Des Hasler’s tenure as coach of the Sea Eagles is on a knife’s edge after it emerged only half the NRL squad fronted for an end-of-season celebration at Brookvale Oval on Sunday.
Long-serving skipper Daly Cherry-Evans turned up, but club officials refused to confirm who chose to boycott the event.
The news comes on the heels of a report that the players have been asked the question ‘do you support Des Hasler as coach?’ in an anonymous survey.
Hasler, 61, also hasn’t done himself any favours by locking club owner Scott Penn out of the away change room at Accor Stadium during last Friday’s one-point loss to the Bulldogs – the team’s seventh successive defeat in a campaign to forget.
Des Hasler’s long-term status as coach of the Manly Sea Eagles is on shaky ground after it emerged only half the NRL squad fronted for Mad Monday celebrations at Brookvale Oval
Manly are a club divided, with some players reportedly keen for Jake Trbojevic to be captain
NRL360 co-host Paul Kent labelled the survey ‘disrespectful’ on Monday and believes it may be used as a weapon to remove Hasler from his role.
However, rumours that the coach isn’t on the same page as the influential Fulton family at the under-siege club are believed to be wide of the mark.
Scott and Brett Fulton – the sons of club legend Bob – are involved in recruitment, while sister Kristie Fulton is Manly’s elite pathways manager.
All three employees are children of the late Bob ‘Bozo’ Fulton, an Immortal and Manly great.
Brett Fulton has reportedly assured Hasler he has no desire to upstage him, but the same reportedly can’t be said for other club figures, who are seeking change.
Bizarrely, Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles NSW Cup coach Steven Hales has been touted by some as a successor to Hasler at Manly, despite guiding his team to just two wins – and the wooden spoon – this year.
Other names thrown in the ring include Queensland Origin coach Billy Slater and premiership-winning former Sharks mentor Shane Flanagan.
The split comes in the wake of the infamous rainbow pride jersey saga earlier this season, Penn stated Hasler had a job at the club ‘as long as he wanted’- but a crisis meeting on Thursday may see that narrative change.
It is believed a number of Hasler’s loyal staff – including assistant coach Chad Randall, recruitment guru Noel Cleal and trainer Don Singe – may be let go, with incoming CEO Tony Mestrov to run the show going forward, as opposed to the two-time premiership-winning coach.
The decision to let Daly Cherry-Evans isolate in a house away from his teammates during Covid lockdowns last season angered many players
And if Hasler doesn’t guide his team to the top eight in 2023, he will be shown the door.
Despite the current club politics, Hasler is unlikely to quit given his salary is believed to be between $800,000 and $900,000 a year.
And even though the club has publicly stated the Sea Eagles are a harmonious group, the truth is they are in turmoil.
The decision by the ‘Manly Seven’ – Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley – to refuse to wear rainbow pride jerseys in late July on religious and cultural grounds versus the Roosters left other teammates seething.
While some may point to Tom Trbojevic’s season-ending shoulder injury in May as the moment Manly’s top eight aspirations nose-dived, the rainbow jersey saga was even more telling.
In the eyes of some, Daly Cherry-Evans is seen as aloof, with Jake Trbojevic the on-field leader
Some teammates also reportedly want Jake Trbojevic to take over from Daly Cherry-Evans as captain, while the decision from Hasler to keep Schuster on the bench or as 18th man in some games was mystifying to many.
Bob Fulton felt the Samoan international would one day become club captain, such was his talent as a standout junior.
The fact Hasler repeatedly preferred veteran Kieran Foran to partner Cherry-Evans in the halves bemused many figures at the club – including the Fultons, who want to see their dad’s wishes come to fruition.
It also led to Schuster seeking a release, which was denied.
Hasler has also been accused of preferential treatment when it comes to Cherry-Evans.
The meeting on Thursday with Penn and Mestrov will determine Hasler’s future – and given his preference to have absolute control behind the scenes, the expected shifting of the goalposts could be a watershed moment.
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