Canterbury Bulldogs on verge of sacking head coach Des Hasler

BUZZ ROTHFIELD: You’d think a coach who made the NRL finals for five straight years and two grand finals would be entitled to some job security. Not Des Hasler.

Hasler after Saturday’s thrashing by Manly. Photo: Gregg Porteous

YOU’D think a coach who has made the NRL finals for five straight years and made two grand finals would be entitled to some job security.

In any business other than rugby league, you’d be safe and secure.

Not Des Hasler at the Canterbury Bulldogs, despite a long-term coaching record as impressive as the big guns Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bennett, Paul Green or anyone else.

SEA EAGLES SMASH BULLDOGS

HASLER OPEN TO TIGERS OFFER

Less than a week since the Wests Tigers sacked Jason Taylor, Hasler is now fighting to save his job and could go at any time.

This is fact, not speculation.

Bulldogs insiders told The Sunday Telegraph last week that the board would make the decision seven to 10 weeks into the competition.

Saturday night’s scoreline of 36-nil proved they mightn’t need that long. Not when the attack is so disjointed, so predictable, so lacklustre. They were bloody awful.

Hasler, in my opinion, is a great coach and his record speaks for itself. But he has made too many errors in recent years on the recruitment front, including:

• Let Michael Ennis go to the Sharks and let Damien Cook go to the Rabbitohs

• Paid too much for Michael Lichaa from the Cronulla Sharks.

• Paid way too much to keep Moses MBye, who hasn’t managed the playmaking role.

• Paid far too much for Tony “T Rex” Williams who had three poor seasons at the Bulldogs and soaked up far too much of their salary cap.

Hasler after Saturday’s thrashing by Manly. Photo: Gregg Porteous

The writing was on the wall for Hasler at the end of last season when the Bulldogs board stepped in and ordered the sacking of half his coaching staff.

It was the first sign that he had lost control. That the board was running the show and not the coach.

Canterbury’s biggest problem has been their spine. Lichaa, MBye and Will Hopoate or the youngster Brad Abbey are not in the same league as most of their rivals.

They play with little or no vision. But it comes back to the coach.

The Sunday Telegraph can reveal the Bulldogs board met in New Zealand last weekend with chief executive Raelene Castle. The coaching position was the hottest topic. They even threw around some potential names.

Not that anyone was expecting the debacle at Brookvale on Saturday afternoon.