Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it's just Des Hasler and his messy mop of hair parachuting in to save the day.
Hasler was sacked last November by Scott Penn and the Sea Eagles board over the head coach's handling of the Pride Round fiasco, and seven-straight losses that ensued the rainbow jersey.
Now, unemployed for just the second time in the last 20 NRL seasons, Hasler is readying himself to jump in and save a struggling NRL club after their head coach is eventually sacked after a poor start to the season.
While that side is yet to announce themselves, there's a host of clubs with under-pressure coaches, specifically the likes of Adam O'Brien, Justin Holbrook, Anthony Griffin and Kevin Walters.
The Daily Telegraph is reporting that Hasler, who turns 62 in a fortnight, has been telling those close to him that he's ready to take on a new club when the opportunity arises.
Similarly to Wayne Bennett, Hasler is considered a 'player's coach', and will attract plenty of interest from lower-end clubs, specifically those with divided squads or those with player unrest.
The coach was so beloved on the Northern Beaches that Dally M medallist Tom Trbojevic nearly walked out the door, while Josh Schuster was reportedly shocked when the man that promised him the No. 6 jersey was discarded so quickly.
While clubs have been quick to turn to a rookie or assistant when sacking their head coach in recent times, however with premiership-winners in Hasler and Shane Flanagan waiting in the wings, it's a matter of time until when gets the long-awaited call-up.
Hasler's days as an NRL coach are dwindling but certainly haven't run out yet, however, it's clear to see with the Sea Eagles situation, the mastermind isn't afraid of stepping back into a consultancy role.
The 61-year-old is locked in a legal battle with Manly over an unfair dismissal from his contract for the 2023 season, however, it's hard to imagine Hasler not trading a potential payout for a chance to continue his coaching career.
