Hastings, Leilua shine in Tigers trial win

Scott Bailey | February 25, 2022

Jackson Hastings has offered a glimpse of hope for long-suffering Wests Tigers NRL fans after helping the club to a 16-8 pre-season trial win over Sydney Roosters.

On a bad night for props on both sides, with James Tamou and Lindsay Collins placed on report, five-eighth Hastings stood out on the Central Coast.

The Tigers recruit had good touches throughout, before sealing the match for the Tigers when he put Alex Seyfarth over in the dying minutes.

The Roosters were playing without six starters including captain James Tedesco and Luke Keary, while they lost Sam Walker late in the first half after a head knock.

But still the signs were positive for the Tigers a fortnight out from their season-opener against Melbourne, with Hastings sound in his second game for the club.

He was busy throughout, while his effort to put Seyfarth through a hole came after he went to the line and put on a nice ball.

Hastings will start the season at five-eighth with Adam Doueihi injured, before he is expected to move to lock as a ball-playing middle.

The 2019 Man of Steel admitted he was emotional before the match as he nears his first game back in the NRL, with the trial against the club he debuted at in 2014.

“The biggest knock on myself was I never ran the ball, especially when I was at the Roosters behind such a dominant pack,” Hastings said on Fox Sports post match.

“My whole childhood my biggest strength was running the ball. But I let myself down and went away from it.

“I went over to England and I just wanted to go back to enjoying my footy and the footy that got me to where I was.”

Luciano Leilua also looked good in the lead-up to his final NRL season for the Tigers before heading to North Queensland, with some strong runs and a late try.

Meanwhile, both Tamou and Collins face nervous waits after being placed on report for attacking the legs of opponents.

Tigers co-captain Tamou was the first to infringe, pulled up in just the second minute when he took out the legs of Sam Walker on a kick.

It started a big night for Walker, who later bust down field in the lead up to a Kevin Naiqama try before his night ended early due to a head knock.

“I don’t know how he is. He looks fine to me, he was just down on the bench,” coach Trent Robinson said.

Roosters front-rower Collins then found himself in hot water when he was the third man in on a tackle on Hastings.

It came in the Queensland State of Origin prop’s first match back from last year’s season-ending ACL injury.