s://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/teams/sea-eagles/jackson-hastings-vows-to-fight-for-nrl-future-despite-being-exiled-by-sea-eagles-teammates/news-story/3ec3ef8e018ef8584e43bfb46624cce5
Trent Barrett, DCE and Jackson Hastings face a tough time at Manly.Source: FOX SPORTSSENIOR Manly players have reportedly thrown their support behind exiled Jackson Hastings as the turmoil embroiling the club grows hotter.
The decision to banish Hastings to reserve grade after reported bust-ups with Daly Cherry-Evans, Trent Barrett and a player revolt has taken a serious turn with conflicting versions of events coming to light.
Channel Nine is reporting players including Marty Taupau, Joel Thompson, and Jorge Taufua have sent messages of support to the younger playmaker.
Addin Fonua-Blake also said publicly on Thursday he remains friends with Hastings and would not have an issue playing alongside him.
Channel Nine reports following a verbal argument, the team captain went to Hastings’ hotel room and pushed or punched Hastings in the face, possibly with an open hand.
That incident came just a week before Manly’s second big loss on the trot -- an embarrassing 38-12 defeat at home to Wests Tigers.
NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent has revealed that players are now denying they’re unwilling to play with Hastings, who has reportedly had two altercations with Cherry-Evans and walked off the training paddock after a heated confrontation with Barrett in pre-season.
Indeed, it appears the Sea Eagles face a crisis that stretches beyond the club’s public handling of the Hastings saga.
“Players are going on the record (with the Rugby League Players’ Association) saying they are willing to play and willing to train alongside him (Hastings),” Kent said.
“Jackson Hastings has texts from team-mates saying I’m prepared to do this (help him).
“As to the actual nature of the fight and what it was over, there’s an alternative version coming out there.”
Hastings and Cherry-Evans were reportedly involved in a fight at the team hotel in Gladstone after several players returned from the strip club.
“What’s interesting is Shaun Lane was Jackson Hastings’ roommate in Gladstone and his version to the Sea Eagles, in their own internal inquiry, supports Jackson Hastings’ version,” Kent said.
“So that’s causing some angst and quite rightfully so.”
Kent added that Barrett’s decision to banish Hastings to reserve grade for the rest of the season may actually contravene the terms of Hastings’ contract.
“It’s actually in the contract that you need to be considered on your merit for first grade,” Kent said.
“That’s an issue too that could also get uglier as we go down this road.”
It comes as Hastings vowed not to give up on playing again for Manly in 2018.
“I’m fully committed to doing whatever it takes to get back into that first grade team,”
The more pressing issue is whether the Manly No.7 is willing to work with Hastings, Barrett suggesting that ‘‘if it wasn’t Cherry, it probably was going to be someone else. It just happened to be our highest-profile player”.
A star schoolboy coming through the ranks at St George Illawarra, Hastings also had issues while at the Roosters, where he made his first grade debut in 2014 and played 34 games across three seasons.
Conceding that there had been issues around Hastings during his time at the club, Roosters coach Trent Robinson defended the livewire utility, saying that he just needed to work on his behaviour in a team environment.
“Jackson is not a bad kid, he’s just trying to work it out like everyone else,’’ Robinson said.
‘‘He obviously had some issues here at different times. Sometimes it’s easier to forgive someone when they commit a crime, say sorry and then they come back.
“Jackson is not a bad guy, he’s not doing anything wrong, he just needs to work on the team environment.
“He’s not going to misbehave, he never has, so for us to go out there and treat him that way is bad.”
Replies
I read this article this morning, since then its been revealed the DCE has been fined $10000.00 for his role in the Hastings altercation in QLD where ever it happened. Seems now that many of the Manly players are actually backing Hastings in this affair rather than DCE. DCE does not have a lot of player support at the club owing to his high opinion of himself.
With the amount of coin that DCE is on following his last signing and reneging on the Titans contract, seems that there is a degree of disharmony on the good ship lottoland, as they might need a good ticket in that next draw.
I am not sure how this may play out tomorrow with the Eels playing Manly, hopefully though the discord that seems to be sitting under the surface at Manly may help our cause, or could be the opposite.
Was listening to Gus' set of six the other day and apparently it wasn't the players who demanded he be stood down, it was Trent Barrett who chose to remove him, but he did it for Hastings' wellbeing. Gus didn't say it specifically, but it was obvious he was implying that Jackson Hastings has a mental health issue, by the sounds of it Bipolar and he isn't willing to face it.
Thanks for that Brett, and it makes sense, and was probably the issue at the chooks as well and if its Bipolar and not willing to face it, he will have a tough future. If he can get the right help he should be a very much different person and player last. Seems he is making the right statements in the media and facing his problem, but hard to handle the other one with DCE.
Don’t quote me on it, as I said Gus didn’t give any specifics other than the fact that Trent Barrett was deeply concerned about his welfare and about the club’s ability to provide the support he felt Hastings needed.
Read my post above Mack. From what Gus said Hastings isn't being punished, it is a duty of care situation. Again, Gus refused to divulge specifics, but it was pretty clear that mental health was the issue for young Jackson Hastings.
From what Gus said the players have no issue with Hastings.
Manly bashed up last time, they were just far far too good for us. This could get ugly again.
What's stopping a journalist from writing a crap story about a team in turmoil a day before a game? Then waiting until the betting odds change to the other team i.e. Parra in this instance and then putting a shit load of cash on the other team (that should actually be heavy favourites) you just made crap up about. I doubt this happens but it's technically possible.
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