The Manly Sea Eagles have 76 years of data at their fingertips – surely enough to figure out what works and what doesn’t in their quest to make the finals and ultimately win premierships.
The news during the week that the club is looking at a succession plan for Des Hasler, and sooner rather than later, should cause concern for Manly fans.
Succession plans are of course important, not just in rugby league, but in any business. Get it right, and the organisation goes along swimmingly, but get it wrong…well, let’s just say Manly don’t have to look too far into the rear view mirror.
The talk that should shivers through Sea Eagles’ supporters is that either Josh Hannay or Anthony Seibold could be the next head coach. Leaving aside the credentials of either candidate, the Manly board should be asking themselves two pertinent questions. One, is Des Hasler’s time at the club really up? Two, have they no knowledge of the history of the culture of their own club?
Let’s address question one first. In 2021, Des Hasler coached Manly to within a game of the grand final. The team lost their first four matches yet still were within a heartbeat of the decider. In 2022, they lost star fullback Tom Trbojevic to injury, but the side really unravelled during ‘jerseygate’. The implications are now such that Hasler is considering legal action against the club for imposing the move without consultation. Let’s remember it was Hasler that was forced to front the media to explain why seven of his devoted Christian players were unable to wear the pride jersey. Not the administrators that made the decision.
And now to the second question. Hands up who can name the last time Manly made the grand final with a coach who hadn’t previously played for Manly. That’s right. No hands up. Because in 76 years it has NEVER happened.
Of course in Manly’s early years they looked to outside help for coaching, and legendary Easts and Australian prop Ray Stehr took the reins midway through 1947 until the end of 1948. Manly first made the finals in 1951 under the leadership of captain-coach Wally O’Connell. They got smashed in the grand final by Souths, but made a playoff the following year. O’Connell was again coach in 1966-67, and guided the team into third place in 1966.
Former Balmain and Australian player Pat Devery took over the position in 1955, and took Manly into the finals. He would be the first non-Sea Eagle to do so, and the last until Graham Lowe in 1990.
Ken Arthurson replaced Devery as coach in 1957, and mentored the Sea Eagles into the decider against a rampant St George side. Manly again made the grand final in 1959 under Arthurson.
In 1963, Manly embarked on a policy of appointing outsiders as coaches. Tony Paskins and Russ Pepperell were unable to get the Sea Eagles into the finals before O’Connell returned to the role in 1966. George Hunter had two years in the role, highlighted by a grand final appearance in 1968, before Ron Willey took over in 1970 and led the Sea Eagles to their first premiership titles in 1972 and 1973. Frank Stanton followed Willey and added another two premierships.
Premiership winning second row forward Allan Thomson was coach in 1980 when Manly narrowly missed the finals. He was replaced by former Test winger Ray Ritchie who unearthed the magic of Phil Blake and helped Manly into the 1982 decider.
When Ritchie stepped down for family reasons, Manly looked to their greatest ever player in Bob Fulton to take the coaching reins. Fulton had guided Easts to the grand final in 1980, and led the Roosters to the minor premiership in 1981.
The appointment of Fulton saw the Sea Eagles permanent fixtures in the finals, with the 1987 grand final win over Canberra an obvious highlight. He stepped down at the end of 1988 to concentrate on the Australian coaching position, and his successor Alan Thompson walked into the role at a time of upheaval not previously seen at Brookvale.
In 1990, Manly appointed an outsider to the coaching role for the first time since 1965. New Zealand Test coach Graham Lowe guided the club into two finals series without winning a game; and the Sea Eagles finished a disappointing eighth in 1992.
Lowe was forced to step down for health reasons before the 1993 season, and Fulton returned. Manly made the grand final in three consecutive years under Fulton, claiming the premiership in 1996. New superstars such as Steve Menzies, Nik Kosef and John Hopoate emerged under Fulton’s coaching, adding to his mentorship of Owen Cunningham, Cliff Lyons, Des Hasler, Dale Shearer, Phil Daley, Mal Cochrane, Noel Cleal, Ron Gibbs and others during his first stint as head coach.
In 1999, Fulton also stood down for family reasons and was replaced by Peter Sharp. Manly missed the finals, and ended the season in an ill-fated merger with North Sydney.
Sharp kept the role during the Northern Eagles debacle and was still head coach when Manly again became a stand-alone club in 2003. Manly narrowly avoided the wooden spoon for the first time in their history.
In 2004, Manly reverted to type by signing Des Hasler as head coach for the first time. Hasler rebuilt the club, signing key players such as Michael Monaghan, Ben Kennedy, Matt Orford and Jamie Lyon while nurturing the likes of Brett Stewart, Glenn Stewart, Jason King, Anthony Watmough, David Williams and Matt Ballin.
Hasler guided Manly into the finals in 2005 in the first of ten consecutive seasons for the Sea Eagles. Premiership victories in 2008 and 2011 saw Hasler join Willey, Stanton and Fulton as dual grand final winning coaches for the Sea Eagles.
In 2012, Hasler controversially left Manly to coach Canterbury (guiding the Bulldogs into the 2012 and 2014 grand finals) and former club captain and Clive Churchill Medal winner Geoff Toovey was thrust into the head coaching role at Brookvale.
Toovey was at the helm when Manly made their last grand final to date in 2013. They finished second in 2014 before bowing out of the finals race thanks to a golden point loss to Hasler’s Canterbury.
After narrowly missing the finals in 2015, Toovey was replaced by Trent Barrett. The former Australian Test five-eighth was the first outsider since Peter Sharp, and although Manly snuck into the finals in 2017, Barrett’s term was a disaster. The club finished second last in 2018, and the Sea Eagles looked to Des Hasler to rebuild the team for a second time. Hasler helped Manly back into the finals in 2019 before the aforementioned 2021 campaign.
So, how does that all add up?
In 76 years, Manly have had ‘in-house’ coaches for 56 seasons. In those 56 seasons, Manly have featured in playoffs on 44 occasions. They have made the grand final 19 times for eight victories.
In the 20 years Manly have had ‘outsider’ coaches they have made the playoffs just four times. They have not won a single finals match.
So, Manly board, it may be best to have a look at the history of the club before embarking on a succession plan which history tells us will lead to more lean years.
You had Michael Monaghan on the coaching staff. Maybe give him a couple of years under Des before discarding him in favour of yet another outsider.
And while you’re thinking about that, have a think about why you’re so keen to get rid of a coach who has made five grand finals in the first place.
Manly, you are sleepwalking into disaster.