FOUR months ago, Manly had the chance to lock up Des Hasler until 2015 for just $550,000 a season.
And they blew it.
Now a vicious blame game has erupted at Brookvale over perhaps the greatest bungle in the club's 64-year history, which will this morning result in Hasler announcing a three-year deal to coach Canterbury from 2013 onwards.
The Daily Telegraph has also learned Sea Eagles co-owners Scott Penn and Quantum launched a last-ditch bid to keep Hasler on Wednesday, offering him $850,000 a season to remain at Manly until 2016.
But Hasler had already decided to leave, agreeing to terms with the Bulldogs on a deal worth slightly less last Friday - just 48 hours before his Sea Eagles won the grand final.
Manly's opportunity to secure Hasler long-term came in June, when a sub-committee was formed to negotiate a two-year extension.
With Wayne Bennett's $1 million-plus deal to join Newcastle announced just a few weeks earlier, Hasler wanted a pay rise to continue beyond the completion of his current deal in 2012. He also had an option in his favour for next year, which was exercised via a brief letter to Penn at the end of June.
But the Sea Eagles baulked at meeting Hasler's financial demands for an additional two-year deal.
It's believed the coach wanted $550,000 a season - a modest amount given his achievements since.
Manly, however, was under the fiscal pump. Without a major sponsor at the time, it was facing a $1.4 million loss and had approached the NRL for advances on its annual grant.
The precarious situation had stakeholders Penn, Quantum and Manly Leagues Club under enormous pressure to balance the books.
The acquisition of new major sponsor Kaspersky gave them some much-needed breathing space, and officials felt they had more time to negotiate with Hasler after his option to stay in 2012 was exercised.
Enter the Bulldogs.
With the backing of its mega-rich Leagues Club, Canterbury was perhaps the only Sydney club with the financial clout to make Hasler consider the unthinkable.
And after two years of failure, only a big-name coach would suffice.
Although caretaker Jim Dymock had done admirably in the wake of Kevin Moore's mid-season axing, Canterbury's cashed-up board was always reluctant to take a punt on another rookie.
Because there's more at stake at Belmore than on-field results.
The current board faces an election in February, and to answer challengers it needed to produce a high-profile coach.
So shortly before the finals Hasler was approached with a handsome cheque, aided and abetted by one of the code's slickest middle men - George Mimis.
The story broke soon afterwards and finally came to a head after last Sunday's decider, when Hasler was asked directly about his future.
"I'll be at Manly next year," he deadpanned.
But there was no public commitment beyond next season. And now we know why.
Penn and board member Phil Sidney, owner of Quantum, were still unaware of Hasler's intention to defect this week. They met him on Wednesday morning and discussed a three-year extension, believed to be worth $850,000 a season.
With the help of Leagues Club chairman Bob Reilly they even secured financial contributions from sponsors, who were loathe to see Hasler go. But it was simply too late.
Now Manly face a tough decision over whether to keep Hasler on for 2012, knowing full well that he intends to take many of the club's coaching staff across the spit in 2013.
Indications last night were that Manly would stand firm and compel Hasler to fulfil the final year of his deal. Reilly, whose faction controls three of the seven votes on the board, said he wanted Hasler to stay.
"Des has the job for as long as he wants," Reilly said. "There's no doubt in the world I'll be voting for him to stay. In my opinion he's the best coach in the game - better than Bennett and (Craig) Bellamy."It's understood Penn - who controls two votes - feels the same way, meaning the numbers will prevent Canterbury from getting their hands on Hasler a year early.
