Hibernate and Tables: Unexpected Snag: DirectLink prevents access to requestCycle?

Hello all.. I am nearly done the development of a HibernateTableModel
(and corresponding SessionStateManagers, DataSource, etc ) for the
MindBridge contrib Table component.
 
It's looking great.. but I am having a problem: The default column
component uses a DirectLink for the column header links that make the
table sort by that particular column. I have extended BasePage and
created DataStoreAccessingPage that can provide Hibernate sessions...
 
It works by setting an attribute in the request cycle with the open
session so future requests will use the open session. During page detach
the session is closed. 
 
The problem is, when the DirectLink is called "getRequestCycle" returns
null.. can work around this by creating a session purely for the purpose
of completing the directLink.. but that isn't very elegant. Is there
some way around this? I could change the code to not use DirectLink..
but other than this problem, DirectLink is ideal.
 
Thanks in advance
 
Luke Galea 
Software Development
BlueCat <http://www.bluecatnetworks.com/>  Networks
905-762-5225