Source Daily Telegraph
NRL 2022: Manly Sea Eagles’ factional divide tearing club apart
Manly is facing one of the most crucial weeks in Sea Eagles’ history as senior officials attempt to unite a club that is being ripped apart by factional bickering and disagreements over the club’s strategic direction.
Sea Eagles chair Scott Penn and new chief executive Tony Mestrov are aware of the fractures, which centre around coach Des Hasler and members of the famous Fulton family, whose father Bob was a club icon and one of the most influential people in the code’s history.
Penn said he was also aware that there were parties outside the club “gunning for Hasler”, who has one year left on his deal.
The turmoil created by the pride jersey fiasco has exposed cracks throughout the Sea Eagles, leaving Mestrov with the complex task of uniting the club.
A News Corp investigation has uncovered the depth of issues, including:
*Some members of the Fulton family harbour concerns with Hasler’s strategic direction and use of emerging stars.
*A list of coaching candidates featuring names such as Billy Slater and Shane Flanagan is being drawn up in case Hasler leaves.
*The Trbojevic brothers are deeply troubled by the infighting and could consider walking out on the club.
*A divide in the player ranks has led to a push to replace captain Daly Cherry-Evans with Jake Trbojevic.
*Rising star Josh Schuster has become central to the tug of war over the club’s direction, with the man touted as a future captain having considered asking for a release.
Factional infighting is threatening to tear the Sea Eagles apart
FULTON-HASLER FAULT LINE
Scott Fulton, as a key figure in club recruitment, has been responsible for mining the Western Sydney nursery that has produced the likes of Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu and Tolutau Koula.
But the club is in the midst of scrapping Blacktown as a direct feeder club and moving their NSW Cup side back under the Manly umbrella.
Scott’s sister Kristie is the club’s pathways manager while Brett Fulton is the pathway academy coach. Their DNA runs through Manly and the Fulton family count the likes of former media manager Peter Peters and radio icon Ray Hadley among their allies.
Frustrations between the factions at Manly were highlighted after a senior player was given a dressing down after the player was highly critical of teammates who stood down during the pride jersey crisis in July, allegedly by a member of the Fulton family.
Mestrov has a clear mandate to make changes. Hasler still has strong support in some parts of the club, where the likes of Noel Cleal and Don Singe stand in his corner.
He also enjoys the backing of the Trbojevic brothers, while Cherry-Evans has publicly supported the coach. Other players want emerging coach Steve Hales to have more power.
It is understood the Fultons haven’t always agreed with Hasler’s plans in recent times, apparently having become frustrated by the use of players that have been scouted under their watch.
The Sea Eagles risk losing the Trbojevic brothers if things don’t improve. Picture: NRL Photos.
TRBOJEVIC TROUBLE
The Trbojevic brothers are the two most powerful figures at the club but they are known to be frustrated with the state of the Sea Eagles.
If things don’t change they could consider their futures at Manly, which would have devastating consequences.
The brothers are tied to long-term deals that make them among the highest earners in the game. Above all else, they love winning and love the Sea Eagles.
They have lived their entire lives on Sydney’s northern beaches and spurned the opportunity to leave in the past.
But sources close to the club confirmed the pair were at their wit’s end given how this season has unfolded, both on and off the field.
They also fear next season won’t be significantly better given Manly’s inability to dip into the player market, with Wests Tigers back-rower Kelma Tuilagi the only signing for 2023.
They are said to be tired of the lack of unity and coherent direction, which has become a way of life at Manly.
There is a concern among some senior figures in the playing ranks that some within the club are more interested in pushing their own cause, rather than working together to ensure the club can contend for premierships.
The Trbojevics have made it known that they have concerns with some of the personnel decisions that have been made this season.
The Trbojevic brothers are unhappy with the departure of Kieran Foran. Picture: Getty Images.
Both are close to Kieran Foran and made no secret of their desire to see him retained. Instead, Foran will join the Gold Coast next season and the Sea Eagles have since used their salary cap to extend the contracts of Saab and Josh Aloiai, as well as Cherry-Evans.
Some at Manly think Jake Trbojevic should be the captain of the side, if not on his own then in tandem with Cherry-Evans.
While there have been rumours in recent months that the brothers and Cherry-Evans are at odds, News Corp has been told that is incorrect.
They are different personalities and aren’t particularly close off the field, but they respect each other and have a working relationship.
“I am certainly aware that (the Trbojevics) are winners and they want to win,” said Penn, who has flown back from the US to help deal with the club’s issues.
“What we have to do is put the structure in place that is going to give them the best opportunity to win premierships and that is what we want.
“We are all aligned on what outcome we want and what our expectations are. That is a perfectly reasonable expectation of theirs and that matches our expectation.
“If we can’t deliver that then we have to find out who can. It is up to us to find a solution.”
Some figures within the club want to see Jake Trbojevic takeover as skipper from Daly Cherry-Evans.
PLAYER UNREST
Vision has emerged of a frustrated Marty Taupau sharing a video on his own social media account following the club’s recent loss to the Sharks.
The damning footage appears to show a frustrated Taupau being cut-out of the play on purpose by his teammates in attack.
He throws his hands in the air after repeatedly being used as a decoy.
Taupau played his last game for Manly in the loss to Canterbury on Friday night, having been told that the club did not have the salary cap room to keep him.
Manly officials insist the group is still united but results and performances would suggest otherwise.
It is understood that some players are concerned that others are receiving preferential treatment and not taking accountability for their own performances.
A senior player tried to shift the blame of a poor defensive read which led to a try to junior player in a recent video session. That was met with eye roles from his teammates who have now become accustomed to this.
It is easy to blame the recent pride jersey fiasco, when Aloiai, Saab, Olakau’atu, Schuster, Koula, Christian Tuipulotu, and Toafofoa Sipley boycotted the must-win round 20 match against the Sydney Roosters.
“There has been a bit of friction and it all came to a head with the inclusive jersey,” Penn said.
“That wasn’t the sole reason. I think the reality is that there has been a lot of soul searching since but then we have lost a lot of other players.
“We had a number of injuries and just haven’t played well the last seven or eight weeks. Yes, we certainly have had a disappointing end of the season and yes, we need to make some changes.
“But there doesn’t need to be wholesale changes. The board has been incredibly stable for the last five or six years. There are no issues at all.
“There is no issue at management level because Tony is in and we have a new CFO and a new chief commercial person about to come on board. Management is incredibly stable.
“The centre of excellence is great, we are all in the one place, we have a lot of kids coming through the system, we have seven or eight players who debuted this year.
“At least we are blooding the young players. We have to make sure we have the systems in apace to support them.”
The Sea Eagles’ pride jersey was a key turning point for their season, after seven players stood down from the must-win Round 20 game. Picture: Getty Images.
THE SCHUSTER DILEMMA
Schuster has become the face of the divide.
The 21-year-old has made no secret in private of his desire to play five-eighth but his path has been blocked by one of Hasler’s strongest supporters in Foran.
Hasler saw the 32-year-old Foran as his best chance to win now and give himself some job security - he has clauses in his contract that extended his deal depending on whether he finished in the top eight and top six.
The Fultons believe they are working towards long-term and sustained success, and want to deliver on Bob’s promise that Schuster will one day captain the Sea Eagles.
Hasler’s stance caused angst within the club. Foran has never been a favourite of the Fulton family after he signed with Parramatta in 2015, souring his relationship with Bob.
Josh Schuster has become the face of the divide, after being denied his preferred position at five-eighth. Picture: Getty Images.
Sources said they viewed Foran as a handbrake to Schuster’s development. The alternative view was that Schuster needed to take some responsibility for his own actions.
He has struggled at times with his weight and fitness, although sources close to the talented youngster insist that can partly be explained by the indecisiveness over his future. He believed he had to put on weight to play in the back row.
The concern for Manly is that Schuster is believed to be considering his future at the club - it is understood he was weighing up asking for a release as he grew frustrated with his treatment.
GONE TO THE DOGS
Mestrov faces a delicate balancing act.
The no-nonsense front-rower played plenty of first grade alongside Hasler at Manly during the 1990s, and also lined up alongside Scott Fulton.
He was thrust into the chief executive’s role just a week after the pride jersey debacle.
Now he is tasked with trying to repair a fractured club.
Mestrov is no shrinking violet. He locked horns with ARL Commission chair and Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys at times in his previous guise as boss of Greyhounds NSW.
He has been in rugby league administration before as chief operating officer at the Gold Coast, where he was right hand man to the club’s former chief executive Graham Annesley.
He beat a hot field to the role - the club’s former commercial officer Luke Tucker and NRL head of integrity Jason King, who also played in the front row for Manly, were also in the final three.
Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov faces a massive challenge trying to heal the fractured Sea Eagles. Picture: Justin Lloyd.
It was a rigorous process that involved individual meetings with each member of the board. Mestrov then had further meetings with Penn and fellow owner Gary Wolman.
Mestrov told them that he had no factional alignment; his only loyalty was to the club.
He has been given clear instructions by the owners – do what it takes to win the club’s first premiership since 2011.
“That is his mandate,” Penn said.
“He is here to help us win premierships again. That is the bottom line. So we have to do whatever it takes to do that.
“We just have to sort it out. We know what we have to do. I don’t walk away from the fact we have some challenges we need to address and we are addressing them.
“We are aware, we are dealing with them and we have to find a solution.”
HASLER’S CONTRACT
The Penns are aware that there are people outside the Sea Eagles who have it in for Hasler. The two-time premiership winner will pass Bob Fulton as the longest-serving Sea Eagles coach in round three next season – as long as he survives the off season.
Hasler’s contract was loaded with performance clauses. A top-six finish this season would have triggered another year in 2024 but now he is off-contact at the end of next season.
Hasler’s camp have been pushing for an extension but Manly’s board have stood their ground. They want to see results before they contemplate extending his deal.
The club is also believed to be concerned by the lack of a succession plan.
Des Hasler will pass Bob Fulton as Manly’s longest serving coach if he survives the off-season. Picture: Getty Images.
News Corp understands that the Sea Eagles would consider a handful of coaches if they elect to part ways with Hasler, either now or at the end of next season.
The list is headed by Queensland coach Billy Slater, Sydney Roosters assistant Jason Ryles and former Cronulla coach Shane Flanagan.
North Queensland assistant Dean Young is also likely to be on the list, although he has been earmarked as a potential Anthony Griffin replacement at the Dragons in 2024.
If Hasler agrees to the changes the club want to his coaching and support staff then he will be given a chance to start next season.
“We are still backing him,” Penn said.
“There are other people out there who have guns out for him. That is not internally. That is external - there are people out there who have it in for him.
“What we have to do is work together as a group to make sure that we hit the ground running in ‘23. This isn’t a witch-hunt.
