Wests Tigers recruit Jackson Hastings believes the Roosters may have cut ties with himself and Kyle Flanagan too soon in their development as he aims for unfinished business in the NRL in 2022.
Hastings played alongside Mitchell Pearce in 34 games for the Roosters from his debut in 2014, before he was let go by the club after two full seasons of first grade at just 20 years of age.
The prodigious talent had two seasons with Manly before moving to the UK Super League where he has blossomed into an excellent playmaker, scoring 28 tries in 86 games over four seasons split between Salford and Wigan.
Hastings was named the Super League’s Man of Steel as the northern hemisphere competition’s best player just a year after he left the NRL.
Andrew Johns has often said a playmaker does not learn his trade in the NRL until his mid-20s and doesn’t hit his peak until his early 30s.
It begs the question are NRL teams discarding perfectly good playmakers too early in their development in the search for the next star or more pressingly, wins in the cutthroat business of the NRL?
Fast-forward to 2020 and the Roosters again parted ways with a young half in Flanagan at just 22, despite him scoring four tries and 198 points in 20 games for the club that season.
Both Hastings and Flanagan showed great potential from a young age and while no one can doubt the Roosters’ success as a club, there could be a wider issue in the game surrounding playmakers.
If they do not blossom until their mid to late 20s should they be put in at the coalface at such a young age and then discarded so quickly when they don’t master the position straight away?
Foxsports.com.au put the question to Hastings ahead of his return to the NRL at Concord this season.
Are NRL clubs judging young playmakers too harshly too early in their development?
“It depends who you are I guess,” Hastings told Foxsports.com.au.
“If you ask certain playmakers they will tell you something different to what something like myself or Kyle Flanagan will tell you.
“It just depends where you are and what system you are in and what you are expected to do and how much time you are given.
“Some people are given a lot of opportunities and some people are given a small window to be successful.”
Hastings admits potential is a double-edged sword in that promising players get given an opportunity sometimes at a younger age and dominate right off the bat.
However he believes it is unwise to suggest a young half won’t make it in the NRL just because they are not winning competitions when they are 20.
“At the end of the day we play one of the most crucial positions on the field and it doesn’t matter what age you are, if you are good enough you are old enough,” Hastings said.
“But if you don’t deliver you sort of find yourself out the back door.
“I’m slowly maturing into the player I want to be. I’m 26 now and I still don’t think I’m at the peak of my powers.
“I still think I have a couple of years until I really nail what I want to achieve and do as a half.
“There is still room for growth and hopefully many years to come as a first grade rugby league player in the NRL.”
The knock on Hastings when he left the NRL in 2018 was that he lacked maturity, which is understandable for a 22-year-old kid making his way in the NRL and in life.
However four years wiser, the talented half speaks with a new found confidence and maturity from his experiences abroad in life in general and on the rugby league field.
“First and foremost I’m just really grateful to be back,” Hastings said.
“Being surrounded by family is one of the most important reasons why I wanted to come back to Australia.
“But then I’ve come to a situation where I thought I can play an important role.”
Hastings credits Tigers coach Michael Maguire for his decision to join the club and he sees a lot in the club’s recruitment strategy to suggest the dark days are over.
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I really hope all this positive talk translates into positive on field performances
Prodigious talent ...biting hard down on tongue
Wests Tigers recruit Jackson Hastings believes the Roosters may have cut ties with himself and Kyle Flanagan too soon in their development as he aims for unfinished business in the NRL in 2022.
Hastings played alongside Mitchell Pearce in 34 games for the Roosters from his debut in 2014, before he was let go by the club after two full seasons of first grade at just 20 years of age.
The prodigious talent had two seasons with Manly before moving to the UK Super League where he has blossomed into an excellent playmaker, scoring 28 tries in 86 games over four seasons split between Salford and Wigan.
Hastings was named the Super League’s Man of Steel as the northern hemisphere competition’s best player just a year after he left the NRL.
Andrew Johns has often said a playmaker does not learn his trade in the NRL until his mid-20s and doesn’t hit his peak until his early 30s.
It begs the question are NRL teams discarding perfectly good playmakers too early in their development in the search for the next star or more pressingly, wins in the cutthroat business of the NRL?
Fast-forward to 2020 and the Roosters again parted ways with a young half in Flanagan at just 22, despite him scoring four tries and 198 points in 20 games for the club that season.
Both Hastings and Flanagan showed great potential from a young age and while no one can doubt the Roosters’ success as a club, there could be a wider issue in the game surrounding playmakers.
If they do not blossom until their mid to late 20s should they be put in at the coalface at such a young age and then discarded so quickly when they don’t master the position straight away?
Foxsports.com.au put the question to Hastings ahead of his return to the NRL at Concord this season.
Are NRL clubs judging young playmakers too harshly too early in their development?
“It depends who you are I guess,” Hastings told Foxsports.com.au.
“If you ask certain playmakers they will tell you something different to what something like myself or Kyle Flanagan will tell you.
“It just depends where you are and what system you are in and what you are expected to do and how much time you are given.
“Some people are given a lot of opportunities and some people are given a small window to be successful.”
Hastings admits potential is a double-edged sword in that promising players get given an opportunity sometimes at a younger age and dominate right off the bat.
However he believes it is unwise to suggest a young half won’t make it in the NRL just because they are not winning competitions when they are 20.
“At the end of the day we play one of the most crucial positions on the field and it doesn’t matter what age you are, if you are good enough you are old enough,” Hastings said.
“But if you don’t deliver you sort of find yourself out the back door.
“I’m slowly maturing into the player I want to be. I’m 26 now and I still don’t think I’m at the peak of my powers.
“I still think I have a couple of years until I really nail what I want to achieve and do as a half.
“There is still room for growth and hopefully many years to come as a first grade rugby league player in the NRL.”
The knock on Hastings when he left the NRL in 2018 was that he lacked maturity, which is understandable for a 22-year-old kid making his way in the NRL and in life.
However four years wiser, the talented half speaks with a new found confidence and maturity from his experiences abroad in life in general and on the rugby league field.
“First and foremost I’m just really grateful to be back,” Hastings said.
“Being surrounded by family is one of the most important reasons why I wanted to come back to Australia.
“But then I’ve come to a situation where I thought I can play an important role.”
Hastings credits Tigers coach Michael Maguire for his decision to join the club and he sees a lot in the club’s recruitment strategy to suggest the dark days are over.
I’m really liking what Hastings is saying. I hope he kills it on the field. Not long now and we’ll know.
Wests Tigers undisputed world champions of saying stuff...
Prodigious talent ...biting hard down on tongue
If he hasn't confirmed himself as the next immortal by round 15 i'll be disappointed.
Has never been short on confidence. It is now time to perform
@harvey Lord knows,a quality that our WTs have been sadly deficient in.I really like what I’m hearing and am confident of seeing it from Jackson.
I personally look forward to giving the bloke a chance to walk the talk!
I’ll judge him after he’s strapped on the boots and played a few games for our mighty club!
I personally look forward to giving the bloke a chance to walk the talk!
I’ll judge him after he’s strapped on the boots and played a few games for our mighty club!
Yes it’s going to be really interesting to see how he goes and what changes he can bring to the way we play. Hopefully the forwards can give him some room to move too.
Wests Tigers Podcast - Talking everything Wests Tigers!
At least Hastings knows he'll be given seven years and two contract upgrades to prove that he is a top quality half back.
Won't he?
At least Hastings knows he'll be given seven years and two contract upgrades to prove that he is a top quality half back.
Won't he?
As long as he has Joey's stamp of approval about being a superstar
hope hastings is up to nrl standard will find out soon enough
hope hastings is up to nrl standard will find out soon enough
He showed glimpses in his first stint in the NRL to suggest he may be.
Going away and supposedly improving himself further as a player and person hopefully translates to him being the leader and organiser in the halves we’ve sadly been lacking.
