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Kevin Hastings walks away from Roosters over Mitchell Pearce’s departure
KEVIN Hastings spilt blood for his mighty Roosters. A club hall of famer and halfback in Eastern Suburbs’ team of the century.
But the passion has gone for ‘Horrie’ Hastings. The Eastern Suburbs legend has had enough of his former club.
“I don’t have any feelings for them. I don’t, whether they win or lose, I don’t really care,” Hastings said. “There’s no passion there for me. Nothing.”
Hastings even says he will not attend another Roosters game.
His frustration follows their decision to sign Test halfback Cooper Cronk and allow club favourite Mitchell Pearce to walk away from Bondi. That comes less than 12 months after his son Jackson, 21, was released from the Roosters to join Manly
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.
WORLD CUP: Semi-final teams
UNLUCKY: Koroisau devastated to lose Green
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.
Love it! Tells it how it is!
KEVIN Hastings spilt blood for his mighty Roosters. A club hall of famer and halfback in Eastern Suburbs’ team of the century.
But the passion has gone for ‘Horrie’ Hastings. The Eastern Suburbs legend has had enough of his former club.
“I don’t have any feelings for them. I don’t, whether they win or lose, I don’t really care,” Hastings said. “There’s no passion there for me. Nothing.”
Hastings even says he will not attend another Roosters game.
His frustration follows their decision to sign Test halfback Cooper Cronk and allow club favourite Mitchell Pearce to walk away from Bondi. That comes less than 12 months after his son Jackson, 21, was released from the Roosters to join Manly
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.
WORLD CUP: Semi-final teams
UNLUCKY: Koroisau devastated to lose Green
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.
Love it! Tells it how it is!
