Blog with Buzz Rothfield: Jackson Hastings should be Manly’s first pick after Sunday’s Eels debacle

PICK the team on form. If Trent Barrett is fair dinkum Jackson Hastings will be the first player chosen next judging by Sunday’s debacle against the Eels. Right now the Manly culture stinks.

Buzz Rothfield says Jackson Hastings should be first picked in Manly side.

• TOUGH WEEK: Barrett fury as Hastings drama continues

• EXCLUSIVE: Hastings on trying to be a better bloke

JACKSON Hastings is a very decent young man.

Your columnist spent an hour last Friday morning at Balmoral beach with the 22-year-old who has been treated disgracefully by the Manly Sea Eagles.

I really admired him from the moment we sat down and got the tape rolling.

BLOG WITH BUZZ: JOIN PHIL ROTHFIELD LIVE FROM 1PM. COMMENT BELOW TO JOIN IN.

“One thing,” he said, “I’m not going to bag Manly or Chezza.”

What a good bloke. The way he’s been treated, Hastings was entitled to rip in.

Instead he spoke honestly and openly about his own problems.

There are personality issues in every workplace.

Buzz Rothfield says Jackson Hastings should be first picked in Manly side.

We’ve all worked with people we don’t particularly like but we get on with it.

It should be the same with footy. It’s not a popularity contest. Pick the team on form.

And if Trent Barrett is fair dinkum Hastings will be the first player chosen next judging by Sunday’s debacle.

Right now the Manly culture stinks.

BLOG WITH BUZZ: JOIN PHIL ROTHFIELD LIVE FROM 1PM. COMMENT BELOW TO JOIN IN.

Strip clubs, salary cap rorts, fights and possible bullying.

NRL CEO Todd Greenberg needs to send in his integrity unit.

As their old coach Geoff Toovey once famously said: “There needs to be an investigation.”

No player deserves to be treated as poorly as Hastings has been.

Originally published as Blog with Buzz Rothfield: Jackson Hastings should be Manly’s first pick after Sunday’s Eels debacle