Des Hasler’s two-year NRL contract extension at Canterbury Bulldogs may take time
CANTERBURY have trumpeted a looming two-year extension for coach Des Hasler but the deal is far from finalised.
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Canterbury have trumpeted a looming two-year extension for coach Des Hasler but the deal is far from finalised.
Despite assurances from Bulldogs CEO Raelene Castle that a contract renewal is imminent, Hasler is yet to agree to the terms and conditions.
In a bid to fast-track the deal, Canterbury officials approached the former Manly mentor about penning a contract moments after Thursday’s 10-7 victory over Brisbane.
However, Hasler indicated he needs more time to survey the contract before inking a deal. The Saturday Telegraph has been told this process may take several weeks.
While Friday’s win against Brisbane has helped ease pressure on Hasler, the reality is he still faces discontent from some board members.
He has also faced criticism from club legends like Steve Mortimer and Terry Lamb, who claim he doesn’t understand the Bulldogs’ DNA and culture.
This angst and internal politics is a major reason why his contract negotiations have lasted for almost 12 months.
On May 5 last year, Castle told The Daily Telegraph she was deep in negotiations to keep Hasler at Belmore until the end of 2019.
She indicated the two-year deal would make the ex-Manly mentor one of the longest serving coaches in Canterbury’s proud history.
“We (Canterbury) have been in dialogue for a number of weeks with Des’ management about a contract extension,” Castle said.
“Des has brought a significant level of professionalism to the Bulldogs and continues to demand success in line with our strategic plan.”
Castle’s contract extension claims followed intense speculation Hasler was under pressure to retain his position at the Bulldogs.
This was largely due to some board members calling for contract talks to be placed on hold until they saw improvement and a greater focus on junior development.
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At the time Castle said these suggestions were nothing but “rumour”, however these internal rumblings have played a significant role in the holdup of Hasler’s contract extension at the Bulldogs.
Despite these influences, it’s understood the ex-Sea Eagles coach is strongly tipped to re-sign with Canterbury on a two-year deal in the coming weeks.
Since joining the club in 2012 from Manly, Hasler has taken the Bulldogs to two grand finals, in his first season and in 2014.
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