Jackson Hastings

[NoSchitSherlock]

Is Hastings the half we've been looking for?
Major lift since he has been with us.

He's a great organiser and director. Skilful. Shows commitment and aggression. Consistent so far. Reads the game well. Great passing game.
Good controlled kicking game.
At times I think he needs to find more grass with his kicks but what he does works.

For ages we've been buying possible halves who don't work out and we end up with a stack of wanna be halves on the books that we try and shuffle into other positions.
I reckon we can do a cull now we've got Hastings.

Thoughts!

 

[Yosh]

Maybe the best signing we've made in the past decade? Is that too much? Loving every moment of Hastings!

 

[Apey]

Maybe the best signing we've made in the past decade? Is that too much? Loving every moment of Hastings!

Wouldn't be like you to overstate something Yoshy.

 

[HarVeeGee]

It’ll be difficult for him to ever have an elite individual attacking game over the advantage line, due to his lack of leg speed, but the stuff he’s great at is much harder to come by. Like Adam Reynolds he’ll always be underrated and cheaper than he should be because what he does so well doesn’t show up in his own traditional attacking stats (although Broncos Reynolds has been way more threatening individually than at Souths and it’s mostly because of how he only keeps getting better at reading the defence, so that might change for Jacko too)… but most of our strike players look on track to have career best seasons, and I’d say it’s pretty inarguable he’s the biggest reason for that.

Absolutely perfect #7 for what we need given the first choice 6 is an out-and-out strike weapon on one of the biggest contracts in the league and I honestly hope he plays for us till he retires at this stage. He already plays like a savvy veteran and I don’t exactly expect him to go over a cliff in his 30’s. He doesn’t have any pace to lose in the first place!

 

[Burwood]

He’s quick where it matters- between the ears. It’s hard to think of too many times this season where he’s made the wrong choice on the field, especially considering all of our games have been an arm wrestle at some stage.

But christ I hope the team or coaching staff don’t turn off him like has happened at just about every other club he’s been at, because he’s exactly what is needed at the knights.

 

[The Axe of Druss]

All he lacks is a top notch tactical long kicking game

But yes, hes the half we've needed since pretty much Joey left

 

[mozza91]

Crazy what a good halfback can do for your attack. Even without your best attacking player.

 

[aqua_duck]

He reminds me of Pearce in his effort and competitiveness but unlike Pearce he doesn’t overplay his hand nor is he a defensive liability

 

[Spot On]

Unlike Pearce, he doesn’t make passing the ball look like really hard work.

 

[Yosh]

Also he doesn't kick the ball dead every single time.

 

[HarVeeGee]

When Hastings plays short to a forward, it’s usually a set up for the next play. He’s a usually playing them onto a weaker defender, which either allows a quick play the ball or forces other defenders into the tackle, creating space for and potentially opening up a numbers advantage on the next play spread.

When Pearce played short to a forward, that was basically the sum total of his plan to try to create a try. “Damn. It didn’t work. No worries. I’ll just keep going to it until I get a try assist.”

Levels.

 

[Spot On]

A bloke that knows his footy above.

That was about the extent of Pearce’s attacking ability summed up right there.

Anything else required the coach to break out the crayons and draw a diagram.

 

[macavity]

Has us actually playing with some shape. Understands his job well.
probably loses a foot race with every prop in the comp

 

[aqua_duck]

Has us actually playing with some shape. Understands his job well.
probably loses a foot race with every prop in the comp

I don’t think he’s that slow, from what I’ve seen he hasn’t got great long speed but has more than enough burst over short distances. I remember a few years back he chased back and made a try saving cover tackle in the corner on England winger Tommy Makinson who is no slouch

 

[Knight Tales]

He understands being a playmaker does not mean you dominate on the ball every set. He can easily slot into the 6th tackle to kick as his only play in a set. Great halves know that you can preserve your playmaking ability under fatigue if you know when to stay out of the way.

 

[Frederick]