Des Hasler could SUE Manly over Pride jersey as club looks to replace him with Anthony Siebold

The drama caused by the Pride jersey mess at Manly could spill over well in 2023 with the under-siege club looking to replace Des Hasler with former Broncos coach Anthony Siebold.

Hasler is exploring his legal options over what is looking like a messy and protracted divorce from the northern beaches NRL club after the Pride jersey divided the playing group and cost the Sea Eagles a shot at the finals.

Hasler would have earned a contract extension if Manly had made the top six, but the club imploded completely after the Pride round against the Sydney Roosters.

The club lost six games straight and tumbled out of the top eight and finals contention.

Hasler was supportive of the Pride jersey at the time, but was not asked for permission or consent for his players to wear it.

 He is considering legal action after Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley all stood down from the Pride round clash and repeated reports of a fracture in the playing group.

Replacement players show off the Pride jersey they wore against the Sydney Roosters

Protestors at the Pride round match supported the players that stood down over the jersey

No matter what, Hasler’s days at the club are numbered.

Chair and owner Scott Penn wants to parachute Siebold into the club in 2023 with a view to take over as head coach in 2024.

Siebold infamously steered the Brisbane Broncos to their first ever wooden spoon before being sacked just two years into a lucrative five-year contract.

He lives on Sydney’s northern beaches near Manly’s 4 Pines Park home ground and has worked with key players Daly Cherry Evans and the Trbojevic brother in the past.

Hasler himself wants a different succession plan.

He wants a 12-month contract extension to see out the 2024 season before being replaced by former Cronulla and North Queensland interim coach Josh Hannay.

Siebold left Brisbane in disgrace, but could be handed a chance to resurrect his NRL career 

Penn said a succession plan was essential to get the club back on track and contending for premierships.  

‘We’re clear that we need the football department we want for 2023 and beyond and we’re working through that. We are looking for a clear succession plan,’ Penn told the Daily Telegraph.

‘The reality is we need to make some changes and we are going through a process with Des. Clearly next year we would expect to make the finals. Absolutely we have a premiership-contending team and we want them to get reward for effort.

Hasler wants Hannay to be his successor after stints at North Queensland and Cronulla

‘We are telling Des what we’re looking for. It’s a process and there’s give and take. He could decide that’s not what he wants to do. That’s a possibility.

 ‘The important thing is that we do have a succession plan going forward. That’s what we’re working through. Who that might likely be or it could potentially be a couple of people?’