NRL 2023: Des Hasler reveals plans to stay at Manly amid Anthony Seibold succession plan

Des Hasler will tell Manly he still wants to coach in 2023 and is willing to work alongside Anthony Seibold, as he prepares to show up for day one of off-season training.

Potential Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold.

In a stunning twist, a defiant Des Hasler will tell club management he wants to coach Manly next season – and plans on showing up next month for day one of the club’s off-season training.

And Hasler will also inform Sea Eagles officials he would be prepared to work alongside coach-in-waiting, Anthony Seibold, during 2023.

Despite a general acceptance Hasler would walk away, the veteran coach is “ready, willing and able” to take his club into another season at Brookvale.

Put simply, Hasler isn’t going down without one hell of a fight.

Des Hasler is digging his heels in at Manly and wants to remain coaching the Sea Eagles in 2023. Picture: Getty Images.

“Des is ready for 2023 and is happy to work proactively with anyone,” said a close Hasler confidant.

“It’s certainly Des’ intention to continue. He knows Manly won’t make it easy for him but he wants to coach and he has a contract. He intends to be there.

“His employment may appear untenable but he won’t walk away. He is ready, willing and able to work with the board so they can achieve their goals.”

Manly will now have to sack Hasler if they want him out of the club for next season.

It is understood the Sea Eagles will hold another board meeting on Thursday morning where the Hasler drama will once again be discussed and dissected.

Hasler is reportedly willing to work alongside Anthony Seibold at the club. Picture: AAP.

There is a strong element within Manly that anticipated Hasler would quit quietly after the club revealed he would not be re-signed for 2024.

That may have been an easy solution for Manly but Hasler is digging in.

Those close to Hasler now wonder whether Manly has the temerity and courage to sack their esteemed coach for next season.

Dumping a two-time premiership-winning coach would cause uproar among Manly’s Hasler-aligned fans and members.

Manly returns to training in the second week of November and, at this point, Hasler plans on being there to greet his players.

The Manly-Hasler narrative continues to change daily but, as of Wednesday afternoon, the coach wasn’t going anywhere.

Some close to the drama remain adamant Hasler won’t be at Manly next season but any decision on the coach would have to come from Manly.

Hasler knows Seibold and claims the pair could coach together.

Hasler is planning on being at Brookvale Oval on the first day of off-season training in November. Picture: Daily Telegraph.

Some close to Hasler even suggest he could coach next year with a new-found freedom with Seibold present to confront all the contentious issues that arise from a high-pressure rugby league season.

The confidant said: “Is Des happy to work to support the board with its desires? Of course he is. He is happy to support any organisation and their desires. He did so at Canterbury for many years, quite constructively. Des doesn’t have an issue with ‘Seibs’.

“Des could enjoy next season and build something special. There is a strong likelihood Des could drive Manly well into the top eight. He could hand back some responsibility and focus only on his coaching. He is their most capped coach.”

DES’S DEADLINE AS SEIBOLD PREPARES TO SWOOP

—Brent Read

Manly owner and chair Scott Penn has confirmed that Des Hasler has until the end of the week to decide whether he will remain as Sea Eagles coach as the club takes steps to future-proof their football success

News Corp reported last week that Hasler had put a deadline on Hasler to accept a raft of changes that seriously dilute his power and enshrine his departure at the end of next season.

Penn confirmed the report and said the club was still waiting on Hasler’s response. The changes would result in Hasler losing his power over recruitment and appointment of his own assistant coaches.

“We sent him a letter last week with what we’re looking for,” Penn said.

“He has until the end of the week to come back to us. We’re waiting on his response.

“There’s nothing more to add. We have to future-proof the football department. We just want a succession plan.”

Scott Penn (left) pictured with Des Hasler after Hasler joined the club in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Brendan Esposito

Former Brisbane and South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold has emerged as a key pillar of that succession plan and his bid to return to the NRL has received a helping hand from his former boss after Brisbane chair Karl Morris revealed he had provided a character reference to Penn.

Morris, who was at the helm of the Broncos during Seibold’s ill-fated stint at the NRL powerhouse, said he would be delighted to see the club’s former coach given another chance as a head coach.

Seibold has been earmarked as his successor, although his move into the top job could be fast-tracked as Sea Eagles officials lock horns with Hasler over the path forward.

Hasler wants to stay until the end of 2024 and then make way for his successor. Manly powerbrokers insist the changeover has to take place at the end of 2023, with Seibold their preferred option. If the parties fail to find common ground, Seibold may be parachuted in straight away.

Former Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is the favourite to take over from Des Hasler at Manly. Picture: Peter Wallis

“The bloke can coach,” Morris said.

“In sport, sometimes it is about timing. When he joined the Broncos, there was a lot of noise around the appointment, at that time we were dealing with Covid, his family stayed behind in Sydney.

“Like most things in life, timing is everything. At that point in time it wasn’t right. I couldn’t be more delighted if he was given a second opportunity.”

Seibold had two years to forget in Brisbane. Taking over from seven-time premiership winner Wayne Bennett in controversial circumstances, he led the Broncos to the finals in his first year but things rapidly soured in the second year as Brisbane finished with the first wooden spoon in their history.

Broncos chair Karl Morris. Picture: Annette Dew

Seibold and the club eventually parted ways but he has slowly rebuilt his reputation working alongside Adam O’Brien in Newcastle and Eddie Jones with the English rugby union side.

Crucially, he is a local on Sydney’s northern beaches and has previously coached at the club - he was an assistant at Manly before joining South Sydney, where he was eventually promoted to the top job and won Dally M coach of the year.

Even when he moved to Brisbane, his family home remained on the northern beaches. Morris confirmed that Penn had reached out to him to gain an insight into Seibold as the Sea Eagles’ completed their due diligence on the man they want to take over from Hasler.

“Scott is a personal friend of mine,” Morris said.

“Why wouldn’t he [reach out to me], as I would ring him if we were looking at a similar thing. I was asked for a character reference in relation to Anthony and that is what I gave.

“I got to know him very well when he was here in Brisbane. I always thought he was a good and decent fella, and he can coach.”

BRONCO’S BEHIND-THE-SCENES ROLE IN SEIBOLD MANLY MOVE

Anthony Seibold’s bid to return to the NRL has received a helping hand from his former boss after Brisbane chair Karl Morris revealed he had provided a character reference to Manly owner and friend Scott Penn.

Morris, who was at the helm of the Broncos during Seibold’s ill-fated stint at the NRL powerhouse, said he would be delighted to see the club’s former coach given another chance as a head coach.

He may get his wish in coming days as Manly prepare to make a call on the future of their coach Des Hasler.

Seibold has been earmarked as his successor, although his move into the top job could be fast-tracked as Sea Eagles officials lock horns with Hasler over the path forward.

Hasler wants to stay until the end of 2024 and then make way for his successor.

Manly powerbrokers insist the changeover has to take place at the end of 2023, with Seibold their preferred option. If the parties fail to find common ground, Seibold may be parachuted in straight away.

“The bloke can coach,” Morris said. “In sport, sometimes it is about timing. When he joined the Broncos, there was a lot of noise around the appointment, at that time we were dealing with Covid, his family stayed behind in Sydney.

“Like most things in life, timing is everything. At that point in time it wasn’t right. I couldn’t be more delighted if he was given a second opportunity.”

Seibold had two years to forget in Brisbane. Taking over from seven-time premiership winner Wayne Bennett in controversial circumstances, he led the Broncos to the finals in his first year but things rapidly soured in the second year as Brisbane finished with the first wooden spoon in their history.

Seibold and the club eventually parted ways but he has slowly rebuilt his reputation working alongside Adam O’Brien in Newcastle and Eddie Jones with the English rugby union side.

Crucially, he is a local on Sydney’s northern beaches and has previously coached at the club - he was an assistant at Manly before joining South Sydney, where he was eventually promoted to the top job and won Dally M coach of the year.

Even when he moved to Brisbane, his family home remained on the northern beaches. Morris confirmed that Penn had reached out to him to gain an insight into Seibold as the Sea Eagles’ completed their due diligence on the man they want to take over from Hasler.

“Scott is a personal friend of mine,” Morris said.

“Why wouldn’t he [reach out to me], as I would ring him if we were looking at a similar thing. I was asked for a character reference in relation to Anthony and that is what I gave.

“I got to know him very well when he was here in Brisbane. I always thought he was a good and decent fella, and he can coach.”