NRL 2024: Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler refuses to discuss Manly court case ahead of Sea Eagles grudge match

Winless Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler conducted his longest press conference of the season, but there was one topic strictly off limits ahead of his grudge match with former club Manly.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA – MARCH 30: Des Hasler head coach of the Titans speaks to the media during the round four NRL match between Gold Coast Titans and Dolphins at Cbus Super Stadium, on March 30, 2024, in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Des Hasler has dodged questions about his $1.2 million courtroom spat with Manly, insisting his focus is on snapping Gold Coast’s five-game losing streak in a grudge match against the Sea Eagles.

Hasler will come face-to-face with the Manly club that sacked him for the first time since his 2022 dismissal when he leads the Titans into Saturday’s round 7 contest at Cbus Super Stadium.

Hasler won multiple premierships as a player and coach with Manly and is regarded as one of the club’s all-time greats.

However he departed Brookvale Oval on bitter terms after being given his marching orders on the back of seven straight losses and the pride jersey scandal that engulfed the club.

Hasler, 63, and Manly remain locked in a contractual spat over a disputed severance package, which is set to return to court next month.

Before his pre-game press conference on Friday, Hasler told reporters he would not be answering questions about the legal fight and he was focused on securing his first win as Titans coach.

Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler won’t talk about his legal spat with Manly. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“It is great memories and fond memories and something that you will always cherish for a long time,” Hasler said of his time at Manly.

“You lean back and remember the experience (but) I am pretty excited about the prospects here at the Titans. Our aim is to make the Titans club very competitive and we will build from there.

“If you look at the way we have started, a win for us is the biggest meaning at the moment.

“Manly have been playing pretty good footy and have been pretty consistent with a lot of genuine threats across the park.

“For us, the concentration is about what we can control and what we need to do better as a team.

“We took a lot out of last week (21-20 loss to Canberra). When you break it down there were some good signs there.”

Hasler won the 2008 and 2011 NRL premierships in charge of Manly before taking the Bulldogs to two grand finals.

He returned to the Sea Eagles in 2019 and enjoyed a preliminary finals appearance in 2021, coaching superstars Tom Trbojevic and Daly Cherry-Evans.

Hasler has a lot on his plate trying to secure Gold Coast’s first win of 2024. Picture: Supplied

Now he must find a way to shut-down the in-form Manly, but denied his history with the club would help the Titans.

“I don’t think I have any advantage knowing those players at all,” he said.

As for how to halt ‘Tommy Turbo’ Trbojevic?

“Don’t give him the ball,” was all Hasler offered.

In his longest press conference of the year, a grand total of five minutes and 43 seconds, Hasler addressed his reported post-game confrontation with Raiders rival Ricky Stuart following last week’s controversial golden point loss.

“That was the biggest gee-up ever,” he said.

“We played them off a break there. Nothing at all. We are still laughing about it.

“It is what it is against Canberra. You’ve got to take the good with the bad.

“We need to address – particularly around the way the game is being played at the moment and the way the game is being won at the moment – it is all based around possession and we haven’t been good at that.”

Hasler has a long and complicated history with Manly. Picture: NRL Photos

The Sea Eagles jetted into the Gold Coast on Friday and Hasler’s replacement at Manly, Anthony Seibold, said the showdown hadn’t been discussed.

“I certainly haven’t raised it with the group and I haven’t heard any of the boys talk about it,” Seibold said.

“Des is an absolute legend of our club – he won premierships as a player, a couple of premierships as a coach.

“He has a long and really valued history here. I don’t know Des too well but every time I have met him he has been a real gentleman.

“I am sure he will be out to spoil us this weekend. Human nature suggests that (he will have extra motivation).

“There are quite a few ex-Manly staff on the Titans staff. They know the boys really well.

“We have to make sure we focus on what we can get right, which is our preparation. It’s a good opportunity for us to get up there and try to continue improving.”