Des Hasler will depart as coach of the Manly Sea Eagles with Anthony Seibold expected to take over at Brookvale.
Thursday’s decision ends a turbulent period for the club that started with the “Everyone in League” jersey saga.
Soon-to-be former Sea Eagles coach Des Hasler.Credit:Getty
Manly were without seven players that night and never regained any semblance of form after their loss to the Roosters.
Once their season was over, the backroom dramas only intensified with Hasler’s camp locked in an increasingly acrimonious dispute with the club and owner Scott Penn.
The decision to terminate Hasler was made after a board meeting on Thursday morning, with officials deciding the situation had become untenable. Sources with knowledge of the situation told the Herald that Manly powerbrokers felt they had just cause to terminate Hasler’s contract in the belief he had brought the club into disrepute.
Having received legal counsel on the issue, the Sea Eagles believe one of their options is not to pay out Hasler any of his entitlements under the terms of the contract, which wasn’t set to expire until the end of next season.
The payout to Hasler was already capped at about $450,000 should the club part end the deal early, which is about half of what the two-time premiership winner was entitled to had he completed his commitments.
However, the amount of a payout – if any – will most likely be decided after lawyers for both sides jockey for the best possible outcome.
Seibold will be Hasler’s successor after impressing Manly officials during recent meetings. The former Dally M coach of the year has previously coached on the northern beaches as an assistant to Trent Barrett and will have a chance to cement his position as a head coach after stints at South Sydney and Brisbane.
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