Off the Wall

I have seen more than my fair share of curious, and worse, coaching deals in my time, but the deal we are assured will be announced tomorrow regarding the coaching future of Des Hasler surely takes the prize.

How he can possibly believe his interests, the Sea Eagles, or the Bulldogs, are well served by signing with the Bulldogs - but not until the 2013 season??

The person who is deserving of sympathy is the current Bulldogs coach, Jim Dymock. He will apparently coach the Bulldogs in 2012, but, regardless of his success, he won't be there is 2013.

And what about the Sea Eagles? The glory of winning a premiership is surely soured by the knowledge the premiership winning coach will be saying goodbye at the end of the next season.

We have seen this year how destabilising things were at the club when Wayne Bennett signed early in the season with the Knights - destabilising for the Dragons and the Knights.

But this is a significantly worse situation.

Des Hasler has been absolutely central to the success of the Sea Eagles in recent years, success that has been achieved by a shambolic ownership position and a dire financial state.

The premiership winning coach, and team, is always under pressure in the following season. How much greater will that be in 2012?

And what will this bizarre situation mean for the Sea Eagles players and their future?

The whole business of players, and coaches, jumping clubs mid season has a new dimension added to it - you give a season plus notice you are leaving!

About the best thing that can be said about what we are assured will be announced tomorrow is that it was delayed until after the council and citizens of Manly honoured the premiers - and the coach - yesterday!

But, as far as I can see, this is a situation that is going to cause no end of difficulty in 2012.
No end of difficulty for the two clubs, and to coaches involved!

But plenty of copy for the media...