By James Polson
Des Hasler will resume his NRL coaching career on the Gold Coast next season.
The Titans on Thursday announced they had parted ways with Justin Holbrook, effective immediately, with the two-time premiership-winning former Sea Eagles coach to take over from 2024.
Des Hasler.Credit: Getty
“I’m looking forward to joining the Titans and to the 2024 season,” Hasler said.
“The club has a strong playing roster, the region is blessed with emerging talent and the organisation is firmly embedded in the community.
“I’m confident we can deliver success to the region in the coming seasons.”
Titans CEO Steve Mitchell will address media on Thursday afternoon. The Titans sit ninth on the NRL ladder after six wins and seven losses this season, although their position is somewhat inflated as they have already had three byes. They face the ladder-leading Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Sunday.
Justin Holbrook made the finals once in three seasons so far on the Gold Coast.Credit: Getty
“We are grateful to Justin for his contribution to the club over the past four seasons,” Mitchell said.
“We are here to bring success to the Gold Coast and in order to do so we feel that this is the change necessary to deliver on our promise which is to win premierships.”
The Titans have made the finals just once during Holbrook’s reign, finishing eighth in 2021 before falling 25-24 to the Roosters in the first week of the play-offs. They finished ninth in 2020, having been wooden-spooners the previous season, and 13th last year.
Hasler has been without a head coaching job since October whne he was sacked by Manly — where he won the 2008 and 2011 premierships and also made the grand final in 2007 — after a disappointing 11th-place finish. He moved the Bulldogs in 2012, where he made two grand finals in three years before returning to Brookvale in 2019.
More to come
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