https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/hastings ... gue-34578/ Brilliant news

https://www.seriousaboutrl.com/hastings ... gue-34578/ Brilliant news

Call me pessimistic but the wording written by the journalist seems a lot more emphatic than the actual quotes "He is weighing things up, I think he may stay for at least another year." I hope he does stay though and looks more likely now than it did at the start of the year.

Stay for at least another year.

That means he is open to staying longer / getting a new longer deal at Wigan

Translation - nobody in the NRL is interested.

Good

Got to agree. If you wanted to really scrutinise it, then it's hardly a firm statement;



Certainly a step forward, but not the type of statement that puts the rumours to bed.

Have to say it's absolute trash journalism too - more wishy-washy than fact finding and devoid of any challenges to the agent. It specifically doesn't mention Wigan and surely that would have been the next logical question to ask?

Sounds like we’ve a fair chance of keeping him here next year but it’s certainly not a given. You wonder if the Hull link came about to coincide with their play for Ian Watson.

I know I'm going over old ground here, but the Hull link is baffling. We had no indication that he's got anything other than an NRL release clause.

A lot of Wigan fans (me included) would be rightly cheesed off if he moved to another SL club. It either means the original statement from the club wasn't the whole truth, or they've decided to let him leave. Either one would be an own goal as JH is a fine player and, if he wants to stay in the UK, the club needs to make sure he stays with us.

Yeah I can't see us letting him go to another SL club whilst under contract unless they paid a significant fee or we had someone ready to sign who we wanted more. We loaned Taylor out to Salford rather than release him early to Hull FC. Likewise we loaned Hock out to Widnes rather than release him from his contract when he wanted to join Penrith. Matty Smith being allowed to leave for Saints would be the exception but I think he had built up a lot of goodwill to make that happen, and was likely only allowed to go because we wanted the cap space for Leuluai.

I also think his agent just saying "Hastings will stay over there" maybe leaves the door open for RU clubs to make him an offer? He doesn't explicitly say he will stay with Wigan.

You're probably right and his agent might be subtly stirring things up a little.

PR is one of those topics that people fall either one way or the other on. For me I'm pro communication & it's probably the only area that I think the club could improve on. IF Hastings is staying, then I see no reason why it shouldn't be made public knowledge. Stop all this chatter and it might even win back some fans who thought he was only here for 1 season.

I'd also hope the club knew what was happening either way.

I recall links with Quins but they seemed to be based around Sean Long being at the club and he’s now gone. I’m not sure what position he’d play in Union tbh. He certainly wouldn’t be a fly half, he’s not quick enough for the wing. Maybe a full back or centre but it just doesn’t suit his skill set really and I can’t see it happening.