NRL 2023: How Manly Sea Eagles plan to fight against former coach Des Hasler in court

The Sea Eagles are in the midst of a courtroom brawl with one of their club legends. We reveal the claims the Sea Eagles are set to make against their former coach Des Hasler.

Manly will claim that former coach Des Hasler insisted the teams would wear the pride jersey, which eventually brought about his undoing. Picture: NRL Imagery

Manly are preparing to subpoena phone records, emails and text messages to back up a bombshell claim that former coach Des Hasler insisted the team should wear the pride jersey which eventually brought about his undoing.

The Sea Eagles and club icon Hasler are now in the midst of a bitter courtroom brawl with the two-time premiership winning coach taking legal action against Manly after he was sacked last year.

This masthead has obtained explosive information which will form part of Manly’s defence after Hasler commenced legal action in the NSW Supreme Court, which is set to get underway on October 20, more than 12 months after he first forecast his intention to sue.

Manly will claim that former coach Des Hasler insisted the team would wear the pride jersey, which eventually brought about his undoing. Picture: NRL Imagery

They include;

– The Manly board claiming it wanted to scrap the pride jersey in the days leading up to their round 20 clash against the Sydney Roosters on July 28 last year. According to a confidential source, the Sea Eagles board suggested to Hasler they should return to their regular home uniform pending more detailed discussions surrounding the jersey. Manly will claim that Hasler insisted to the board the players who wanted to stand down should do so and they should wear the rainbow-inspired jersey.

– The Sea Eagles will allege Hasler ‘bullied’ the board into wearing the jersey and he would happily replace the players should they stand down. Seven players boycotted the game.

– Manly’s legal team will also suggest there was a split playing between players Hasler is alleged to have favoured and those that he didn’t.

– The Sea Eagles will claim acting chief executive Gary Wolman offered to attend the press conference before the game, alongside Hasler and skipper Daly Cherry-Evans. Manly will allege that Hasler told Wolman not to come. It was here Hasler pointed the blame directly towards club bosses, labelling the handling of the situation as “poor management”.

Manly will claim that Hasler insisted acting CEO Gary Wolman not attend the now infamous press conference discussing the pride jersey. Picture: NCA Newswire

– The board were shocked Hasler claimed he had no prior knowledge of the jersey despite his direct report and others in the football department having known for month. “Des was such a micro manager,” a Sea Eagles source said. “It would be incredible that he didn’t know.” Hasler has long claimed he was unaware of the club’s intentions to wear the jersey.

Manly are prepared to blow everything wide open and will request the phone records, emails and text messages of Hasler as well as key staff to determine who knew what during the club’s pride jersey fiasco.

Hasler’s contract was filled with performance based extension clauses. A top four finish in 2021 meant he had a deal for this year. However, the Sea Eagles needed a top six finish in 2022 to trigger a 2024 contract.

Hasler is seeking compensation after his contract was terminated in October last year with a year to run.

The Sea Eagles were in ninth prior to their round 20 clash against the Roosters. They failed to win another game to slump to 11th on the premiership ladder before Hasler was sacked.

The Sea Eagles were coming ninth before the pride jersey saga and failed to win another game for the rest of the season afterwards. Picture: Getty Images.

It is understood Hasler had a termination agreement in his contract at Manly of at least six months pay but delayed accepting the payout figure as it kept the door open for legal action. The parties had been trying to reach an out-of-court settlement.

The legal fight comes as Hasler prepares to return to coaching with the Gold Coast Titans after joining the club on a three-year deal.

Hasler has been meeting Titans players in the background and will officially take charge of the club when they return to training in November.

Hasler looks set to head to court for the second time to sue a club for damages – he took the Bulldogs to the Supreme Court after being sacked by the club at the end of 2017. They reached an out-of-court settlement after Hasler wanted his $2.4 million contract paid out.