Jackson Hastings

JOJO82 said:
He won't move to the halves because he wants fullback money, and keeps getting picked at fullback for QLD.
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DCE is the highest paid player. And Ponga gets his money for the next 5 years in which ever possition he plays.

Though he probably would not get picked for Qld as a half.
 
krustykraz said:
DCE is the highest paid player. And Ponga gets his money for the next 5 years in which ever possition he plays.

Though he probably would not get picked for Qld as a half.
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He might. Ponga vs DCE at 7. Would be an interesting battle for the spot given Ponga some time in the position.

But, I still think Pong's alure to the fullback spot is the easier defensive sets just hanging around in back field vs the up and back of playing in the line.

Sure, he makes some tackles and is the last line of defence but I'd put that, and his positional play as a fullback as his worst attributes in the position. Along with kick return and support play he really doesn't play like a fullback at all. Just hangs around waiting for the kick at the end of the set and then converts to a half.
 
krustykraz said:
DCE is the highest paid player. And Ponga gets his money for the next 5 years in which ever possition he plays.

Though he probably would not get picked for Qld as a half.
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My point exactly, if he moved into the halves he won't get picked for Origin and will lose out on pocketing 90k
 
krustykraz said:
I get it.
If Ponga was motivated to be the best player he could, he would back himself to make the switch an become the best 7 for Qld and Aus.

That would be ideal but I doubt his motivation.
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He needs to get a bit of arrogance about him. He's the kind of guy to give props to Munster and Tedesco and talk about how they're the best players in the game, humbly putting himself below them, but he needs the drive to want to be just like them. Joey can help bring this out and to be fair to him he's taken a step forward this year. But keeping him at fullback is just stunting the process.
 
HarVeeGee13 said:
So do I. He has an instinctive ability to angle his running and time his passes not just to produce clean breaks, but to play his receivers over the advantage line, whether it’s by isolating them into a good 1-on-1 matchup, or getting them onto a defender’s weak shoulder. A lot of his best work in attack over the past couple of years has been on-ball like this, going play on play to first get a Saifiti or another big forward a quick play the ball, before following it up by attacking say a prop who’s been forced to defend 2-in in the scramble to reset the line after an ineffective tackle. Hell, a lot of his best work this year has been attacking out of dummy half as you’ll often see from Ben Hunt.

Personally I think the more he gets his hands on the ball and takes ownership of steering the team around, the better off we’ll be. The only real question mark for me is over his long kicking game, but we already have a half with a big boot who seems to prefer a complimentary rather than organisational role at the club…
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Wow this is a really exciting idea! I bet the knights don't try it
 
Ponga has a few years on his contract but if moved to 6 or 7 that wouldn’t affect his earnings as the contract is signed sealed and delivered.
As for SOO he could easily outplay DCE if he put his mind and ability to it, DCE is nearing end of career, Ponga has years to go so additional payment for SOO reps wouldn’t be a factor and BESIDES if NSW 2021, can play two f/b in centre why couldn’t QLD play a 7 at 1 assuming DCE remained the top 7.
Back to the drawing board, life was so simple before NRL
 
logicalfallacy said:
Wow this is a really exciting idea! I bet the knights don't try it
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Wow what a new exciting idea that has been pushed on the forum by myself and others for years.

Move Ponga to the halves, 6 was my choice.

Someone says 7 and woh, revolutionary.

Blind freddy can see Ponga attacks from the halves and is not playing fullback in attack.
 
My only question mark is Pongas kicking game. Really only leaves us with one kicking option and that is Clifford. So defenses will put pressure on him. Don't know I thought Hastings might be good. Even if we could attract a top line half there's none available for next year. 2024 Munster, Sam Walker off contract. Don't know of others. Do we like Brooks? I don't think it's true we can't attract a "top" line half. We just have to have the CASH.
 
frankLauda said:
My only question mark is Pongas kicking game. Really only leaves us with one kicking option and that is Clifford. So defenses will put pressure on him. Don't know I thought Hastings might be good. Even if we could attract a top line half there's none available for next year. 2024 Munster, Sam Walker off contract. Don't know of others. Do we like Brooks? I don't think it's true we can't attract a "top" line half. We just have to have the CASH.
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To be fair to Ponga, his short kicking game is class. Everyone sleeps on that part of his game. He's got genuine touch. Partnered with the right half he could be a classy compliment
 
Re-post from a seperate thread.
Just thought it was more relevant to post here.

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Sheens has said that Brooks will be the halfback and Douehi will be the 6. Where does that leave Hastings? At lock.
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Hastings said he wants to play halfback in the NRL. I heard him say on the radio “you are more likely to get injured at lock” that tells me he doesn’t want to play there full time.
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Hastings will be in Newcastle for pre-season training if our recruitment team has half a brain…
 
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