Des Hasler will have to relinquish his say on retention and recruitment, accept Anthony Seibold will be his assistant and successor, and jettison any hopes of a contract extension if he is to save his job.
The ugly stand-off between Manly and Hasler is coming to a head, with an outcome expected by the end of next week. The relationship between the parties appears untenable and it’s likely Hasler has coached his last game at the club.
Hasler is contracted for 2023 and has been angling for a contract extension of an additional season, but those hopes have now been dashed. The Herald revealed that the two-time premiership-winning mentor was considering taking legal action against the club over the rainbow jersey fiasco, believing the drama and its handling cruelled his chances of achieving the top-six finish required to automatically trigger an extension.
The development has infuriated Sea Eagles powerbrokers, who had already lost patience with Hasler during contract negotiations. The parties had been discussing succession plans, with Hasler anointing Josh Hannay as the best candidate to replace him. However, the Manly hierarchy has identified Anthony Seibold as its choice and isn’t prepared to budge.
Hasler has been told he must accept Seibold as his assistant for 2023 before stepping down at the end of the season to allow the former Broncos and Souths mentor to take over as head coach. In a bid to claw back further control from Hasler, the Sea Eagles will prevent him from having any say in retention and recruitment.
The terms will almost certainly be unacceptable to Hasler, who has a reputation for being hands-on with all aspects of the football department. The most likely outcome is the parties will part company, with lawyers to determine the settlement arrangements.
It appears increasingly likely Des Hasler has coached his last game at Manly.Credit:Getty Images
Given Hasler is on a contract worth in excess of $850,000 – and additional funds will be allocated for replacement Seibold – it will be a costly exercise for the club’s owners.
It would also be an unbecoming way for one of the club’s legendary figures to depart. The former NSW and Australian playmaker made 290 appearances for Manly during a storied playing career and then coached a combined 303 games during two stints with the clipboard on the Northern Beaches.
Injuries and the fallout from the ‘pride’ jersey debacle conspired against the Sea Eagles last season and the cracks within the club were exposed as the losses kept mounting.
If Seibold signs on he will do so with his eyes wide open, having previously worked at Manly as an assistant to Trent Barrett.
The former Dally M coach of the year is currently working under Eddie Jones as part of the brains trust of the England team ahead of the 2023 Rugby World Cup, but he has ambitions to return to NRL head coaching.
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