Departing Newcastle Knights playmaker Jackson Hastings has declared he will return to England's Super League a "better all-round player" as he prepares to join powerhouse club St Helens for the 2026 season.
A roller-coaster NRL chapter concludes
Hastings, who spent the past three seasons with the Knights, confirmed his move in his first interview since leaving the club. The 29-year-old, who turns 30 in January, described his time in Australia as a roller-coaster, culminating in a difficult final year where he spent much of the 2025 season in reserve grade.
The Illawarra product played 43 NRL games for Newcastle, having joined the club in 2022 as part of a player-swap deal that sent prop David Klemmer to the Wests Tigers. He was a key figure in the Knights' famous 10-game winning run into the 2023 finals series, a season he rates as arguably his best, nearly surpassing his 2019 Man of Steel award-winning year in England.
"I'm hungry to be better," Hastings told the England-based Sky Sports podcast The Bench. "I've got a real strong mentality and a look in my eye that says that I'm going to be better than the last time I was there."
Overcoming adversity and finding perspective
Hastings' final year in Newcastle was marked by professional challenges and profound personal moments. He fell down the playmaking pecking order under coach Adam O'Brien, with Jack Cogger, Tyson Gamble and Fletcher Sharpe becoming preferred options.
This period was also shadowed by the sudden death of his mother, coupled with the joyous birth of his first child, a daughter he describes as "the best thing that's ever happened to me."
Reflecting on his non-selection, Hastings was philosophical. "Everyone's got their opinion on why I wasn't getting picked, and I read the comments... when you sit back and you know, deep down, that there's probably a little bit more to it."
His departure marks the end of a 106-game NRL career that began with the Sydney Roosters and included stints at Manly Sea Eagles and the Wests Tigers, where a leg injury cut his sole season short in 2022.
A new role and future ambitions at St Helens
Hastings' move to St Helens will be his third Super League club, following previous spells with Salford Red Devils (2018-19) and Wigan Warriors (2020-21), where he played in a grand final with each side.
A significant drawcard was the chance to reunite with coach Paul Rowley, who was an assistant during his Salford days. Hastings has signed a one-year deal and is currently in Newcastle awaiting visa approval, training with former Knights forward Kai Pearce-Paul.
He revealed a key motivation for the move is to mentor talented 19-year-old St Helens playmaker George Whitby. "A big thing that the club pushed to me, which I was really keen on was helping George Whitby become the next, not only great St Helens halfback, but English halfback," Hastings said.
He emphasised a leadership philosophy learned from his own role models: "The best role models are the ones that aren't worried about their spot in the team. They're actually worried about the team."
While not ruling out a future NRL return, Hastings expressed a preference to extend his stay with St Helens beyond 2026. He will also be joined in England by prop David Klemmer, who has signed a two-year deal with the club after initially planning to link with local Newcastle side Lakes United.
