The reported bizarre “real reasons” for ex-Wigan Warriors star Jackson Hastings’ latest move

Jackson Hastings recently left Wests Tigers just one year into a two year deal at the club to join Newcastle Knights.

On the face of it, the reasons were pretty clear. The Tigers have another halfback in the shape Luke Brooks and are chasing star man Mitchell Moses at Parramatta Eels.

Hastings was set to be forced to move positions to 13 by new boss Tim Sheens formerly of Hull KR.

Furthermore, the Knights needed a halfback so a move for someone like the former Salford Red Devils and Wigan Warriors star made sense especially as the Tigers wanted David Klemmer to bolster their pack for 2023.

Those reasons seem pretty simple and would explain the move perfectly as would the reports that the club wanted to move him due to the fact he and reported transfer target Wigan Warriors star John Bateman “are not the best of mates” according to Australian sources.

Again, that would be enough to explain the move but WAToday has given further reasons for the departure describing them as the “real reasons” including his reported support for sacked coach and ex-Wigan Warriors man Michael Maguire.

This “put noses out of joint” after his dismissal apparently. Meanwhile, according to the publication his social media posts and the fact he didn’t fill out a welfare form were also parts of his move away.

They said:

“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. It would appear to be a very old-fashioned attitude from the club.