The Bulldogs board faced being thrown out if it didn’t sack Des Hasler
DES Hasler was a victim of his own stubbornness but the Bulldogs board knew their positions were in jeopardy if they didn’t sack their coach. PHIL ROTHFIELD ANALYSIS.
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THERE has never been a more successful coach sacked by an NRL club.
In six seasons at the Canterbury Bulldogs, Des Hasler made two grand finals and the semis every year but 2017.
Yet it wasn’t considered good enough.
All up he’s made the semi-finals in 12 out of 14 years in first grade coaching at the Dogs and the Sea Eagles, which is second to only Craig Bellamy at Melbourne Storm.
Other clubs would kill for that sort of consistency and strike rate but not the Bulldogs.
Forget the end-of-season review, the Bulldogs made their decision weeks ago.
He was gone before they won their last three games of the season, against the Sea Eagles, the Titans and the St George Illawarra Dragons.
It was a decision the Canterbury board members made to protect themselves.
They knew that if Hasler stayed they’d have been thrown out themselves at February’s annual general meeting.
Hasler was not popular with the fans or members because their attack was so poor this year. The worst in Canterbury’s history.
For all his coaching success at Manly and the Bulldogs over the years, Hasler just couldn’t fix their attack. They were painful to watch. Former players turned on him.
It was either Steve Mortimer or Terry Lamb barking in the media.
Hasler, they said, didn’t suit or understand the Canterbury culture. Mortimer even resigned from the board in protest when Hasler’s contract was extended.
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But finally they got their way. Not that Hasler saw it coming.
Every day since the Bulldogs played their last game against the Dragons, he’s been at work before 7am.
An absolute workaholic.
Planning for 2018.
Putting programs in place for the off-season.
Looking at ways to trim his salary cap and everything else NRL head coaches do this time of the year when their team has bowed out early.
At the end of the day, Hasler’s stubbornness wouldn’t have helped his cause.
When it became obvious midway through the season his attack and structures weren’t working, he was reluctant to change.
That it had worked for him in previous years was no longer relevant.
Sources say his payout will be way short of the $2 million deal he signed just a few months ago.
His actual contract extension had not been signed.
The Bulldogs ran it past a Queens Counsel before making the decision to terminate the contract.
He walks away with around $250,000.
There are now few options available outside of the Gold Coast Titans.
Or possibly the NSW Blues as Laurie Daley’s replacement for State of Origin.
Whatever happens, he won’t be lost to rugby league.
He’s too good a coach to be unemployed for long.
As for the next Canterbury coach, it’s more than likely to be Ricky Stuart’s assistant at the Canberra Raiders, Dean Pay. He’ll have Jimmy Dymock as second in charge.
Two old Bulldogs warhorses . . . and just what the fans want.
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