Hasler re-signs Paseka, Fonua-Blake

With Trent Barrett on "gardening leave", Manly coach Des Hasler has gone to work and announced the first re-signings under his second tenure at the NRL club - giant forwards Taniela Paseka and Addin Fonua-Blake. Hasler has ensured he will boast one of the NRL's biggest packs for his second crack with the Sea Eagles reins after Paseke and Fonua-Blake inked new long term deals.

Hasler has begun to roll up his sleeves at Manly after being hired to take over at the NRL club following Barrett's decision to hand in his resignation, giving 12 months' notice back in July. Barrett is currently being paid to stay away from Manly training but has been linked to the vacant Cronulla job. The awkward situation has not stopped Hasler getting down to business, showing faith in Fonua-Blake and Paseke who chime into a pack also boasting fellow 110kg-plus wrecking balls Marty Taupau, Lloyd Perrett and Toafofoa Sipley.

Des Hasler returns to Sea Eagles as coach

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles are pleased to announce the appointment of Des Hasler as Head Coach for the next three years. A premiership winning player and coach with the Sea Eagles, Hasler returns ‘home’ to a club he coached to two NRL premierships and three grand finals from 2004-11. After taking Manly to the finals from 2005-2007, Hasler delivered the Club’s seventh premiership title in 2008, a record-breaking 40-0 victory over the Melbourne Storm. In 2009, Hasler coached Manly to a World Club Challenge victory before leading the Sea Eagles to the finals later that season. He backed it up with another finals series in 2010.

The Sea Eagles then won their eighth premiership title in 2011 under Hasler with a 24-10 victory over the New Zealand Warriors. Hasler was named the Rugby League International Federation Coach of the Year in 2008 and 2011. As a Sea Eagles player, Hasler played 257 games over 12 seasons for Manly, winning premierships in 1987 and 1996. Sea Eagles Chairman Scott Penn welcomed Hasler back to Manly.

Cherry-Evans opens up on the Des Hasler solution

Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans has offered his support to the prospect of Des Hasler returning to Brookvale, describing him as a formative character in his career. Hasler's management is negotiating with the NRL club, with Sea Eagles chairman Scott Penn confirming Hasler is a contender to take over the NRL coaching job from Trent Barrett. Cherry-Evans is the only remaining member of the Manly side that Hasler guided to victory in the 2011 grand final before his acrimonious departure to Canterbury.

"Tim Sheens gave me an Aussie jersey, Mal Meninga a Queensland (jersey) and Des Hasler at club," Cherry-Evans said. "So those three coaches are people that I'll never forget. "If I was to link up with my first-ever first-grade coach, I'd be all for it." The northern beaches are often referred to as the "insular peninsula" and Sea Eagles fans live by the motto "No one likes us and we don't care". It's often said that Manly needs a coach ingrained in the Manly culture to thrive and Cherry-Evans described Hasler as one of the architects of the Manly siege mentality. "Everyone hates Manly so our backs are against the wall and we love playing that style of footy and living with that mentality," Cherry-Evans said.

Des Hasler is reportedly set to take over the coaching duties at Manly

DES Hasler is reportedly set to make a sensational return to Manly to take over the coaching duties from Trent Barrett.According to Channel 9, Hasler’s management have been in deep negotiations with the Sea Eagles and it’s believed he has sorted out his issues with the owners, the Penn family, since his departure
from the club in 2011.The Sea Eagles coaching job has been in limbo with Barrett trying to be released from his contract before July 2019 after falling out with the club over an apparent lack of infrastructure and support.Hasler is currently overseas, but his manager George Mimis has been in talks with the club and a deal could be struck as early as next week.The Channel 9 report also claims the 57-year-old has already started sounding out staff to join him at the club in 2019.