The last time Des Hasler was at Brookvale Oval, he was chaired off the ground by a jubilant playing group clutching the NRL premiership trophy.
On Friday night, when he returns for the first time as Canterbury coach, Hasler will be booed by furious fans who rightly or wrongly still feel betrayed by a man who not only helped deliver four premierships, but also played a leading role in saving the club a decade ago.
The Brookvale faithful will bypass his two premierships as a player, and two more as coach, and ignore the reason behind his exit – an irreparable relationship with a dysfunctional board.
Instead, they will scream blue murder at their former favourite son, who lost their support the second he worked to take the rest of the defending premiers’ coaching staff to Belmore with him in 2012.
Hasler succeeded with the addition of recruitment guru Noel Cleal, assistant coach Kelly Egan and sprint coach Clayton Kearney, before embarking on a relentless, but unsuccessful, pursuit of young five-eighth Kieran Foran and eventually snaring powerhouse back-rower Tony Williams.
Which is why, even though Manly’s players have all moved on and still maintain a positive relationship with the mentor who brought most of them into first grade, they can at least appreciate why this round-20 clash is so important to Sea Eagles fans.
“Yeah I understand it. I think they’re warranted but that’s all up to the fans,” winger David Williams said on Thursday.
Origin back-rower Jamie Buhrer expects the fans to be vocal, and said he hopes that will be translated into a pro-Manly feeling at the ground.
“He left the club. The players and everyone else associated with us understands it (but) the fans are a bit more passionate,” Buhrer said.
“They don’t see it as a business, so I’m sure they’re going to be very vocal and aggressive.
“Hopefully, we get a packed house here and there’s not many doggies fans.”
Hasler has said he is not expecting a hostile reception despite his acrimonious departure and it appears he isn’t the only person who will be treating this match the same as any other.
Canterbury chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the club had been assured by the Sea Eagles that Hasler’s safety would not be under any threat.
“I’ve spoken with (chief executive) David Perry at Manly this week and neither of us thinks we need (extra security),” Greenberg told AAP.
“I’ve also spoken with Des and we’re very comfortable with the plans in place and there are no issues to worry about, we think.”
Manly coach Geoff Toovey also said Hasler had no reason to be worried.
“There’s never any dramas down at Brookvale and I don’t think there will be any dramas on Friday,” Toovey said.
“… I think the fans will treat Des with a lot of respect.”
Australian Rules
Guest
The crowd was a tick over 16,000 for a much-hyped Friday night game.
Mals
Roar Rookie
South Sydney have as many members as you & that is a club with a small catchment area of Sydney. 25,000 members in a city as large as Brisbane is nothing to brag about.
oikee
Guest
Barry, mate, come on, the Broncos support crowds of at least 30 thousand to away games, even in a downpour last Friday we got 32 thousand to the warriors game. Local derbies attrack 45 thousand, and semi finals 50 thousand. Simalar would be Parramatta, or even South Sydney. Now, you tell me the crowds that attract 30 thousand to away teams in Sydney, come on, our heartland. I would not knock Brisbane mate, when we get our local derby it will blow anything Sydney puts up outta the water. Cowboys Broncos had over 45 thousand this year. Remember this, Origin(Brisbane) sold out in 8 minutes this year, the Broncos now have over 25 thousand members and rising. Canberra hosted Titans and got 9 thousand, the game at the Coast this weekend will probably go close to selling out 25 thousand. Origin in Brisbane (2 games)can sell 105 thousand tickets with-in 8 hours, probably less if they had a faster process. No good knocking Queensland teams, we are not the problem. The sellout All-stars game is now being moved to Suncorp, not Sydney, because Sydney is not supporting the greatest game, they rather sip lattte's. :) Brisbane is hosting the G20 world leaders, not Sydney, because Sydney is a old tart. :) Whoa.
eagleJack
Guest
Spot on TB the media coverage has been atrocious. You know things are ordinary when the SMH starts cherry picking hateful quotes from the silvertails web forum page to try and paint a picture on how Manly fans feel about Hasler. Absolute rubbish and gutter journalism at its very best. No club has a mortgage on d*ckhead supporters and, just like all clubs, Manly have their fair share. But to paint us all as hateful was pretty pathetic. Also false headlines about Toovey wanting to boo Hasler will just serve to fire up those that are angry even further and then the papers the next day will be shocked if something does happen. Having said that Im pumped for the game. And the game only. It will be an absolute cracker and no matter the result, both teams will go deep into September. As Toovey said last night when asked if he has a message for his great mate Des "I hope you go well. But not too well". That's pretty much my feelings for the Dogs as well.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Shocking media coverage of this...including this article. I normally shy away from bagging the media coverage but this is beyond the pale. I hope Manly fans do show up and boo Hasler - that's their right and it'll create a great atmosphere. Only a lunatic would even think to how up to threaten Hasler's safety. In the round 8 game there were manly fans waving their jerseys at Hasler at full time - good luck to them. It's almost like the media want to whip everyone into a frenzy and incite an incident. I just can't wait for this game. Dogs v Manly any time is a tough encounter any time but their game earlier this year was a cracker at semi final intensity and you feel it may be cranked up a few notches this time around. Just for the record - how many 50,000 crowds have their been at Broncos games this season ? I can't remember one yet I keep hearing how the Broncs get 50k every second week ?
Mals
Roar Rookie
Haha Manly supporters don't travel eh Oikee? The Manly away supporter bays at Suncorp drowned out your Pony supporters up in Brisbane in May.
eagleJack
Guest
Manly are here to stay!! Move on oikee. But feel free to hold a one man protest.
Matt F
Roar Guru
Not only is a beat up, it's completely false. Greenberg's direct quote is entirely different from the media summary. His direct words were “I’ve spoken with (chief executive) David Perry at Manly this week and neither of us thinks we need (extra security)." It doesn't sound like he seekd any assurances at all. It seems quite clear that neither CEO is at all worried about anything, but at least it's given the media a weeks worth of stories.
oikee
Guest
Its a blockbuster game, same game in Brisbane would see 50 thousand people turn up. Manly cant even fill a crappy suburban ground. Yes, happens all the time Mals, spectators normally rip out fence posts and run riot. ? Yeah rightio Mals, thats sounds normal. Manly and this area are a complete disgrace to the game, the proper NRL comp and should be dispersed ASAP for the good of the game. They never merged with the Bears, and they never will. The Knights and Nathen Tinkler should just take over this whole area. The game will only lose no more than 10 thousand supporters who dont travel anyhow. In return we can add Adelaide and Perth, over one million people in each city, and another Brisbane team which will have 52 thousand turn up to a blockbuster, in a enviroment that supports women and kids. Come on Mals, your Manly are holding the game back, they have always been thugs, right back when they started, they are no longer wanted in the game. Jamie Lyon twisting ankles has gone far enough.
Mals
Roar Rookie
Oikee, get your facts straight before writing dribble! Fact - there were as an incident after an Manly district A grade game between Manly Cove & Belrose on the weekend where some objects were thrown by spectators. Sadly this kind of behaviour occasionally happens at sporting grounds around Australia. Fact - all the grand stand seating at Brookvale sold out 2 days ago for tonight's game. Where is the "massive loss of support" Oikee??
steve b
Roar Guru
oikee Bit dramatic their old mate ,, ,,and yes i hope the bozo's on both sides of the fan base don't spoil what should be a cracker game ...
oikee
Guest
Mals, a Manly club have just been banned from the game for brawling and rioting apparently. It is not a beat up, Manly promote brawls and are doing the game no favours in trying to send a good image for women and kids, you know, the future of our game. Manly cant even sellout their blockbuster, they had Fatty on the footy show last night begging people to turn up. We have billionaires running clubs now, investing tens of millions of dollars into the game., Then you have Manly sending out all the wrong signals. Toovey will probably finish off this club tonight,. All over rover, the game cant no longer promote this sort of behaviour. If we are to grow our memberships and stadiums, we need the women and kids on board. Manly has lost massive support from brawling and rioting on the sidelines. Women and kids are hiding under their beds.
Mals
Roar Rookie
"Canterbury chief executive Todd Greenberg confirmed the club had been assured by the Sea Eagles that Hasler’s safety would not be under any threat." This is a complete beat up, other clubs have had incidents of crowd violence at their matches but not Manly. There is a big different between booing someone & trying to physically assault them.
Robert
Guest
If the whole saga of Des leaving was a month or two after the GF,then i think it may not of been an issue.But because it was less than a week it took all the gloss off all Manly fans celebration of the win.Whilst Des is a good coach,being a passionate Manly fan myself,i cant think of a bloke with more heart and soul for the club than Toovey.What he did on the field was incredible and if the players showed half the ticker he did,they'll be there when the whips are cracking -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.