RETURNING Manly coach Des Hasler was heavily criticised for his tenure at the Bulldogs, but the stats show he was among the best in the NRL since 2012.
From 2012 only five current NRL coaches have better winning percentages than the newly appointed Sea Eagles’ coach.
During the period from 2012 to 2018, Craig Bellamy has the best record among active coaches, with 127 wins from 185 games for a 68.6 win percentage.
Hasler sits in sixth position with a winning percentage of 56.4, with 88 wins from 155 games in charge of the Bulldogs, however third placed Anthony Seibold has only one year under his belt.
Master coach Wayne Bennett finds himself one below Hasler in seventh position with 101 wins from 180 games for a winning percentage of 56.1.
Trent Robinson (63.3 from 158 games), Seibold (63.0 from 27 games), Shane Flanagan (60.4 from 154 games) and Paul green (56.4 from 133 games) round out the top five.
Hasler ranks equal second with Paul Green (2015, 2017) and Trent Robinson (2013, 2018) for active coaches in terms of grand finals made through this period, taking the Bulldogs to the decider in 2012 and 2014.
Only Craig Bellamy has been to more grand finals in this time, taking Melbourne to the 2012 decider against Hasler’s Bulldogs and the last three grand finals in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Bennett made one premiership decider with the Broncos in 2015.
Of these 11 coaches along with Rabbitohs first year coach Seibold only one has ever made a grand final appearance and ironically that was Ivan Cleary, whose Warriors lost the 2011 title game to Hasler’s Manly in the last year of his first stint with the club.
Cleary is now one of the most sought after coaches in the game and is currently in a tug of war between the Tigers and the Panthers for his services.
This despite the fact Cleary’s winning percentage since 2012 sits 11th among active coaches at a lowly 44.0 per cent.
Granted he has only had one year in the top job, but Hasler’s successor at Canterbury Dean Pay is equal second last among active coaches in terms of winning percentage, with Garth Brennan at 33.3 from 24 games each.
Hasler’s predecessor at Manly, Trent Barrett sits a lowly 13th among active coaches with a winning percentage of 39.7.
Hasler has been criticised for his salary cap management and perhaps rightly so, as a number of back-ended deals hurt both the Sea Eagles post 2011 and the Bulldogs post 2017.
His dour attacking style that made the Bulldogs one of the least effective teams at scoring points in his final few seasons at Belmore is another fair criticism.
However in a results driven business, Hasler’s record stands up there with the best coaches in the game.
The narrative surrounding his exits from the Sea Eagles and the Bulldogs has perhaps overshadowed his ability as a football coach, who knows how to win.
For the 15th placed Sea Eagles in 2018, learning how to win again is a good starting point and Hasler may be a better man for the job than many people think.
From 2012 only five current NRL coaches have better winning percentages than the newly appointed Sea Eagles’ coach.
During the period from 2012 to 2018, Craig Bellamy has the best record among active coaches, with 127 wins from 185 games for a 68.6 win percentage.
Hasler sits in sixth position with a winning percentage of 56.4, with 88 wins from 155 games in charge of the Bulldogs, however third placed Anthony Seibold has only one year under his belt.
Master coach Wayne Bennett finds himself one below Hasler in seventh position with 101 wins from 180 games for a winning percentage of 56.1.
Trent Robinson (63.3 from 158 games), Seibold (63.0 from 27 games), Shane Flanagan (60.4 from 154 games) and Paul green (56.4 from 133 games) round out the top five.
Hasler ranks equal second with Paul Green (2015, 2017) and Trent Robinson (2013, 2018) for active coaches in terms of grand finals made through this period, taking the Bulldogs to the decider in 2012 and 2014.
Only Craig Bellamy has been to more grand finals in this time, taking Melbourne to the 2012 decider against Hasler’s Bulldogs and the last three grand finals in 2016, 2017 and 2018.
Bennett made one premiership decider with the Broncos in 2015.
Of these 11 coaches along with Rabbitohs first year coach Seibold only one has ever made a grand final appearance and ironically that was Ivan Cleary, whose Warriors lost the 2011 title game to Hasler’s Manly in the last year of his first stint with the club.
Cleary is now one of the most sought after coaches in the game and is currently in a tug of war between the Tigers and the Panthers for his services.
This despite the fact Cleary’s winning percentage since 2012 sits 11th among active coaches at a lowly 44.0 per cent.
Granted he has only had one year in the top job, but Hasler’s successor at Canterbury Dean Pay is equal second last among active coaches in terms of winning percentage, with Garth Brennan at 33.3 from 24 games each.
Hasler’s predecessor at Manly, Trent Barrett sits a lowly 13th among active coaches with a winning percentage of 39.7.
Hasler has been criticised for his salary cap management and perhaps rightly so, as a number of back-ended deals hurt both the Sea Eagles post 2011 and the Bulldogs post 2017.
His dour attacking style that made the Bulldogs one of the least effective teams at scoring points in his final few seasons at Belmore is another fair criticism.
However in a results driven business, Hasler’s record stands up there with the best coaches in the game.
The narrative surrounding his exits from the Sea Eagles and the Bulldogs has perhaps overshadowed his ability as a football coach, who knows how to win.
For the 15th placed Sea Eagles in 2018, learning how to win again is a good starting point and Hasler may be a better man for the job than many people think.
