Des Hasler’s wild post-game spray vindicated as Titans grab shock win in coach’s milestone match

Not much has gone right for Des Hasler in 2025 but his post-match move may have inspired a late-season resurgence.

Not much has gone right for Titans coach Des Hasler in 2025, but his decision to spray his troops not once but twice after an embarrassing defeat to the Tigers last week has paid off.

Hasler was left seething after last week’s loss, and his frustration boiled over in a fiery locker room moment that was captured on camera.

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As Hasler entered the rooms to address his playing group, he was left infuriated by the sounds of the showers running.

The 64-year-old exploded into a fit of rage as he shouted at the players in the showers, forcing them to walk out and sit with the playing group.

According to Code Sports, Hasler’s on-camera outburst was actually his second spray because the Titans players didn’t respond sufficiently to his initial post-game spray.

“Des was furious,” an anonymous player agent said.

However, it did the trick, with his Gold Coast team producing an inspired performance in Hasler’s 500th game to stun the Warriors in New Zealand.

Des Hasler's spray last week led to an inspired Gold Coast performance on Saturday. Image: Getty/Fox

The Titans found themselves down 10-0 after just 11 minutes, but instead of rolling over like they have time and time again this year, they responded by turning the blowtorch on the Warriors.

They held off a rampant New Zealand side late to score a memorable eight-point win.

Hasler, who is widely tipped to retire at the end of the season, has never won the wooden spoon in his decorated 20-year coaching career.

And Sunday’s 24-16 upset victory in Auckland has given him a good chance of avoiding that in what is likely his final ever coaching stint.

The 64-year-old’s first season as an NRL head coach was in 2004, and over the next two decades, he guided clubs (Sea Eagles and Bulldogs) to four grand finals and two premierships.

Against the Warriors, he became just the sixth coach in history to oversee 500 first-grade games, behind Wayne Bennett (956*), Tim Sheens (693), Brian Smith (601), Craig Bellamy (594*) and Ricky Stuart (534*).

The upset victory in Auckland also dragged the Titans off the bottom of the ladder as they leapfrogged Bennett’s Rabbitohs.

Des Hasler got a win in his 500th game as head coach.

Meanwhile, the Warriors are stuttering at the wrong end of the season, and coach Andrew Webster admits there is plenty to fix before finals.

The Kiwis got out of jail last week with a miraculous last-second try to beat the Knights, but that victory only temporarily masked their problems, which were again on display against the Titans.

Webster said none of his players were celebrating on the team bus last week, and despite knowing they needed to seriously improve at home, they couldn’t get the job done against the bottom-placed Titans.

“We just weren’t good enough; it has nothing to do with where they sit on the table. We knew if they played good football, what they could offer,” Webster said.

“We just weren’t the way we wanted to be, and that’s always frustrating. They were at their best and we weren’t, and that’s what happens in the NRL, you get beaten.

“We need to get back to how we want to play and just have confidence and belief in each other.

“We need to make sure it’s a hard day for the opposition when they come here.”

Originally published as Des Hasler’s wild post-game spray vindicated as Titans grab shock win in coach’s milestone match