The Newcastle Knights are changing Wests Tigers targets after the Concord club again refused to release Luke Brooks for the 2023 NRL season. Instead, Adam O’Brien wants to add odd-man-out Jackson Hastings to his lineup as soon as possible.
Hastings is going to be off contract at the end of the next NRL campaign.
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The Knights have been desperate to add a half to their roster for some time now—Mitchell Pearce has never really been replaced since he left for the Super League. With Kalyn Ponga switching to five-eighth, O’Brien has expressed behind the scenes he’s valuing experience over anything else.
Brooks was their original target and the Hunter club tried three or four times to bring him north. The Tigers were having none of it though—they see Brooks as their long-term halfback still, despite failing to play finals.
Adam Clune played several games in 2022 but failed to fire.
Now, Hastings, who is still just 26 and has acres of experience, has leaped to the top of Newcastle’s wish list after being told by the Tigers he’s surplus to requirements and won’t get an extension.
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The Wollongong-born footy star started lift with in the NRL with the Sydney Roosters back in 2014. After just over 30 appearances in tricolours, Hastings moved to the Sea Eagles before a feud behind the scenes drove him to the Super League.
Overseas, he played for the Salford and Wigan.
The Tigers lured him back to Australia ahead of the 2022 NRL season and he hit the ground running with the team.
An injury sidelined him, however, and the Tigers ran dead last to win their first wooden spoon of the NRL era. He made 13 appearances, but with changes at the Concord club—including a new coach in Tim Sheens—he has been pushed out.
The Sporting Base has heard he’s keen to play for the Knights.
The Tigers are expected to play Luke Brooks at halfback and slot a youngster into their five-eighth position. The club is also looking to sign David Klemmer from the Knights and Englishman John Bateman.
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