This Sunday, Des Hasler will coach his fifth grand final in 10 years.
With Manly he won two and lost one to Melbourne, who were later found to be cheating the cap.
Des also lost his most recent grand final to Melbourne, this time as coach of Canterbury, and who knows what this coming Sunday holds.
So is Des the best coach in the NRL?
Hasler left Manly a two-time premiership winner, having rebuilt the great club after the Northern Eagles merger nearly killed them.
Joining the Bulldogs after winning the 2011 grand final with Manly was a fresh challenge, as he was no longer in charge of a Manly team containing Jamie Lyon, the Stewart brothers, Anthony Watmough, Brent Kite, Steve Matai, Daly Cherry-Evans and Kieran Foran.
The Canterbury team he was to lead had failed to make the finals, and their captain, Andrew Ryan, was retiring. Would Hasler be able to take the Dogs to finals football, or was he just a coach who got lucky at Manly with the players at his disposal?
Hasler dismissed any concerns almost immediately, turning the Dogs into one of the most feared teams in the competition.
Des’ Dogs played unlike anyone else, with their forwards’ – led by Sam Kasiano and James Graham – ball playing able to break the line and gain faster play the ball, giving fullback Ben Barba enough room to work his magic and earn a Dally M medal.
If there was a season that proved Des Hasler’s brilliance, it was 2012. I mean he took the Bulldogs to the grand final with Kris Keating as his halfback, the man is clearly a genius.
I must admit I wrote the Bulldogs off after they lost to the Gold Coast Titans in Round 26 this year. They had no form coming into the finals and people were watching their games to see what Josh Reynolds would do next. But they went down to Melbourne in week one and convincingly beat Melbourne 28-4.
This was not the team beaten by the Titans the week before. The Bulldogs thoroughly deserve their spot in this weekend’s grand final and this finals series has proven that Des Hasler is the best coach in the NRL – and may be for a very long time.
He is a man manager and motivator like the great Wayne Bennett, but also a master tactician in the mould of Warren Ryan. He devises plans each week that target his opponents’ weakness while managing his own.
If he guides the Dogs to victory this weekend it may be time to talk about Des Hasler as not the best coach in his time, but one of the greatest of all time.
george
Guest
This has been answered . NO .
Alvin Purple
Guest
It is amazing how those players who weren't brillant but work at their trade end up the great coaches. Des was one of my favourite players in his time - just an absolute work horse that would give 100% every game and adapted to all the positions he played in. Some coaches are not able to adapt as the game evolves and Des is one of them.
Alvin Purple
Guest
Will - from what I recall he was a school teacher by profession before he got into coaching. Think what his students must of thought of him.
Bup
Guest
Interesting to see how long he lasts at the dogs. Back ending contracts and leave before the fall out. Although with uncle Greenberg signing off on third party agreements and allowing contracts well under market value des may stick around a little longer . Least he knows his players either don't get suspended at all or get heavily reduced sentences. He can create a dynasty at the dogs .level playing field my a)&e.good luck on Sunday Souths you have Hayne as a referee and we all know which team other than qld gets the better end of the deal when this clown controls their games .
Bondy
Guest
He's probably the most consistent Hasler due to longevity the others McGuire and Robinson are up 'n comers cannot split em...
The Barry
Roar Guru
He'd have them rorting the cap and choking players in no time...
The Barry
Roar Guru
Haha - that's Des in a nutshell.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Will - I missed the 2005 semi final series backpacking in Europe and keeping track of scores at Internet cafes. Happy to take your word for it but it must have been a small window he had them playing like that because I didn't see it before or after. Payten was a skilful forward and could have played that role. It's a bit harder for me to imagine Gibbs or Skandalis doing so.
fiver
Guest
Would be good to see Bellamy at another club and see what he can do with a side like the Warriors or Titans.
Jacks
Roar Guru
Perhaps flawed is the wrong word but with Sam Perret playing fullback and the wingers being Corey Thompson and Mitch Brown the dogs have a very no name back three
The eye
Guest
If history is any indicator Des is already in final negotiations with both B. Stewart and Foran for minimal upfronts,yet back ended to have the Dogs near insolvency by the time he decides to up and go.
peeeko
Roar Guru
Great coach, the way he has gotten his team to recover from that big slump is remarkable
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
But I should say that the way Hasler uses James Graham is quite brilliant. And I think you have to be at the ground to see just how important Graham is to the Bulldogs, and what an amazing job he does.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
I always enjoy your contributions, Barry, but can't agree with this one: "He has changed the game with the way he’s used his big forwards ball playing before the line." Go back and have a look at how Tim Sheens used his forwards in 2005. It's remarkably similar.
Will Sinclair
Roar Guru
The bloke has an amazing record. But he must be different behind closed doors. Every time I hear him interviewed, he can barely string a sentence together. He was asked a simple question by Terry Kennedy this morning: "Well, ah, Terry, um, well, ah, um, we are just, um, ah, Terry, we are just, um, we are just preparing, Terry, um, we are just preparing, ah, um, Terry, we are just preparing as we normally, um, ah, normally would, ah Terry."
The Barry
Roar Guru
Flawed? I'm floored.
Jacks
Roar Guru
I agree 100% the job he has done with the dogs with a team that I think alot of people would agree is a flawed team is just amazing
The Barry
Roar Guru
It's hard to come up with someone better. Five grand finals in eight seasons is pretty amazing. What really shows his ability is that he hasn't just duplicated what he did at manly - he's come up with a game plan and playing style based in the skill sets available to him. He has changed the game with the way he's used his big forwards ball playing before the line. How much has he enjoyed this week with his option A and B and C at dummy half and not ruling Ennis out. Every day he's said that Ennis may play and them thrown another name in the ring for a possible replacement. My wife who tolerates the footy really likes him and thinks he's a great character and loves listening to him speak.