New Zealand Warriors and Canterbury Bulldogs have both been linked with moves for Super League's reigning Man of Steel
Tuesday 16 June 2020 17:07, UK
It's certainly not unusual to see reports linking Super League's finest players with a move to the NRL - and sometimes they happen.
Most recently, the game in the northern hemisphere lost St Helens and England prop Luke Thompson to the Canterbury Bulldogs.
Trent Merrin spent the best part of 2019 insisting he was at Leeds to stay, only to return to the NRL for family reasons at the conclusion of last season.
Jackson Hastings is the latest Super League star to be linked with a move Down Under.
The reigning Man of Steel, who is contracted to Wigan Warriors until the end of next season, has an NRL release clause in his contract which allows the star playmaker to leave should an opportunity arise.
Reports suggest the New Zealand Warriors and Thompson's new club Canterbury are interested.
When I spoke to Hastings, however, he insisted it was news to him.
To be honest with you, I personally haven't heard or received anything.
"To be honest with you, I personally haven't heard or received anything," Hastings told Sky Sports. "My manager could be a different story, but he's yet to be in touch with me if he has.
"So yeah, it was a bit of a surprise reading it. My manager may know more, but we haven't spoken for a while.
"As I said, it was news to me!"
The 24-year old made his NRL debut for the Sydney Roosters in Round 26 of the 2014 season. He also spent 2017 playing for Manly Sea Eagles, before leaving in acrimonious circumstances in 2018.
If the Great Britain international does decide to leave to again try his luck in the NRL, it would not just be a massive blow to Wigan, but it would be another huge loss for Super League too.
