Jake and Tom Trbojevic frustrated by Sea Eagles’ politics and may leave if Des Hasler is sacked

Sea Eagles fans are on edge amid growing speculation, superstar brothers Jake and Tom Trbojevic may be looking for a fresh start elsewhere in the NRL if Manly gets bogged down in internal strife.

Both are contracted until the end of 2026 on huge deals worth more than $1 million a season, but the local juniors of Sydney’s northern beaches are said to be agitated at the club’s ongoing politics.

With controversial coach Des Hasler unlikely to stay with Manly beyond next season, rival clubs are following the festering situation with interest.

The dynamic siblings would have no shortage of offers, with Jake currently in the UK with the kangaroos for the World Cup, while 2021 Dally M winner Tom is recovering from a shoulder injury.

Chairman Scott Penn seems determined to send Hasler – a club legend – out the door sooner or later, with Anthony Siebold as his likely replacement.

Whether it’s from next season or 2024 has yet to be determined, with the decision in the hands of the two-time premiership-winning coach.

Coach Des Hasler will no longer be coaching at Manly next year – and may stop this week

Hasler is believed to have been given until Friday to let the club know whether he will remain in charge for another campaign under a succession plan drawn up by club management – or leave immediately.

And in a development that will give Manly fans the shivers, if the club had agreed to proposed clauses in the Trbojevics player contracts around Hasler at the helm, the siblings, along with the coach, would have SMH reported.

The request was denied at the time, and the Mona Vale Raiders juniors later put pen to paper.

But with some club officials questioning the value of fullback Tom Trbojevic given his injuries in recent years, the 26-year-old would quickly ‘lose patience’.

Jake Trbojevic is 28 and desperate for a premiership at Manly, but if the future looks cloudy, he’s tipped to weigh his options at the peak of his career.

Hasler has a contract until the end of 2023 and would have earned an extension to 2024 this year with a top six finish.

Jake Trbojevic is 28 and desperate for a premiership with Manly – but if the future looks cloudy he could look elsewhere in the NRL for a fresh start

But the rainbow pride fiasco in July derailed Manly’s season, with the Sea Eagles losing their last seven games to finish eleventh – a sharp drop from the 2021 preliminary final appearance.

Hasler is also believed to be considering legal action against the club for his role in helping the Pride Jersey saga unfold, arguing that the impact of the controversy effectively prevented him from leading the team to the top six and thus a to initiate contract extension in 2024.

On Tuesday, it emerged that football’s general manager, John Bonasera, was aware of the pride jerseys as early as May this year, but failed to notify Hasler.

Seven players – Josh Aloiai, Jason Saab, Christian Tuipulotu, Josh Schuster, Haumole Olakau’atu, Tolutau Koula and Toafofoa Sipley refused to wear the pride jersey due to religious and cultural beliefs – and dropped out of a game to be won against the Roosters.

Chaos and finger-pointing ensued, and Manly’s ambitions for the semi-finals were soon dashed.

As the Sea Eagles power struggle continues, there will be only one winner: Penn.

Also a two-time premiership winner as a Manly player, Hasler deserves better but he won’t fight a battle he can’t win.

Siebold, who ‘won’ a wooden spoon two years ago in what was a disastrous stint with the Broncos, is a former assistant coach at the club and lives nearby.

He has been portrayed by the club’s management as a man with ‘male DNA’ – whether that flushes with fed-up fans is the question of whether he will succeed Hasler.