Hasler confirms interest in Manly return

I don’t understand the relevance of the question. Hasler didn’t sign many players throughout his tenure - good, bad or indifferent. The Dogs lineup was pretty consistent year to year throughout. You’ve changed the question from no player hit great heights under Hasler to no one he signed did any good. It still seems you’re pushing an angle of Hasler being some sort of player development guru in maroon and white but got nothin in blue and white. Off the top of my head I’d say Pritchard and Hodkinson played career best footy at the Bulldogs. Players like Halatau, Payne, Perrett and Inu were playing reserve grade elsewhere when he signed them but played regular semi final footy and in grand finals. But those guys were signed as fringe first graders not central squad stars like Kennedy, Kite, Orford, Lyon, Monaghan. The bulk of the team - Graham, Tolman, Ennis, Eastwood, Morris, Reynolds, Barba, Ennis, Stagg, Kasiano, Klemmer, Jackson, Finucane, etc were already there either in first grade or juniors. He didn’t need to go out and make money signings. An argument could be made that Barba’s off field indiscretions and reduction in the interchange was the most costly thing for Hasler’s coaching career at the Dogs. He’d built a whole style and a roster based on Barba and when he left they weren’t the same despite making the GF in 2014. All of a sudden he had a too heavy pack, non playmaking halves and because of his back ended deals no way of refreshing the squad. He still messed it up and the short term grab for premierships didn’t pay off (unlike at Manly) and the Dogs were left buggered for a few years afterwards (just like Manly) Interesting discussion but I think it’s a bit apples and oranges. Hasler inherited the Northern Eagles mess at Manly but a much stronger roster at the Dogs. He brought on players at both clubs but didn’t have the urgency to sign players at the Dogs that he had at Manly.

Between about 2003 and say 2008 a lot went right for Manly recruitment wise. A lot of unknowns like Matai, the Stewart brothers, Ballin, the Wolf, T Rex along with Orford , Kite , Lyon and some locals like Watmough, King and Foran as well as Glenn Hall and the completely written off Joe Gualovau all played well enough to win titles. A lot of Manly's troubles have come about because none of the unknowns since around 2011 perhaps have come anywhere near the level of Matai and the Stewarts yet and most of them didn't become 1st graders. Question here is TB which player has Hasler recruited to the Dogs who has excelled? A few have excelled when they left like Tapau, Ennis and Cook but which Hasler recruit has done as well as these three who he let go?

No one knows what will happen. Hasler was in charge when manly had 70 odd points put on them at Penrith in his early years. Who predicted the success to follow with the same core of players including a 40 nil GF win? Who predicted the lack of success for many of Manly's rivals since then. ? It could be a few wooden spoons for Manly or a couple of titles in the next decade or both but nobody knows.

Ok. As I said above Jackson, Klemmer, Finucane, Reynolds and even Barba all emerged early in Hasler’s tenure but yeah by the end the club was crying out for fresh talent and Hasler just kept picking the same tired faces while the Dogs ISP team was continually strong. As for players going backwards I think that was more a timing thing than some mystical manly power. There were plenty of Manly players who were pretty much done within a couple of seasons of Hasler leaving. There were a few players on the down hill side of their careers at the Bulldogs but I think Haslers style in his latter years definitely didn’t help. Tolman had a new lease of life this season. Jackson dusted off his attacking game. Ennis actually improved in his last two seasons out from under Hasler.

My choice of words was not the best I agree TB . What I would say is that plenty of players went backwards by the time Hasler had finished with them which is a lot different to his time at Manly or if you compare him with Bellamy who he was rated along side for a while. Some young players have emerged in one year under Pay and played some great footy but when was the last time a player who was unknown to outside fans like Lewis and the goal kicking forward emerged under Hasler? On balance Hasler had a much better squad at the Dogs when he first arrived than at Manly and all the power and money in the world along with the experience and reputation. In his last year at Manly he had a team of players which were nobodies when Hasler got hold of them except for Jamie lyon and to a lesser extent Kite but they played out of their skins.

This could be disastrous

If Des is such a genius with Manly players and did nothing with Bulldogs players, I am sure Bulldogs fans will be more than happy for him to take Foran and his contract back to Manly...

Can anyone really see smooth sailing in the Sea Eagles future if Hasler returns? Why would anyone employ Hasler given he has taken, or threatened to take legal action against his last two clubs, and given the well publicized way he has botched two clubs beyond his tenure (in regard to the Salary Cap).

Love your passion for Manly but your ongoing narrative that only Manly players ever get better is garbage. “..hardly any players at the Dogs under Hasler reached great heights” Barba won a Dally M and was leading tryscorer. James Graham was at his peak and arguably the best prop in the game for a number of years and skippered his country. Players like Jackson, Klemmer, Finucane, Reynolds emerged. Hodkinson and Reynolds represented NSW and were the series winning halves combo in 2014. Ennis and Josh Morris became NSW regulars. Reynolds had two top five Dally M finishes. Jackson won a Brad Fittler medal. Players like Pritchard, Inu, Perrett, Payne, Halatau had a new lease of life on their careers. Kasiano won a prop of the year. Like all Bulldogs fans I’ve got issues with what Des did to us but to suggest that no Bulldogs players reached any heights under him is nonsense.

Manly needs stability and either Des or Toovey ,icons for that club ,would help engender pride back in the district, instead of the current malaise that appears to exist with their fan base. This year has been an unmitigated disaster for the club, and with the talent they have on board, that shouldn't have been the case.

It's an unbelievable chance for Disco Des. Just like the team he had at Manly in the mid 2,000 he inherits some great players with time on their side who have been thru some very difficult years. The Turbo twins ,AFB , Suli , Kelly, Api K with their youth along with Marty T and DCE form the basis of a team who could challenge for the title in the next couple of years. For some reason hardly any players at the Dogs under Hasler reached great heights which is the opposite to what happened at Manly when he used to walk across Narrabeen lake to get to training. If Hasler has a similar impact to his time at the Dogs at Manly second time around then we're in big trouble but he's not silly and he must have evolved since then.

Des very well may work out but he must be kept away from player contracts.

A Club with no money for players is ripe for Des's back ended contracts. Still can't work out why either side could work with the other after Des's ugly departure from Manly last time round.

A desperate club and a coach without a choice. A match made in Penn heaven.

Welcome home Des!