Locker Room: What makes comeback coaches Hasler, Flanagan tick

From the Mad Scientist to The Plumber, DAVID RICCIO takes you inside the minds of the two NRL comeback coaches, Des Hasler and Shane Flanagan.

Flanagan and Hasler for locker room

A few years ago, Des Hasler turned 60.

Hard to believe with the luscious locks of a Ken doll.

The story goes, however, that Hasler’s Manly Sea Eagles coaching staff at the time found some cardboard and a marker pen, right before the head coach pulled into the car park at Narrabeen.

Fresh from hip surgery, Hasler eased his way out of his car and bobbled up the stairs of his demountable office, where he was met by a huge sign stuck to the front door.

‘Slow Down. 60 zone,’ the sign read.

Hasler lowered his head with his Vidal Sassoon softened fringe falling into his eyes, as it does, and mumbled something beneath his breath.

The staff and players were hiding behind the bushes in hysterics.

Hasler loves a joke. Just not at his expense.

He would’ve preferred that nobody knew it was his birthday.

Just like this column, he would prefer that no one highlight his return to NRL coaching with the Gold Coast Titans, for fear of, dare we say it, elevating the club from where Hasler lives and breathes, under the radar.

Former Bulldog James Graham talks with coach Des Hasler during his tenure at the club. Picture Gregg Porteous

Hasler is back after a sorry and litigious exit from his beloved Manly at the end of 2022.

“To many fans, the Titans are not even under the radar, they’re off the radar, so that club suits Des down to the ground,‘’ James Graham, who Hasler made captain of at Canterbury in 2015, said.

“The big test will come if the Titans start to build up the victories and they create more attention, then we’ll really look to see Des work his magic and use his unique style to deflect.”

So what does Hasler bring to the underachieving Titans?

In a recent podcast with Andy Raymond, Ben Barba spoke of the influence of Hasler on both himself and a Canterbury side that would advance to the 2012 grand final.

“Des pushed me to the edge and made me the player I was that year,” Barba, who won the Dally M medal that season, said.

“The beaut thing with Des is that he took all the pressure off his players.

“He would do so much work.

Hasler made two grand finals with the Bulldogs. Picture: AAP Image/Paul Miller

“We used to laugh at him when we’d be doing weights and we’d be listening to our rap music and we could see him in this locked office just stressing and pulling his hair out and giving it to Crusher (Noel Cleal).

“That’s the coach he was.

“He’d have your back through anything and allowed us to be that relaxed because all we had to do is go out and execute his plan.”

Outside of winning, Hasler already has a major challenge on his hands.

That is, to convince marquee forward David Fifita to stay on the Coast.

Fifita has a clause in his contract that allows him to leave at the end of this season, if he isn’t enjoying life under the new coach.

Graham says Hasler would be using all his coaching experience to entrust Fifita.

“We know he’s the Mad Scientist, but don’t underestimate the psychologist aspect as well,” Graham said.

“Des will look to the senior figures like Kieran Foran, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Fifita to get them on side and to buy in, so the rest of the group follows, all the smart coaches do that, and Des is no different.”

The return of the Nutty Professor, the Mad Scientist or simply Dessie, also coincides with the return to top-flight coaching of St George-Illawarra’s Shane Flanagan.

Rugby League is a better place for having both coaches back in the NRL.

Flanno, a plumber by trade, showed at Cronulla he’s willing to stick his head down a black hole to pull out some magic.

He is back in the NRL after six years of perseverance.

“In the end, I love the game. It’s what I have done all my life,” Flanagan said.

“I was always hopeful of coming back, so I feel really privileged and honoured to be able to come back at a club like this and make change.”

Shane Flanagan with Michael Ennis during Cronulla training. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Dragons fans are salivating at the brutal honesty that has accompanied Flanagan’s arrival.

He’s been as subtle as a wrench.

Players have been moved on, players have been brought in and others, like $800,000 talent Zac Lomax has been shifted from centre to the wing.
“For Dragons fans, whether they’re Zac Lomax fans or not, they just want two competition points. That’s my job to get that,’’ Flanagan said.

Michael Ennis won a premiership with Flanagan in 2016 at the Sharks.

Ennis already knows what the Dragons will resemble in 2024.

“There’s character that Flanno instils within his teams,” Ennis said.

“It’s definitely about being a physical presence, and with that, a belief that we may not be the most skilful team, we may not have the best roster in the NRL, but to beat us, you’re going to have to outwork us.

“Although we’ve signs of it in the trials, it will be progressive as the season goes on.”

Combined Hasler and Flanagan have coaches their teams to 42 finals series.

The NRL competition is stronger for having both of them back in it.