NRL 2024: Des Hasler to lock horns with Manly Sea Eagles as court date looms, how his club legacy was tarnished
Des Hasler will lock horns with Manly this week, a precursor to an impending court date with his former club. From the pride jersey fiasco to the ongoing legal battle, see how Hasler’s Manly legacy was crushed.
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At the height of Manly’s civil war with Des Hasler about 18 months ago, the Sea Eagles pitched their own vision for the club’s coaching future.
Hasler was clinging to the top job and the Manly hierarchy had identified Anthony Seibold as the man they wanted, initially as an assistant and then as Hasler’s successor as head coach.
It was one of five conditions that the Sea Eagles put to Hasler as they grappled with his future. The club had been on a losing streak stretching back to the Pride jersey fiasco and chief executive Tony Mestrov had been ushered in with a charter to make change.
Hasler’s future was his top priority and he wasted no time confronting the simmering issues at the Sea Eagles, the most significant the power of the man who had delivered the club two premierships and the nascent plans to eventually replace him.
Seibold was the club’s chosen one. His tenure at Brisbane had come to a bitter end but he had some heavyweight short in his corner for a storeyed comeback – Brisbane chair Karl Morris was among those to provide a reference to Manly chair Scot Penn.
Hasler wanted Josh Hannay, on the coaching staff at Cronulla and Billy Slater’s right hand man with the Queensland State of Origin side.
It was a sticking point that would never be resolved. In the blink of an eye, it was over. By the time Hasler had fallen into line and belatedly accepted Manly’s plan for the Seibold succession plan through gritted teeth, the two-time premiership winner was given his marching orders, the precursor to legal action which threatens to boil over as Hasler hosts Seibold and Manly on the Gold Coast this weekend.
Mediation talks between the Sea Eagles and their former coach have ground to a stunning halt and the matter will head to court in May, when a hearing date will be set for an explosive showdown that threatens to put some of the game’s biggest names in the witness stand.
Hasler and Seibold will be called on to give evidence. So too Manly chair Scott Penn and Mestrov. The English Rugby Union could also be subpoenaed given Seibold was in their employment when he was first approached about a return to the NRL at Manly.
Hasler’s camp will want to know details around the conversations between Seibold, Manly and English Rugby. It makes for an intriguing subplot to Saturday night’s game at Cbus Super Stadium as Hasler goes searching for his first win at the Titans against the club that showed him he door, but also furnished his mantelpiece with two premiership trophies.
THE DEBACLE
Manly put up four players for media earlier this week. Significantly, none of the four were at the club when the Pride jersey debacle unfolded, ruining Manly’s 2022 season and, according to Hasler, costing him any hope of an extension.
Club officials have also kept their head down this week, wary of inflaming a tense situation that remains before the courts. Bad blood still flows.
The end of Hasler’s time at Manly were covered in minute detail and evidence provided in documents filed with the Supreme Court of NSW provide a brutal reminder of the drama that unfolded at Manly in July 2022 and ultimately contributed to Hasler’s demise later that year.
At the heart of the issue was a jersey that was meant to unite, but ended up driving a wedge through the club and its senior officials.
Manly publicly announced their special jersey – the ‘Everyone in League Special Jersey’ – on July 24 ahead of they game against the Sydney Roosters on July 28.
Aware that as many as seven players were reluctant to wear the jersey citing their personal and religious beliefs. Manly say they held a board meeting on July 25 where Hasler was present to discuss whether the team would wear the jersey in the Roosters game.
According to the documents, Hasler was told it would be up to him whether the team would wear the jersey or instead wear their usual jerseys against the Roosters.
“…. and the first plaintiff (Hasler) stated the Rainbow jersey should be worn, that he had players ready to replace any players who did not want to wear the Rainbow jersey, and urged the board to confirm the Rainbow jersey would be worn, and the board endorsed his decision,” the documents note.
Hasler’s claims differ markedly. According to his statement, Manly were “unwavering” in their insistence that first grade players at the club wear the Rainbow jersey, resulting in a heavy loss that kicked off a succession of defeats.
The Sea Eagles finished the 2022 season in 11th place but club officials in court documents played down the impact of the Pride jersey fiasco, instead pointing to the fact they had already lost to some of those sides during the season and superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic was absent with injury during that period.
THE CLAUSES
Hasler’s contract with Manly was riddled with clauses. Under the terms of his deal, Hasler earned $680,000 in 2021 and $720,000 in 2022.
If he retained his job, he was scheduled to earn another $720,000 in 2023 and 2024.
Hasler also held an ambassador role that ran in conjunction with his coaching deal, believed to be worth about $200,000 a season and paid into a company account – trading under the name Esalglop Pty Ltd – that he shared with his wife Christine.
Furthermore, there were bonuses factored in that meant Manly were on the hook for more than $1 million if they cut him loose without just cause or in breach of their deal.
There were other clauses related to the contract that will become crucial to Hasler’s case against Manly.
Hasler originally signed until the end of 2022 but he had a clause that automatically triggered an extension until the end of 2023 if he made the top eight in 2021.
If the club didn’t make the top eight in 2021, Manly had the capacity to extend the deal regardless by May 31 in 2022. That clause never came not effect because Manly finished 2021 in eighth spot, which meant Hasler triggered the automatic extension.
However, there was another clause in the contract that should Manly fail to make the finals in 2022 and decide to cut Hasler loose, they could do so provided they made a lump one-off sum payment to Hasler equal to six months of his coaching and ambassadorial contract.
Manly relied on that clause when they eventually swung the axe and offered Hasler a payout. Hasler quickly rejected it.
According to his statement, there was an implied term in the contract as well – the Sea Eagles would not take any step in the administration of the club to prejudice the performance of the team during Hasler’s tenure.
In Hasler’s eyes, the Pride jersey fiasco did just that and as a result, he was hamstrung in his attempts to earn another contract extension.
THE FALLOUT
Buried in the opening few pages of the Sea Eagles’ financial report for the 2021 season, which was lodged in 2023, is an acknowledgment of the repercussions should things fall Hasler’s way.
The Sea Eagles initially offered Hasler a settlement in “good faith” of $565,000. However, there was a concession that if the matter wasn’t settled on good terms and litigation was to follow, an adverse decision could result in Manly facing an outlay of nearly $1.2 million.
Hasler has shown few signs of relenting and anyone who knows the Gold Coast coach knows he still has his first penny. Stories of his thriftiness are spread far and wide throughout the rugby league world.
The fact he has landed on his feet at the Titans has done little to put off his pursuit of what he believes he is owed. Even the Titans’ poor start to the year hasn’t been enough to convince Hasler to settle his legal case against Manly.
If anything, it has added another dimension to Saturday night’s game on the Gold Coast, where Hasler will cross paths with some of the key figures who played a part in his demise.
Hasler hasn’t forgotten. Nor forgiven given he is chasing the club through the courts. He wants what he believes he is owed. He will also head to Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday night chasing a win.
The Titans desperately need one. Hasler would love this one more than most.
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