to play No.13,” Sheens mentioned.
“He wanted to play halves, they [the Knights] offered him an opportunity. I had him planned to play with Klemmer. He was picked to play No.13 in our recruitment and plans for this year. But he wanted to play pivot and Newcastle offered him that chance, so that’s it.
“There’s nothing else to it.”
Although a report from The Sydney Morning Herald would counsel in any other case.
The report claimed Hastings and Sheens’ relationship “deteriorated” after the then Tigers playmaker paid for his personal flight to assist his teammates for his or her sport towards the Titans.
Hastings, who had been suspended for a harmful deal with, was initially denied the chance to fly to the Gold Coast resulting from monetary constraints round what number of gamers might journey.
News Corp additionally reported final yr that there have been ideas by Tigers administration that it might ship the mistaken message if different squad members who weren’t taking part in stayed in Sydney.
Hastings although needed to point out his dedication to the crew and coach Michael Maguire after a 0-3 begin to the season, deciding to purchase a aircraft ticket together with his personal cash to attend the sport.
“The halfback saw it as a show of support to his coach and teammates,” The Herald’s Michael Chammas wrote this week.
“Sheens, though, saw it as a complete disregard for authority. Their relationship deteriorated from that point on.”
The report from The Herald additionally claimed that Hastings’ “staunch support and loyalty” to former Tigers coach Maguire additionally performed a job in his exit from the crew.
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When requested about that report although, Sheens didn’t need to deal with the rumours.
“I’m not going to comment on it,” he mentioned.
“His football, he was playing well at No.13 for us, that’s where I saw him, and anything else [being reported] is long gone. I’m not interested in talking about it.”
Sheens mentioned “in many ways” he was dissatisfied that Hastings left the membership.
“Because he would have made a good No.13 behind the current pack I’m putting together,” the Tigers coach added.
“But in saying that, you’ve got to want to be there and want to play the position and I was honest with him and told him that’s where I wanted to play him.”
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Knights coach Adam O’Brien admitted there was a “bit of trepidation” within the early levels of Newcastle’s pursuit of Hastings.
“If I’m being honest, I’d heard a lot about what people thought of Jackson, which is why in the early days there was a bit of trepidation to look into it further,” O’Brien advised The Herald.
“I’m really grateful we went and met with him. It’s unfair just to listen to him. I’ve done less talking than Jacko at the meeting. If I had just listened to the narrative and outside noise, it would have been unfair to Jackson and the club not to meet the player. It took one meeting in front of him for me to walk away knowing he was our man.
“He didn’t bag anyone at the Tigers. He never made excuses for anything that happened in the past. He was the first to admit he is more mature and didn’t blame anyone for anything that’s happened to him. And that impressed me. I didn’t want to sit there with someone whose going to rubbish where they’ve been.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au