The proposed swap deal that would have seen Jackson Hastings join South Sydney Rabbitohs this autumn is off. That’s according to the Daily Telegraph Down Under, who claim talks between NRL clubs Newcastle Knights and Souths have broken down, with Lachlan Ilias said to have been going the other way.
The initial reports emerged over the weekend as the Sydney Morning Herald claimed Souths incoming head coach Wayne Bennett was keen on linking up with Hastings once more. Of course Bennett worked with Hastings on the Great Britain tour in 2019 and he reportedly saw the former Salford Red Devils and Wigan Warriors man as an option heading into the 2025 campaign.
However, according to the fresh report, a swap deal won’t be happening with Bennett said to have given Ilias assurances that he is in his plans. What that means for Hastings, though, remains to be seen, with the half-back about to enter the final year of his contract at the McDonald Jones Stadium.
The initial report suggested Newcastle were open to offloading Hastings, who has fallen down the pecking order under Adam O’Brien and spent the final months of the NRL season playing in the New South Wales Cup with Newcastle’s second string.
It’s not the first time Hastings has been linked away from Newcastle, either. Reports earlier in the season claimed the playmaker could be on his way back to Super League for 2025. Hastings took the opportunity to rubbish those claims, though, when speaking to Sky Sports at the Brick Community Stadium earlier this month.
“No, I’ve obviously got a contract next year,” he said prior to Wigan’s play-off semi-final clash with Leigh. “I haven’t spoken to anyone in Super League.
“A few clubs have been rumoured about that I’m coming back to, but at the moment I’m really enjoying my life in Australia and hopefully stay there for as long as possible and then you never know one day come back here and get to play at stadiums like this.
“I really enjoyed my time here but it sort of ran its race, I’m back in Australia now with family. Who knows maybe one day I’ll be back playing here and hopefully in a game like this.”