Hasler to coach in 2018

[BennyV]

All correct.

Hasler is a good coach, one of the best in the game. But not even he and an awesome pack of forwards will go far when you have the wrong players in key positions. Lichaa, Mbye, Reynolds and Hopoate are probably a worse spine than ours. Their attack was as bad as ours.

He did win 2 comps at Manly when he had the likes of Orford, Stewart, DCE, Foran, Lyon etc pulling the strings. Proper spine players who know how to play footy.

Hasler is a good coach but he's not a miracle worker. If he does come in 2018, with a possible spine containing Hunt, Field, Dufty, Mann etc, there are endless possibilities.

What he did with the Bulldogs in the first year he went there was incredible, completely overhauled their structure and no one knew how to combat it until Storm tore them apart in the grand final.

He's made a few very poor decisions with retention (letting Ennis go for an untried rookie was ridiculous in hindsight, and if he'd run with Hodkinson/MBye last year instead of Reynolds they'd have faired much better) but I'm with you, very very good coach and we'd be lucky to grab him.

 

[giboz71]

What he did with the Bulldogs in the first year he went there was incredible, completely overhauled their structure and no one knew how to combat it until Storm tore them apart in the grand final.

He's made a few very poor decisions with retention (letting Ennis go for an untried rookie was ridiculous in hindsight, and if he'd run with Hodkinson/MBye last year instead of Reynolds they'd have faired much better) but I'm with you, very very good coach and we'd be lucky to grab him.

The Grand Final years in 2012 and 2014 had 2 important components. A hard nosed hooker and leader in Ennis, and a proper organising half in Hodkinson. Add an electrifying fullback in Barba in 2012 who had a year similar to Hayne in 2009.

These components have been missing the last 2 years and no amount of coaching will help your results if you have the wrong players steering the ship. Ennis especially was a huge loss and the Sharks wouldn't have won a comp without him.

Hence even if we do get Hasler in 2018, we still need the right guys steering the ship. Hunt is a good start, and if Field and Dufty develop, even better.

 

[BennyV]

The Grand Final years in 2012 and 2014 had 2 important components. A hard nosed hooker and leader in Ennis, and a proper organising half in Hodkinson. Add an electrifying fullback in Barba in 2012 who had a year similar to Hayne in 2009.

These components have been missing the last 2 years and no amount of coaching will help your results if you have the wrong players steering the ship. Ennis especially was a huge loss and the Sharks wouldn't have won a comp without him.

Hence even if we do get Hasler in 2018, we still need the right guys steering the ship. Hunt is a good start, and if Field and Dufty develop, even better.

Fully agree. I've made the tradesman analogy before - a decent tradesman still needs the right tools for the job, but he will always do better than a poor tradesman with the same set of tools.

We look to be assembling the tools, but just need the tradie. And soon, as the tradie should have a say in what tools he needs.

 

[since77]

The Grand Final years in 2012 and 2014 had 2 important components. A hard nosed hooker and leader in Ennis, and a proper organising half in Hodkinson. Add an electrifying fullback in Barba in 2012 who had a year similar to Hayne in 2009.

These components have been missing the last 2 years and no amount of coaching will help your results if you have the wrong players steering the ship. Ennis especially was a huge loss and the Sharks wouldn't have won a comp without him.

Lets not forget Hasler was the one who decided to let go of Ennis in favour of untried 2nd tier hooker Micheal Liccha. Was a monumentally stupid decision at the time it happened and looks even dumber in hindsight.

 

[giboz71]

Lets not forget Hasler was the one who decided to let go of Ennis in favour of untried 2nd tier hooker Micheal Liccha. Was a monumentally stupid decision at the time it happened and looks even dumber in hindsight.

Yep fair enough.

But it doesn't take away from his ability as a coach. WIth the right players, he's one of the best in the business.

 

[mickeylane]

Hasler instills passion Into players - they fear to fail him and that's the difference between the Bellamys, Bennets, Haslers of the world you fear to fail ... Apart from their superior tactics they command respect ..

 

[possm]

Many Clubs have to make decisions when it comes to salary cap management. The secret is to try and replace high priced players with similar quality at a lower price.

For example, I believe it will be likely that the Dragons extend Mann and play him at 6 in 2018 with Widdop being let go. This should represent a positive on the field and a positive effect on our salary cap total.

A Milne for Dugan and one of our young speedy wingers for Nightingale should also provide a similar result.

Sometimes players let go show improvement at other Clubs while their replacement don't live up to expectation. Skilled management decisions can reduce this circumstance.

 

[Glenn01]

Lets not forget Hasler was the one who decided to let go of Ennis in favour of untried 2nd tier hooker Micheal Liccha. Was a monumentally stupid decision at the time it happened and looks even dumber in hindsight.

In fairness to Hasler, he was being hyped up as the next Robbie Farah or Cameron Smith at the time. It was a terrible decision but only in hindsight. Not as bad as us paying big money for Widdop for 4 years. Not even close.

 

[Lethal25]

Can anyone think of a player who's left the Dogs that Des wanted to keep? Off the top of my head I don't recall one.

I feel that alone puts him ahead of what we currently have from a man management perspective

 

[giboz71]

Can anyone think of a player who's left the Dogs that Des wanted to keep? Off the top of my head I don't recall one.

I feel that alone puts him ahead of what we currently have from a man management perspective

Other than letting Ennis go, I can't think of any others?

But as others have said, no one could have predicted that Ennis would have his best 2 years at the end of his career, nor that Lichaa would be such a bust.

 

[Slippery Morris]

I just don't like the style of play he promotes. His tactics are also dirty and relies on ref bullying to win games. I would hate to be a half at the dogs as with the forwards chiming in to the attack they look confused and not know when to take control. It's good to have plenty of options and have the team guessing, but it looks like his own team is guessing at times as to who will be getting the ball on the last tackle or in broken play. Same for Liccha, does not know to throw the pass out back to a half or a forward.

 

[since77]

In fairness to Hasler, he was being hyped up as the next Robbie Farah or Cameron Smith at the time. It was a terrible decision but only in hindsight. Not as bad as us paying big money for Widdop for 4 years. Not even close.

Its even worse in hindsight, but no less stupid at the time. Flick at worst the 2nd best hooker in NSW for a complete unknown. That's Doust-like in its stupidity.

Cronulla, who gave up Liccha and got Ennis, laughed all the way to a premiership.

 

[possm]

It would be good to have a quiet chat with B Morris to hear his views on being coached Mary v Hasler.

 

[since77]

But as others have said, no one could have predicted that Ennis would have his best 2 years at the end of his career, nor that Lichaa would be such a bust.

No one could have predicted that getting rid of Ennis and replacing him with a rookie hooker would bite Hasler on the ass? I'm no genius, but its exactly what I thought when it happened.

Not saying Hasler can't coach, but that was one monumental F@#K up.

 

[Glenn01]

Its even worse in hindsight, but no less stupid at the time. Flick at worst the 2nd best hooker in NSW for a complete unknown. That's Doust-like in its stupidity.

Cronulla, who gave up Liccha and got Ennis, laughed all the way to a premiership.

But he wasn't a complete unknown. Shonkies wanted to keep him and he was being touted in the media widely as a future star.

 

[Glenn01]

It would be good to have a quiet chat with B Morris to hear his views on being coached Mary v Hasler.

Why would you trust anything he says? He is a Grub and that is how he will remain forever.

 

[BrissyRedV]

No one could have predicted that getting rid of Ennis and replacing him with a rookie hooker would bite Hasler on the ass? I'm no genius, but its exactly what I thought when it happened.

Not saying Hasler can't coach, but that was one monumental F@#K up.

Hard to say the exact reason it happened though. Was it due to salary cap pressure? Lichaa had shown some good promise in NSW cup I may have been seen at the time as value compared to Ennis. Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

 

[BrissyRedV]

I just don't like the style of play he promotes. His tactics are also dirty and relies on ref bullying to win games. I would hate to be a half at the dogs as with the forwards chiming in to the attack they look confused and not know when to take control. It's good to have plenty of options and have the team guessing, but it looks like his own team is guessing at times as to who will be getting the ball on the last tackle or in broken play. Same for Liccha, does not know to throw the pass out back to a half or a forward.

Manly did not have the same style as the dogs. I think they play the way they do due to the short comings and strengths in their roster. Agree about the dirtiest though. If he did come, I just hope it is not something he teaches and is more to do with the known grubs in the side he currently has.

 

[since77]

But he wasn't a complete unknown. Shonkies wanted to keep him and he was being touted in the media widely as a future star.

Actually he was. He had a handful of games at the end of a season for the Sharks under his belt, and that was it. There was nothing to suggest he was anything but an average player - which is exactly whats he's turned out to be. The Sharks might have wanted to keep him, but you might have noticed that they weren't dumb enough to match the money the Bulldogs offered him?

 

[Glenn01]

Actually he was. He had a handful of games at the end of a season for the Sharks under his belt, and that was it. There was nothing to suggest he was anything but an average player - which is exactly whats he's turned out to be. The Sharks might have wanted to keep him, but you might have noticed that they weren't dumb enough to match the money the Bulldogs offered him?

So you acknowledge he wasn't a complete unknown. In fact he was far from it. Shonkies weren't dumb enough or couldn't match the money the Grubs were willing to throw at him. Big difference.

Anyway, what's done is done and Hasler screwed up royally with that but I don't think any less of him as a coach for that. I bet every coach has completely screwed up with recruitment and retention at some stage. None more so than a certain chinless guy and a potato head with recruiting Beale, Widdop, Lafai, that Fijian winger and letting Merrin go. B. Morris has only gone downhill since leaving so I'm not counting him.