Monday Bunker: Is Michael Morgan currently the best player in the NRL?

MONDAY BUNKER: Sacked South Sydney coach Michael Maguire has emerged as a genuine contender to take over Des Hasler at Canterbury. Watch here!

SACKED South Sydney coach Michael Maguire has emerged as a genuine contender to take over from Des Hasler at Canterbury.

The Bulldogs have remained tight-lipped on the future of Hasler despite constant speculation his days are numbered.

The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield told The Monday Bunker that the word out of Belmore was that Hasler was as good as gone as coach.

“This Canterbury review is dawdling a little bit. Souths did theirs a lot quicker, the Titans made a quick decision too so I don’t know what the delay is at the Bulldogs,” Rothfield said.

“The people who I talk to have been telling me for weeks that Des is gone.

“He’s [Maguire] in the mix, for sure.”

Watch in the video player above!

Could Michael Maguire be headed to Belmore? Picture. Phil Hillyard

“I think Madge would do a great job over there. I think they treated him pretty poorly at the Rabbitohs. Their recruitment hasn’t been great, they let guys like Nathan Brown go to Parramatta and Luke Keary to the Roosters.

“But as a genuine footy coach I think he’d do a superb job at the Doggies”.

Michael Morgan has taken his game to the next level to spark the Cowboys’ finals charge, but is currently the best player in the NRL?

Roosters coach Trent Robinson thinks he can, but is his declaration that Morgan is the NRL’s best player merely a ploy to divert any pressure off his team and chief playmaker Mitchell Pearce?

Elsewhere in the NRL, Penrith great Ryan Girdler has slammed coach Anthony Griffin over the way the Panthers bowed out of the finals series.

He also says the club must come clean about what really is going on with Matt Moylan’s future.

The Courier-Mail’s Paul Malone provided an update from Brisbane’s training session on Monday. Fullback Darius Boyd was a notable absentee, while Corey Oates was on light duties after his brutal head knock against the Panthers.

Watch the full Monday Bunker in the player below!