While the club has been the subject of speculation and rumours in the past few days, the Manly Sea Eagles’ football department has taken the unusual step of getting the playing group to fill out an anonymous survey regarding a number of issues, including Des Hasler’s future.
According the News Corp, the surveys were doled out as part of an end-of-year review just hours after the Sea Eagles’ awards night event at the Star, where Lachlan Croker was named the Sea Eagles' Player of the Year.
Despite being unable to confirm the source and new club CEO Tony Mestrov claiming he was not initially aware of the survey, it’s been reported that some of the questions included how players would feel about a new coach in 2023, their thoughts on assistant coaches and support staff, how supported they felt throughout the season and, of course, questions around the Pride jersey.
Meanwhile, as reports continue to propagate the idea that Cherry-Evans has lost the support of his team, 2GB pundit Ray Hadley has claimed the issues were created after DCE secured an exemption to live in separate accommodation to the rest of the playing group during last year’s Queensland-based COVID bubble.
“There was special dispensation given to (Cherry-Evans) to live away from the bubble in a house,” said Hadley.
“It was legal but it didn’t go down too well with the other players. You had the coach allowing the captain to live in a house away from the rest. That created a divide… well before the rainbow jumper round.”
Hadley is a close personal friend of the Fulton family, who are reported to be at odds with Des Hasler regarding Josh Schuster and the club’s now-available five-eighth jersey.
