Barry Toohey: no battle for Hastings to stay with Knights for 2025

The final year of his lucrative contract at the Knights in 2025 is not under threat after the club quashed any suggestion they are pursuing unwanted South Sydney halfback Lachlan Ilias for next season as a replacement.

It's understood director of football Peter Parr sought out the Knights halfback before last Sunday's game against Melbourne to debunk a weekend Sydney media report linking the club to Ilias and reassuring Hastings his contract was not in jeopardy.

He was told there is no interest in the injured South Sydney halfback, who has been given permission to negotiate with rival clubs by the Rabbitohs despite having a year remaining on his contract.

Parr was quoted in the story but did not want to comment further other than to say Ilias is not on Newcastle's radar.

It's understood Knights recruitment officer Adam Doyle was in a meeting with Ilias' manager Braith Anasta to talk about another player when Ilias' name came up.

Given Hastings will be one of the club's highest paid players next season and fellow playmaker Jack Cogger still has two years to go on his deal, going after a halfback with similar traits didn't make a whole lot of sense.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien was on Melbourne's coaching staff when Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster were transitioned from fullback into the halves.

Hughes debuted in the NRL with the Titans at fullback and played six of his first 10 games for the Storm in the No.1 jersey. Now he is one of the game's premier halfbacks.

Munster played plenty of fullback before converting himself into the game's best five-eighth.

It didn't work for Kalyn Ponga but is there anything stopping O'Brien from having a serious look during the off-season at converting outstanding youngster Fletcher Sharpe into a future running No.6?

It's early days in his career, and there'll be no rushing him, but the Cessnock Goannas product played his junior footy in the halves and has the skill set and toughness to make a success of it. He actually played halfback in a NSW Cup game earlier this season.

With off-contract Tyson Gamble on the injured list and Englishman Will Pryce still a work in progress, the Knights have internally discussed recruiting a running five-eighth with Josh Schuster and Blaize Talagi two players talked about. Sharpe's qualities suggest he could be another option.

What was plainly evident after his eye-catching debut against the Storm is he will quickly outgrow the back-up fullback role he currently has at the club.

Knights forward Jed Cartwright's decision last week to cut and run to link up with English club Hull, who his father John will coach next season, has left Newcastle with just 28 spots filled in their top 30 roster.

But under NRL rules, while they must fill one of the positions, they won't necessarily have to replace Cartwright with another player before June 30.

They are still looking at trying to bring in an outside back before the rego cut-off point but there are no guarantees.

Cartwright was under contract for next season so his release will free up money to potentially sweeten the offer to upgrade and extend prop Leo Thompson's contract.

Centre Krystian Mapapalangi is a highly talented young player but he has played just seven games in two years because of injuries. Given that, we figure the more games he plays, the more his confidence will grow.

So why not simply leave him at home to play a full game in NSW Cup last Sunday rather than take him to Melbourne to be 18th man and likely not get a run, as it turned out, against the Storm?

We're guessing coach Adam O'Brien was playing ducks and drakes with the Storm by naming Mapapalangi at left centre for a second straight week before making the late switch for Dylan Lucas an hour before kick-off. The decision turned out to be a smart one with Lucas outstanding, scoring two tries in the defeat.

Veteran Dane Gagai increased his lead with Dylan Lucas another big mover in our player of the year competition.

Rd 14 - Knights vs Storm: 3 Dylan Lucas 2 Dane Gagai 1 Fletcher Sharpe

Standings: 12 Dane Gagai 9 Kai Pearce-Paul 8 Dylan Lucas, Kalyn Ponga 6 Adam Elliott 5 David Armstrong, Leo Thompson, Tyson Frizell 4 Bradman Best 3 Phoenix Crossland, Jackson Hastings 2 Enari Tuala, Greg Marzhew, Jayden Brailey 1 Brodie Jones, Jacob Saifiti, Fletcher Sharpe.