Kevin Hastings walks away from the Roosters

[RoosterFanNZ]

both just having a sook. Pearce has got in trouble a few times and some clubs would have sacked him, and all those times pearce needed the club to be understanding and patient they were. the one time the club asks for him to behave like that he just plays up, if i was in his position i would choose roosters above all else

[King Salvo]

Hastings is sore because his son was flicked, the truth is, Pearce has gone past his use by date. Ever since 2007 I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about him, to me he was an alright half, nothing special. Our club has done the right thing by getting a champion 7 for 2 seasons, Cronk will make all the difference. I couldn't care less where Pearce goes, he had a chance to stay and learn but now he's gone. If Lam is as good as his dad, then we're laughing.

Mate you haven't a clue to say Pearce was nothing special your a disgrace to your namesake

[Ray Stehr]

What has Pearce done to make him special? Cronk, Thurston,Cherry Evans and even young Nathan Cleary are much better than him. The years 2010 and 2013 he had Todd Carney and Maloney next to him. He was outplayed by Cherry Evans in the 13 grand final, it was SBW and Maloney that got us home in that one. Pearce is a myth, we'll be a much better team next year.

[Lydon]

Hastings having another sook,gee it’s gettting boring!
Move on Kevin,life is too short mate..

[One Eyed Willy]

What has Pearce done to make him special? Cronk, Thurston,Cherry Evans and even young Nathan Cleary are much better than him. The years 2010 and 2013 he had Todd Carney and Maloney next to him. He was outplayed by Cherry Evans in the 13 grand final, it was SBW and Maloney that got us home in that one. Pearce is a myth, we'll be a much better team next year.

Nathan Cleary has done nothing in the game
lets not make the same mistake we did with Pearce and start labelling this kid the future of the game. He’s 2 yrs into his NRL career and shows a lot of promise but that’s it. He’s no Thurston or Cronk which is what the majority of this forum thinks Pearce should be.
So what your opinion is is that Pearce is rubbish and not worth the $$$ he’s on yet you can only name 4 halfbacks better then him??????? If Cronk doesn’t have Smith and Slater does he win a comp?
If DCE didn’t have the Stewart bros would he have won a comp?
If Scott, Morgan and Granville didn’t play does Thurston win a comp?

its a team sport and I can’t remember a grand final that was won solely on the back of a halfback.

[Ray Stehr]

We've seen the best of Pearce. Anyone can see that Cleary is going to be a great. There are other better halves, I just couldn't be bothered mentioning them all. As I said Pearce is a myth.

[Arties Pie]

I honestly don't understand his expectations he was paid to do a job ( Not as if he did it for free ) like any other job he played 239 odd games for Easts and retired, what did he expect a job for life ? a 100k a year to pull beers or something ? Did he think the club is a job's programme ? The club owes the players nothing other than what is stipulated on their contracts, if they get more good luck to them but this inference by Hastings that the club hasn't shown loyalty is rubbish he had his time and by all accounts was paid handsomely for that time as was Pearce, now remember Pearce asked for the release he wasn't shown the door, he could have stayed and played wherever the coach put him for no less money than what he would have been on....But it was ego that reared it's ugly head..

[John Corey]

I am not a subscriber but I put the phrase Hastings walks away from the Roosters into a search and got the article and was able to copy it.



Hastings retired in 1987 following a stellar career with 239 first-grade games for the tricolours, but said he had since been “wiped” by the club.
Jackson Hastings with his father, Roosters great, Kevin Hastings. Picture Gregg Porteous
“All these people at the club can say whatever they like about me, I don’t really care. That doesn’t worry me anymore,” Hastings said.

“I’m not here to bag anyone but I won’t go and watch them play, only if (son) Jackson is playing against them (for Manly). This comes from the heart.

“For a guy like me, who played all those games, and won all those awards, and was there for all the good times and bad times, and was loyal to that club ... it’s just nothing now.

“Over the years, the Roosters pick and choose whoever they want to stay loyal to, otherwise it’s just ‘see you later’.

“When I finished I was just wiped. That’s where it stems from.

“They say ‘we are here for you’ and ‘we love you like a son’ — they say that to a lot of guys. Loyalty is out the window now, it’s all a business.”

Pearce was granted an immediate release on Monday and will join either Manly, Cronulla or Newcastle. Kevin Hastings has turned his back on the Roosters.
There was talk he was spotted in Newcastle on Tuesday.

Pearce leaves a heartbroken man after debuting for the Roosters back in 2007.

“It’s very demeaning for a kid, he’s only 28, and has played 238 games, that they say ‘we would love to have you but we’re sitting you on the bench’,” Hastings said.

“If he was there for a season or two, maybe that’s fair enough. Nah, it’s rubbish.

“Mitchell Pearce, people either love him or hate, but he has given 11 seasons to the Roosters. A lot of people have put a lot of pressure on him.

“Now they have just gone and said, ‘oh well, forget about it, we have got Cooper Cronk.’

“Why would a bloke on $800,000 want to sit on the bench and get 15 minutes a game and not play halfback?

“It’s no skin off my nose but I feel for the guy. Being there for 11 years, this could be hard to take. Mitchell made some errors, granted, but how he’s been treated — it’s a business.”

Hastings stressed loyalty in rugby league was dead.

“That’s just how I feel. It’s like when they say you have the full backing of the board — that means you’re gone,” Hastings said.

I just love it when people say, "I'm not here to bag anyone" and then bag the crap outa them

It's like the old, "No offence.....but you really suck"

[Steakface]

What has Pearce done to make him special? Cronk, Thurston,Cherry Evans and even young Nathan Cleary are much better than him. The years 2010 and 2013 he had Todd Carney and Maloney next to him. He was outplayed by Cherry Evans in the 13 grand final, it was SBW and Maloney that got us home in that one. Pearce is a myth, we'll be a much better team next year.

He never gives up on the field, tops the comp for line breaks, great support player, great passing game, great organiser. He's got his faults, but he's a good half and i've been pleased to have him as a Chook. It sounds like you were expecting (or maybe more accurately, demanding) an Andrew Johns clone. That he isn't, but it certainly doesn't = 'he is shit'.

As for your so called grand final 'myth', it's a team game. The truth of the matter is, your No.7 organises the team and he did his job to get the team to victory in 2013 and deserves the plaudits.

As for your saviour Nikorima, why isn't he copping it from you too? He failed miserably in 1st grade and positive cocaine tests to boot! However, you'll still defend him to the death.

You can't give with one hand and take with the other just to suit your argument Ray boy.

You are rife with contradictions mate.

[rented tracksuit]

The club does fall down on ex-players. Hugh McGahan was largely left out in the cold. Ricko's the only ex-Rooster I can think of who is still involved with the club. And that's just because of whose bed his shoes are under.

He must have lots of pairs of shoes!

[rented tracksuit]

Nathan Cleary has done nothing in the game
lets not make the same mistake we did with Pearce and start labelling this kid the future of the game. He’s 2 yrs into his NRL career and shows a lot of promise but that’s it. He’s no Thurston or Cronk which is what the majority of this forum thinks Pearce should be.
So what your opinion is is that Pearce is rubbish and not worth the $$$ he’s on yet you can only name 4 halfbacks better then him??????? If Cronk doesn’t have Smith and Slater does he win a comp?
If DCE didn’t have the Stewart bros would he have won a comp?
If Scott, Morgan and Granville didn’t play does Thurston win a comp?

its a team sport and I can’t remember a grand final that was won solely on the back of a halfback.

wise words Willy. Very wise indeed.

[Salvatori Grubber]

i noticed the stand beside the chookpen us3ed to be called the horrie hastings stand, well forgotten now! i remember it all happening disgraceful dealings from the club

I loved that stand. It was for families and was alcohol free, which meant you could take the kids and there was no risk of yobbos and blues and swearing (except from me, of course).

On Horrie, I spoke with him personally (on a few occasions about this topic) and as others have said, emotions run deep.

We discussed how he could (should?) have left Easts for a better side when in his prime but how he didn’t due to his sense of honour, and that how once he’d retired Politis and co barred him. Took no interest in him or his well-being. I raised the removal of the Hastings Stand and how it sucked, and he sort of shuffled uncomfortably. He mentioned how the previous week he’d been at a ‘former players function’ for the club - a huge expensive do - and how Politis didn’t look at him once.

This was toward the end of that year when Jackson Hastings had made a few early appearances off the bench and was being touted as Maloney’s replacement.

I will say though, that it’s one man’s side of the story and that his struggles with mental health are profound; and as such I feel as though there’s additional gravity applied (cf. the above article and Pearce). Not saying he ain’t right - just that he’s particularly emotional (I would be also).

[The Thracian]

Hastings is sore because his son was flicked, the truth is, Pearce has gone past his use by date. Ever since 2007 I couldn't understand what all the fuss was about him, to me he was an alright half, nothing special. Our club has done the right thing by getting a champion 7 for 2 seasons, Cronk will make all the difference. I couldn't care less where Pearce goes, he had a chance to stay and learn but now he's gone. If Lam is as good as his dad, then we're laughing.

This article is a massive beat up, His son was sacked by the club Pearce and Friend the 2 main reasons for this, they did not like him and wanted him gone, I take this article with a grain he f salt, Horrie has not supported the club for many years

[Kelby]

The guy left us years ago.
We did Jackson and Horrie a favour and paid overs for him. Blah Blah.

[mightyrooster]

I just love it when people say, "I'm not here to bag anyone" and then bag the crap outa them

It's like the old, "No offence.....but you really suck"

I'm not a racist but......