The mystery behind the hurried exit of fan favourite Jackson Hastings can be put down to some petty and seemingly innocuous differences with new Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens.
After trying for a year to sign Luke Brooks and failing, the Knights turned their attention to Hastings – and the Tigers offered little if any resistance. Today we can explain why they were willing to let a star player go. We already knew of the club’s interest in Mitchell Moses, but there is more to the Hastings exit, which not all Tigers faithful will find palatable.
Jackson Hastings has been granted a release from the Tigers to join the Knights.Credit:Getty
Some at the Tigers are spreading the word that Hastings was hard to handle, but the issues he was having seem to be minor at best. The Tigers have copped plenty of flak for allowing Hastings – a quality performer last season – to leave the club after just one year and join Newcastle. Former Origin prop David Klemmer moved in the other direction at the same time.
On the surface, the problems appeared to start for Hastings when Sheens wanted him moved from halfback – the position the Knights have signed him to play. He was shifted to the No.13 role and, while Hastings was prepared to play anywhere, it’s not his preferred option. But there was more to his falling out with the club than that.
Hastings also showed strong support for former coach Michael Maguire after he was dumped by the Tigers in June, and that put noses out of joint.
Behind the scenes, Hastings also failed to fill in a welfare form that the club required its players to complete. That was held against him by some. It was viewed as an act of defiance. But it seems quite petty when other players can be involved in incidents that grab headlines and they are kept on.
Sources with knowledge of the situation also say the Tigers were upset with Hastings’ use of social media to track his rehabilitation from a broken ankle and syndesmosis injury, which ended his 2022 season. He was posting training and recovery updates, which fans lapped up, which old heads at the club frowned upon. Itwould appear to be a veryold-fashioned attitude fromthe club.
Sheens did not respond when asked for comment about the reasons for Hastings’ exit.
Over the rainbow
Manly’s rainbow jersey U-turn would have Des Hasler rolling in his coaching grave. The only positive for Hasler is it has the potential to help him in his legal case against his former club, where he is suing for a significant amount in damages.
With no chief executive in place and an owner based in New York, Hasler had no choice than to handle the pride jersey issue in the best way he could, while coaching the team. He took a swipeat Sea Eagles management during his now famous press conference, and from that point he was a dead man walking.
Manly’s controversial ‘Everyone in League’ jersey.Credit:Getty
Now the club is saying that a Pride Round is the responsibility of the NRL. Manly powerbrokers have back-tracked on plans for the club’s controversial “Everyone in League” jersey to be worn again in 2023, chief executive Tony Mestrov saying any inclusive initiative will be left to the NRL. It’s the club’s poor attempt at washing its hands of theissue. This comes just a few weeks after Manly owner Scott Penn said the club would be wearing an”inclusivity jumper” again next year.
Manly are keen to put distance between the club and the jumper fiasco, but the bigger job is ensuring the team can function as a unit and repairing their public image. They did nothing for that reputation when Anthony Seibold’s first media session was cut short on Tuesday.
Seibold and Manly are going to need the media on their side as they attempt to bounce back from last season’s mess, and you can feel theheat that is on Seibold already. The Manly faithful are still angry about Hasler’s departure and thatis sure to raise its ugly head again if there is a stumble next season.
Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo travelled to Fiji for the funeral of Viliame Kiakau’s father.
Dogs go to great lengths to support star in hour of need
The Bulldogs are rallying around new recruit Viliame Kikau after his father, Ratu, passed away last week. They know how close the pair were and, in a sign of respect, coach Cameron Ciraldo flew to Fiji to attend the funeral. It is an indication of what Kikau means to his new club and also shows what kind of person Ciraldo is.
“We felt it was important our club was represented to support Viliame and his family,” Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould said. “Cameron was the obvious onetosend. He’s had a very close relationship with Viliame for many years. Cameron jumped atthe opportunity.“
Daley decision raises questions about betting policy
The NRL has no issue with Storm chairman Matt Tripp being the founder of a betting company and say Melbourne players who have shares in Betr also have nothing to worry about.
Gambling is in the spotlight after the NRL stopped Laurie Daley from taking up a consultancy role with the Sea Eagles because he has a promotional job with Tabcorp.
Tripp is a highly successful betting entrepreneur, who most recently launched Betr — a company that is one-third owned by News Corp. The NRL has no issue with a media partner being invested in a gambling company either.
Tripp has previously had involvement with other betting agencies. Sources with knowledge of the situation have told me several Melbourne players have invested in his latest company, with the knowledge of the NRL. This is an issue I have previously raised with NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo, as rival clubs wondered aloud about Storm players being tipped into investing in Betr during negotiations.
Club officials are screeching about “selective integrity”, and when you look at the NRL’s guidelines regarding betting, you can understand where the clubs are coming from.
The NRL Code of Conduct “prohibits all players, club officials, match officials and administrators from being sponsored, employed, contracted, engaged or otherwisecommercially involved in anyway with a gambling operator”. When it comes to the Storm players, the NRL says the mere ownership of shares in a wagering company would not constitute a breach of rule 23 of the code. It would be open to a club official or player having shares in Tabcorp or another wagering company, and no issue would be raised with that.
Matt Tripp was squirming in his Julius Marlows as Deauville Legend loomed large in the Melbourne Cup.Credit:Arsineh Houspian
They argue that is not comparable to being employed by, or engaged in promoting, a wagering company. That’s where Daley has an issue, according to the NRL.
Daley has dual roles with Sky Racing and Tabcorp. He is involved with the promotion of Tabcorp wagering products. That includes appearing as a guest on Fox League programs to discuss Tabcorp match odds and providing tips. That means he would have been in breach of the code of conduct had he got the job.
The NRL says comparing Tripp, asa part-owner of a betting company, and Daley is not a fair comparison. They say that a club chairman is not as directly involved in a club as someone who would be in role with the football team, as Daley would have.
Making it even more difficult to fathom is that Peter Peters has worked for Sky Sports Radio for the majority of years since 1990. He has been football and media manager for Manly during that time and has never once been questioned about any conflict. “It makes no sense and is grossly unfair,” Peters said. “We can’t afford to lose the football intelligence and integrity of a man like Daley.“
Wife of Brian
One of the NRL’s genuine good guys Brian To’o marries sweetheart Moesha Crichton-Ropati on Thursday. I was metres away from his very public proposal when the Panthers won the 2021 grand final at Suncorp Stadium. Itwas one of the more memorable post-match grand final moments. It’s no surprise that two of his rugby league “brothers” Jarome Luai and Stephen Crichton will play a big role on the day. Luai is his best man.
Brian To’o proposes to his partner, Moesha Crichton-Ropati, after the grand final.Credit:Getty
Sonny and share
Sonny Bill Williams led a fundraiser for a new mosque at Hurstville on Thursday night, generously donating his 2004 Bulldogs premiership-winning jumper and his 2013 Roosters jumper to the cause, and together they raised more than $140,000.
SBW also topped a cash donation from his close mate Anthony Mundine, who gave $25,000 to the cause, while SBW handed over $26,000. More than $5million was raised on the night.
Cash Cow
Jeremiah Nanai is a man in demand, and the Cowboys are way off the mark when it comes to the dollars it would take to keep him. Part of the problem is they paid big money for Luciano Leilua, who plays the same position.
Going gets Taaffe
The Rabbitohs have heard the rumour that Blake Taaffe is considering asking for a release, but there has been nothing from the player or his manager at this point. He has the opportunity to make the No.14 jumper his own and cover at fullback or in the halves.
Starling case twist
Tom Starling’s original case from a night out at the Shady Palms in December 5, 2020, appears to be coming to a close with Starling and his brothers set to face court this week. But in a big twist, the bouncer who was at the centre of the initial incident has been charged. Khan Morris has been charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm for an incident involving Starling’s father, David, who was left with bruising to his face following his interaction with Morris. Starling has pleaded not guilty to the final charge of hindering police and his legal team is confident he won’t have a case to answer.
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