Jackson Hastings

[Johnny.]

I think today proved yet again that Hastings is an organising halfback. He is not a 5/8. If he gets a full-time gig at a Club as their starting 7 he will do really well.

I think the Club has realised it as well and has chosen to keep Pearce at the Club over Hastings. Rightly or wrongly.

If that happens, I hope that the same thing that happens every time the Sharks play us happens with that club.

[Arties Pie]

I think the Club has realised it as well and has chosen to keep Pearce at the Club over Hastings. Rightly or wrongly.

Well what a mistake that would be, Hastings may not be the answer but would serve as a decent interim because we all know it's not a an IF but rather a WHEN Pearce brings the club and game into disrepute again he will be punted. Pearce should be shopped around now to save us the future embarrassment and indignity of when ANOTHER relaspse occurs.

[Salvatori Grubber]

I agree. The Pearce at The Roosters epic should come to a close.

Time to move on - doesn't deserve to be a 1 club player with Easts.

[Lydon]

Interesting comments from Robbo in the post game presser regarding Hastings form.
When asked what Hastings needs to do to hold his First Grade spot Robbo answered "play like he did today"..
Robbo also said Pearce is our number 7,which seems cemented in his mind.
What bothers me though is that Pearce has been anything but consistent throughout his career and has had plenty of bad games,yet seems untouchable..
I guess when the coach has a favourite we all need to live and die by that decision.

[Guest]

Hastings was solid if not spectacular. I still would like to know why he is so offside with the club.

[Roosterfarian]

I was surprised at HOW slow he was on that break.

The covering defence got to him pretty quickly didnt they?

[dice]

I was surprised at HOW slow he was on that break.

The covering defence got to him pretty quickly didnt they?

As I mentioned previously, Hastings biggest challenge is that he is a slug. He is physically unable to do the things Pearce or Maloney could do such as creating space for outside runners by attracting defenders, or create an overlap by stepping to the outside of a defender.

[ROC181]

I wouldn't have thought all 3 played together very often.

Well maybe you were blinking, like me.

[nikottam]

I was surprised at HOW slow he was on that break.

The covering defence got to him pretty quickly didnt they?

I saw him make the break and was thinking RUN JACKO RUN, but I knew he would get caught, and I'm pretty sure he did too becasue he was just looking around waiting for someone to tackle him, so my next thought was GIVE IT TO WATSON

[bondi paul]

Well maybe you were blinking, like me.

Likely you blinked or had the blinkers during the Anzac clash when Hastings Matterson and Watson were on the field

[TheBigFella]

I didn't see anything from Matterson yesterday that would make me pick him over Jackson..

[Johnny.]

Hastings was solid if not spectacular. I still would like to know why he is so offside with the club.

Uncle Nick plays pick and stick. And Kevin Hastings might have been a loyal clubman but he wasn't part of the clique.

[Cockadoodledoo]

I didn't see anything from Matterson yesterday that would make me pick him over Jackson..

tbh i saw nothing that would make me pick Hastings over Matterson, well perhaps a slightly better short kicking game. Matterson ran at the line frequently like all 5/8's should do, he made 108 metres in fact. The number of metres isn't the important stat but the 11 runs is. Hastings ran the ball 5 times for 58 metres but half those metres and 1 of those runs would have been when he picked up the loose ball and ran 30 metres. The other thing is that Matterson has a monster boot and the ability to vary his bombs, Hastings bombs will always be easy pickings until he can learn how to put up a 'spiral' or 'floater' bomb. Hastings clearing kicks are pop guns also in comparison. Mitchell Moses's bombs showed what we miss with Hastings and Pearce, he has plenty of variation and they caused our fullbacks lots of problems.

[Bigchook]

As I mentioned previously, Hastings biggest challenge is that he is a slug. He is physically unable to do the things Pearce or Maloney could do such as creating space for outside runners by attracting defenders, or create an overlap by stepping to the outside of a defender.

He's 9th in the comp for try assists and 15th in the comp for line break assists. I'll take those stat's from a 20 yr old in a losing team anyday.

[Cockadoodledoo]

I think he showed he's a better 7 than 6. Maybe we would play better with Pearce at 5/8 when he returns?

The problem is neither has much of a running game. Pearce is quick but doesn't have the guile and sleight of hand to fool opposition defenses. That is why together they are a bad pairing. You need to balance one with a ball runner. It seems Robbo has decided that going forward Pearce will remain 7 so it is unlikely they will play together.