Des 'Sorry' Hasler

Playing Career

Vital Statistics

Nickname(s)
Sorry
Born
Thursday, 16th February, 1961
Current Age
63 years and 41 days
Place Of Birth
Gosford, New South Wales, Australia

Awards & Accolades

Dally M Lock Of The Year
1991
RLIF Coach Of The Year
2008, 2011
Dally M Coach Of The Year
2012

Biography

Penrith junior was one of the fittest, most whole-hearted players in the history of the Manly club. A clever, hard-working halfback, Hasler's career stalled at Penrith through lack of opportunity and he considered retirement to concentrate on a career as a professional runner. A teacher, he was working on the North Shore when he decided to trial with Manly in 1984 (one of the boys in his class happened to be the son of Bob Fulton). His league career quickly took off and, in 1985, he made his Test debut against NZ in Australia's shock Third Test loss. It was his utility value that gained him a place on the 1986 and 1990 Kangaroo tours, playing half, five-eighth, centre and lock. A member of Manly's grand final team that beat Canberra in 1987, Hasler took over from Greg Alexander as the number one halfback in the final two Tests on the Australian tour of NZ in 1989. Hasler played against NZ in 1991 (again as a reserve) and his 12 Test appearances against all nations reflects his immense value at national level. In 1993 he left Manly to play for Hull in England but returned to Australia midway through the following season and was promptly re-signed by the Sea Eagles. He was first used as a hooker after his return and played in two grand final appearances with the club in 1995-96. He was not offered a new contract after Manly’s win over St George in the 1996 grand final and feeling that he still had something to offer, played one final season with Wests. After his retirement, Hasler again linked with the Manly club as a development officer before taking on the role of First Division coach in 2001. In 2004 he succeeded Peter Sharp as first grade coach and took the club back into the finals in consecutive seasons (2005-06). Interestingly Hasler's 1993 biography, The Utility Player, was written by Booker Prize-winning author Thomas Keneally.
- ALAN WHITICKER

Playing Career Statistics

All statistics shown in this section are based only on data available in the RLP database, and are not necessarily a complete and/or 100% accurate representation of a player's career. This information should be used as a guide only. If you see a question mark (?), it denotes that the figure is not available.

To view a list of corresponding matches, click on the List button.

Competitions

Competition   App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NRL 289 83 1   - 333 178 105 6 61.59% List
NRL Finals 14 1 -   - 4 8 6 0 57.14% List
City vs Country Firsts 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
World Cup 7 1 -   - 4 6 1 0 85.71% List
Test Series 6 1 -   - 4 4 2 0 66.67% List
State of Origin 12 2 -   - 8 3 9 0 25.00% List
National Panasonic Cup 6 2 -   - 8 3 3 0 50.00% List
Tour Matches Australia 22 7 -   - 28 20 2 0 90.91% List
City vs Country 6 1 -   - 4 5 1 0 83.33% List
World Club Challenge 1 - -   - - 0 1 0 0.00% List
Tour Matches Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List
Tooheys Challenge Cup 2 - -   - - 0 2 0 0.00% List
The Ashes 2 - -   - - 1 1 0 50.00% List
English Championship 23 7 -   - 28 10 12 1 43.48% List
Regal Trophy 3 2 -   - 8 2 1 0 66.67% List
Challenge Cup 2 1 -   - 4 1 1 0 50.00% List


International

Test Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1985-86, 1988-91 12 2 -   - 8 10 2 0 83.33% List

International Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1985-1988 1 - -   - - 1 0 0 100.00% List

World Cup Matches - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Australia 1985-86, 1988-91 7 1 -   - 4 6 1 0 85.71% List


Representative

Australia - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
NSW 1985, 1987-91 12 2 -   - 8 3 9 0 25.00% List
NSW City Firsts 1985-86 2 - -   - - 2 0 0 100.00% List
NSW City 1987-92 6 1 -   - 4 5 1 0 83.33% List
Overall1985-1992 20 3 0   0 12 10 10 0 50.00% List


Club Career

NRL/NSWRL - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith NSWRFL 1982 2 1 -   - 3 1 1 0 50.00% List
Penrith NSWRFL 1983 10 4 -   - 16 3 7 0 30.00% List
Manly NSWRL 1984 23 9 -   - 36 13 10 0 56.52% List
Manly NSWRL 1985 21 6 -   - 24 12 8 1 57.14% List
Manly NSWRL 1986 23 6 -   - 24 13 9 1 56.52% List
Manly NSWRL 1987 24 9 -   - 36 18 5 1 75.00% List
Manly NSWRL 1988 23 14 -   - 56 15 8 0 65.22% List
Manly NSWRL 1989 17 7 -   - 28 6 10 1 35.29% List
Manly NSWRL 1990 18 4 -   - 16 10 8 0 55.56% List
Manly NSWRL 1991 17 6 -   - 24 12 5 0 70.59% List
Manly NSWRL 1992 20 3 -   - 12 8 10 2 40.00% List
Manly NSWRL 1993 23 2 -   - 8 16 7 0 69.57% List
Manly ARL 1995 25 4 -   - 16 22 3 0 88.00% List
Manly ARL 1996 22 2 1 / 2 50.00% - 10 20 2 0 90.91% List
Western Suburbs ARL 1997 21 6 -   - 24 9 12 0 42.86% List

NRL/NSWRL - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Penrith 1982-83 12 5 -   - 19 4 8 0 33.33% List
Manly 1984-93, 1995-96 256 72 1   - 290 165 85 6 64.45% List
Western Suburbs 1997 21 6 -   - 24 9 12 0 42.86% List
Overall1982-1997 289 83 1   0 333 178 105 6 61.59% List

English Career - By Year

Team Season App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Hull FC 1993/94 28 10 -   - 40 13 14 1 46.43% List

English Career - By Team

Team Years App T G   GK % FG Pts W L D Win %  
Hull FC 1993 28 10 -   - 40 13 14 1 46.43% List

Your Say

  • Grant Ottey
    06/09/2014

    Des Hasler one of my all time favourite players great coach and school teacher was my teacher for a couple of years at ST pius X College chats wood sydney N.S.W… i will not forget how we all used to line up after lunch out front of the class room and when we were all a little bit too far forward in the line he would give a tiny push just to position everybody appropriately and it would all just about send us all toppling over, such a laugh one of a kind personality "Hard Knocks" DONT SUGER-COAT this top bloke. Well done on a successful career Des.

  • Mick
    27/05/2023

    Des was doing 50 tackles a game as a schoolboy halftime when at St Doms Penrith in the mid 70's

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Contributions: Rugby League Tables, Andrew Ferguson, Shawn Dollin, AJ Lucantonio, Paul Carter, Alan Katzmann, Greg Fiveash, Steven Russo, Max Turner, Bill Bates

Sources: ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1997, ARL Rugby League Yearbook 1996, NRL Rugby League Yearbook 1998, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1989-90, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1987-88, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1988-89, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1990-91, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1991-92, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1992-93, NSWRL Rugby League Yearbook 1994, Irvin Saxton's Record Keepers' Club, Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1994-95, Match Video