As a child, Jackson Hastings would be glued to the TV watching some of Newcastle's greats in action.
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The likes of Andrew Johns, the Gidley brothers, Robbie O'Davis and more.
He'd then run around in his West Illawarra jersey, striped in the same famous red and blue, trying to emulate them.
Hastings might be the son of a Roosters legend, but he actually began his rugby league journey as a Knights fan.
"Before I found out my dad was a player for the Roosters, I was always Knights," Hastings told the Newcastle Herald, ahead of the season-opener on Friday.
"I loved watching Matty and Joey, Kurt and Matt Gidley, Robbie O'Davis, Timana Tahu - all them boys, Steve Simpson, Danny Buderus. They're the boys I grew up watching, winning comps and playing finals every year.
"They just played that tough brand of football. And I was a massive die-hard Joey fan, the greatest to ever play the game, in my opinion.
"When I was old enough to figure out my dad played for the Roosters and was a pretty handy player, I didn't brush the Knights but I was obviously leaning towards the Roosters for that reason.
"Playing juniors, I was red and blue too. So it kind of translated on the weekend what I watched on TV.
"I've always loved these colours and I almost signed with the Knights at 17 when Wayne [Bennett] was here. I turned it down to go to the Roosters, so it's funny how it all works and goes full circle."
A decade on from that decision, Hastings is about to embark on his first season as Newcastle's halfback.
The 27-year-old signed with the club in November, forming part of a player-swap with prop David Klemmer, who moved to Wests Tigers.
Elaborating on turning the Knights down as a teenager, Hastings said it was circumstances that largely influenced his decision.
"At that point, I was a bit of a mummy's boy so I didn't want to move too far from home," he admitted.
"I had two younger sisters in primary school, I didn't want to have to make all them move too.
"A family thing probably stopped it ... but I came pretty close at the time, for sure."
Had he linked with Newcastle back then, the Knights are unlikely to have got the man they're getting now.
If he doesn't meet the description of a journeyman, Hastings isn't far off.
A teenage prodigy, he was chased by a string of clubs before settling on the Roosters. Over three seasons at the glamour Sydney club, he showcased his talents but never fully cemented a role.
His actions let him down.
So too, at Manly, where a much-publicised run-in with Daly Cherry-Evans after a night out prompted a demise that resulted in a one-way ticket to England.
It was there, firstly at Salford and then heavyweights Wigan, that the playmaker turned his life around.
He won the Man of Steel award, Super League's version of the Dally M, in 2019 guiding Salford to their first grand final in more than 40 years. He helped Wigan to another the season after.
But when the opportunity came to return to Australia, Hastings felt he had unfinished business.
He joined Wests Tigers, where he made 13 appearances in the halves last year before being moved to lock, which he played for three matches until a leg fracture ended his campaign.
Many will remember the field goal Hastings kicked to claim a 21-20 win over Parramatta in round six.
It is Hastings' willingness to make the big plays that could be of most benefit to Newcastle moving forward.
The Knights have, at times, relied too heavily on Kalyn Ponga to win them games.
"It's a fine line, because you want to give Kalyn the ball - he can do things I could only dream of doing," Hastings said.
"But at the same time, there's ways to use Kalyn up as a decoy and not actually go to him in those high-pressure moments all the time.
"Don't get me wrong, he'll want the ball ... but that's where the rest of the boys that get a crack of playing for the Knights have to stand up around him.
"I feel like Kalyn's been given the short end of the straw, where if the results haven't gone the Knights' way it's always his fault, or when they win it's because of him.
"We need to get that balance right where Kalyn Ponga is our best player and winning us games, but there's also people contributing around him every single week to take the pressure off him too. That's part of my role and something that we're going to work on."
After losing 300-plus game veteran Mitchell Pearce ahead of last season, the Knights desperately lacked an experienced playmaker in 2022. Anthony Milford came in mid-season, but failed to have the desired impact.
Hastings takes the No.7 jersey off close friend Adam Clune, who was signed as cover for Pearce but ended up playing 18 games last year.
"I'm best mates with Adam," Hastings said.
"They were missing probably that dominant voice, and that's what they sold to me as where I'd fit in.
"I feel like I can do that and that's where I add value to a team.
"And giving Kalyn the opportunity to shine, putting him in positions where he doesn't have to think too much, he can just play his eyes-up natural football.
"If I can do that to the best of my ability, and give him the best chance to shine, our team is going to be in a position to win every single game."
Hastings, contracted for the next three years, is not afraid to state his end goal. He wants to win a premiership for the club he first supported, replicating the legends he used to idolise.
He believes it's not out of the realms of possibility.
"I'm really loving life in Newcastle and hopefully I can spend the rest of my career here," he said.
"It's probably one of the first times I've felt comfortable straight away.
"There's something about here; the people, the town, the old boys, the players, the staff - I'm not sure, I've just felt really comfortable.
"Once you go to a place where you really enjoy going to training and being surrounded by a group of people who are all striving to do the same thing, it's pretty powerful.
"If I could spend the next six years of my career here and hopefully bring a trophy back, and spend a lot of time with Kalyn on the field and build our partnership and the people around us can build as well, there's no reason why we can't do it."
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