Fan perspective: ‘Des Hasler is the hero Manly needs right now’
AFTER his dramatic exit in 2011, Des Hasler was all but dead to myself and many Sea Eagles fans, despite having just won us the premiership. I never wanted him to return to my club. I was wrong.
Opinion
Don't miss out on the headlines from Opinion. Followed categories will be added to My News.
DES Hasler will return to the Northern Beaches in 2019 on a three year deal to coach the Manly Sea Eagles once again. And as a Manly fan I couldn’t be happier.
His return is a massive boost for the club, after finishing second last in a disastrous 2018 campaign. Des is just the guy that Manly needs to make the Sea Eagles great again.
While some may welcome the return of the prodigal son, others will need convincing.
Don’t get me wrong, after his dramatic exit in 2011, Des Hasler was all but dead to myself and many Sea Eagles fans, despite having just won us the premiership.
Never has a coach made me hate a team as much as Des made me hate the Bulldogs that year. After apparently trying to poach key Manly players and staff, fans felt betrayed and his instant success was excruciating to watch.
I never would have wanted him to return to my club, let alone even considered it being a possibility.
But as chatter of his return began to circulate, I had a change of heart after remembering how Des helped bring glory back to the Northern Beaches after the disastrous Northern Eagles merger.
With Manly fast becoming the NRL’s latest basket case, the club finds itself in a similar position to when Des first became coach in 2004. The club is clearly in need of change and this is something that Hasler does have a decent track record at.
When Des first started at the Sea Eagles, the club recovered from a forgettable few years, to play finals football for the first time since 1998. He built a star studded roster that would then go on to play finals every year until 2015 (the only team to do so over the same period).
They also made the grand final three times in five under Des, winning twice in 2008 and 2011.
Similarly, the Bulldogs lost their way after coming 2nd in 2009 under Kevin Moore, and needed a change after finishing 13th in 2010 and 9th in 2011. In comes Des Hasler and they win the minor premiership and qualify for the grand final in his first year at the club.
Manly needs a saviour at the moment and if anyone can help turn a team around, it’s Des. Bringing back some old blood, someone who knows the club better than any other coach, can only help Manly.
Captain Daly Cherry-Evans has also given his former mentor the seal of approval, backing a return to the ‘backs against the wall’ mentality.
Hasler isn’t perfect however, with his biggest black spot being the poor state he left both clubs in, after arguably having too much autonomy over the rosters.
Manly’s salary cap was a mess following his departure in 2011, with heavily back-ended contracts forcing Glenn Stewart out of the club.
Anthony Watmough was also shown the door in 2014 as the club was set to owe him around $1 million the following season.
The Bulldogs were also affected by salary cap mismanagement in 2018 and this looks set to continue for at least the next two seasons. After leaving the Dogs on a sour note and spending the year without a club, Des now needs Manly just as much as Manly need him.
While some Sea Eagles fans will still hold a grudge against Hasler, many still remember how Des made Manly one of the most dominant teams in the competition.
Manly have almost hit rock bottom and really have nothing to lose here, so Des should be welcomed back with open arms. But it needs to be different to last time and Manly need to keep the salary cap under control if they want to keep a wooden spoon at bay.
Des will have a good team on paper and can help the club get back that killer instinct it seems to have lost.