Manly coach Des Hasler admits pride jersey scandal HAS driven a wedge between players

Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler has admitted the pride jersey scandal this week has driven a wedge between his NRL playing group.

A candid Hasler told reporters post the Roosters defeat on Thursday at 4 Pines Park the club has to mend some bridges before his footballers are once again united.  

‘We’ve got a bit of work to do,’ he said, before revealing the week was ’emotional on different aspects.’

‘I’m just being honest…but as long as we are all sympathetic to each other’s cause, we’ll get there.’

It comes after Manly stars Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolu Koula and Toafofoa Sipley all boycotted the Tricolours clash as they felt wearing a rainbow pride club jersey went against their religious and cultural beliefs.

When pressed on whether he was referring to ‘work’ on the football side of things or something greater, Hasler added: ‘Everything.’

The defeat could prove to be very costly, with Manly outside the NRL top eight after 20 rounds.

After seven Manly players boycotted the match based on cultural and religious beliefs, Zac Fulton made his NRL debut in the club’s rainbow pride jersey (pictured)

Footy fans at 4 Pines Park who acknowledged the Sea Eagles are all about being inclusive and diverse

If the Raiders and Dragons win their respective games this weekend, the Sea Eagles could drop to 11th spot on the ladder with finals looming.

The ‘Manly Seven’ who boycotted Thursday’s game on religious and cultural grounds frustrated some footy fans given the club is sponsored by a gambling company – PointsBet – and they play out of a ground named after another one of their sponsors, 4 Pines beer.

The drama started after Kieran Foran, Sean Keppie and Rueben Garrick modelled the rainbow kits, with many of their teammates on Sydney’s northern beaches only becoming aware of the development after reading it in the press on Monday. 

Confirmation of the player boycott left the Sea Eagles in complete disarray, and in extraordinary scenes, Hasler publicly apologised for the fiasco alongside Cherry-Evans at Brookvale Oval on Tuesday. 

Despite the rainbow jersey saga which divided footy fans, many Manly fans still showcased their support at the ground 

Jason Saab was one of seven Manly players who boycotted Thursday’s match versus the Roosters as the club’s rainbow pride jersey didn’t align with his personal beliefs

Cherry-Evans stressed on Thursday lessons must be learnt from the saga. 

He also added NRL teams such as the Sea Eagles already celebrate different cultures and beliefs. 

‘If you look at a dressing room of an NRL squad, it is very diverse and very inclusive, so I just wonder how much we need to do as athletes because we already doing a lot of things,’ Cherry-Evans told reporters.

‘I think at some stage we have to understand that sport is pretty inclusive, but its not perfect, it does have boundaries.

The ‘Manly Seven’ who didn’t play had their supporters (pictured) at 4 Pines Park on Thursday 

Openly gay former Sea Eagles star Ian Roberts (right) was on hand to cheer on Manly against the Roosters

‘Unfortunately when people get put in a position to have to do something they don’t want to do, I think that’s when you see positions like we had tonight.’

The ‘Manly Seven’ were also told by club officials to stay away from 4 Pines Park on the advice of NSW Police ahead of Thursday’s match.

Hasler’s men next host arch-rivals the Parramatta Eels on August 5.