NRL Round 9 Teams: Manly set to fight for star, Injuries could force Broncos reshuffle, Roosters sweat on stars
All the team list information for Round 9.
Even Brisbane’s Wayne Bennett can empathise with under-fire Canterbury coach Des Hasler’s plight ahead of their NRL clash at ANZ Stadium on Thursday night.
The long-time Broncos mentor admitted “the buck stops with the coach”.
But Bennett threw his support behind Hasler, saying speculation over the Bulldogs coach’s future was an “overreaction”.
The off-contract Hasler is hoping for a new two-year deal at Belmore.
However, he is under immense scrutiny following their 36-0 last round loss to Manly – their third defeat in four games.
Bennett said fellow veteran coach Hasler’s record spoke for itself.
“The buck stops with the coach – it goes with the territory,” Bennett said.
“We are in a highly competitive business and eight teams lose every week.
“(But) Des has been a long standing coach, has a great reputation in the game.
“He’s just going through a tough patch, we all go through them.”
Hasler’s future is expected to be high on the agenda when the Bulldogs board meet on Thursday, barely hours before their round-five clash.
Bennett believed Hasler deserved more than a few rounds to prove his case at the Bulldogs.
Yet Wests Tigers infamously sacked Jason Taylor after three rounds this year.
Asked if coaches deserved more than a few rounds to prove themselves, Bennett said: “You’d like to think so.
“(But the clubs) know what Jason Taylor brought, they know what Des brings, they know what I bring long before the balls are kicked off and the season starts.
“The rest is just an over-reaction sometimes.”
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All the team list information for Round 9.
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