Des Hasler contract clauses reveal Gold Coast Titans must finish in top eight or coach could be terminated in 2025
Des Hasler’s tenure at the Titans could end as early as this year after revelations of strict clauses that places his fate at the mercy of Gold Coast management. See the contract details that leave Hasler’s future in doubt.
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Des Hasler could be terminated as Gold Coast coach as early as this year with revelations his deal with the Titans is laden with performance clauses that protect the club against a significant financial hit.
It is understood Hasler’s three-year deal comes with strict clauses that protects the Titans should their poor run of form continue.
The clauses mean that Hasler needs to finish in the top eight this year in order to be guaranteed a third season at the Titans.
Gold Coast may be able to part ways with Hasler as soon as this year – it is believed without any financial repercussions – if it becomes a mathematical impossibility that the side will play finals.
Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell declined to comment on Hasler’s contract when contacted on Tuesday afternoon.
“We can’t speak to the terms of employment or any employee’s conditions,” Mitchell said. “It is confidential.”
Gold Coast are next to no chance of playing finals football this year with the club sitting second last on the premiership ladder with just two wins.
Their six competition points includes a bye and has them four points outside the top eight.
The TAB is no longer taking bets on the Titans in their “to miss the top eight” market, and also have Hasler’s side the $2.75 favourites to finish the season with the most losses.
Hasler’s recruitment was trumpeted as a three-year contract, but with just 10 wins from 31 games he is facing an uphill battle to ensure he remains in charge at the club next year.
He has the second worst winning record of any full-time Titans coach and after initial hopes that he could turn the club around, the signs have been discouraging for the Titans and their long-suffering fans.
In a bid to lift the club out of the doldrums, Hasler dumped star forward David Fifita to the Queensland Cup last week – only a fortnight after he was their best player in a loss to St George Illawarra.
Fifita has since taken an indefinite break to take care of an ankle injury that has troubled him since the pre-season.
Hasler’s future is just as murky given the emergence of clauses in his contract that are believed to give the Titans the option to cut the cord with the two-time premiership-winning coach within months.
The Titans are fighting issues on several fronts. Aside from the future of Hasler and Fifita, the club could also have a battle on their hands to retain captain Tino Fa’asuamaleaui given he has a series of clauses in his contract in coming years.
Hasler, though, is in the most immediate danger given the clauses in his deal. If the Titans decide that his time has come, it could signal the end of his coaching career.
At the age of 64, he is only 10 games shy of hitting the 500-game mark after stints at Manly, Canterbury and now the Gold Coast.
Only Wayne Bennett, Tim Sheens, Craig Bellamy, Ricky Stuart and Brian Smith have coached more games in the premiership than Hasler.
He also won two titles with Manly but his relationship with the club came to an inglorious end after he commenced legal action because of the Sea Eagles’ decision to sack him at the end of 2022.
His final year at Manly was plagued by the pride jersey fiasco which saw the club lose seven consecutive games. A finals finish would have triggered an automatic extension but instead he was axed and took the club to court, eventually settling on the steps of the courtroom for a confidential sum of money.
Hasler had previously taken the Bulldogs to court after his $1.2 million contract was terminated. Again, he settled on the court steps for a significant sum. The Titans, no doubt wary of Hasler’s litigious history, put provisions in their contract to protect them from the same fate.
Newcastle’s Adam O’Brien activated an extra year on his contract last year after his side finished inside the top 12 to ensure he will remain at the Knights until at least the end of 2027.
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