Jackson Hastings Faces Frustrations in Newcastle Knights’ Tough Start to 2024 Season
Since departing Wigan Warriors and returning to the NRL at the end of the 2021 season, Jackson Hastings has experienced a mixed bag of fortunes. The 28-year-old spent a single campaign with Wests Tigers in 2022, failing to make a significant impact. However, his move to the Newcastle Knights ahead of the 2023 season brought a brighter outlook, as he scored seven tries in 26 games and helped guide the New South Wales outfit to a top-five finish.
Unfortunately, the 2024 season has been a challenging one for Hastings and the Knights so far. The team currently sits 15th in the table with only two wins from seven matches. This frustration boiled over during their recent clash with the Canterbury Bulldogs, where Hastings found himself embroiled in a confrontation with winger Jacob Kiraz just two minutes into the game.
After being penalized for holding on in the tackle, Hastings appeared to unnecessarily walk into Kiraz as he returned to the Knights’ defensive line. This unsurprisingly sparked a flare-up between the players, with Kiraz grabbing hold of Hastings’ shirt before their teammates rushed in to separate them.
Whether it was an attempt to rattle the Bulldogs or simply pure frustration from the former England international, the incident failed to spur the Knights to victory, as they went on to suffer a 36-12 defeat.
This latest setback adds further pressure to the Knights, who were widely tipped to make the finals this year. In their next outing, they will travel to face the high-flying Dolphins, desperately seeking a much-needed win to turn their season around.
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