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Their priority has been maintaining a happy working environment, and not pushing their stresses on to the players.
Some of their best coaching work has probably been happening the past few months.
“I have a responsibility to them, and to make sure what’s happening around them, is not impacting on them … it’s a different process to what you’re doing when your team is in the top four,” Bennett said on Saturday.
The Rabbitohs are coming off a 60-14 drubbing at the hands of the Broncos.Credit: Getty Images
“Everybody around you can be doom and gloom, but we can’t afford that. It won’t help us play better.
“Maybe 20 years ago, when I was young coach, I may have had a different approach, but I know what works these days. Doing sad on a regular basis doesn’t work.”
Hence, the impromptu lunch at Grappa. Bennett also told the players he was scrapping any video reviews of last weekend’s 60-14 hammering by the Broncos.
“What could you possibly learn from watching that shit back,” he told his players.
Bennett would rather keep the mood light. He has always been known for his one-liners. He’ll often enter the video room dressed like a rapper, “with his pants slightly down and cap on backwards”, says forward Jacob Host.
“He makes things enjoyable, and makes people want to be here,” Host says.
Bennett still calls Tallis Duncan “Dallas”, and spells Jye Gray’s first name “Ji” whenever he writes it on the whiteboard.
Titans winger Jaylan De Groot, aka “Alex”.Credit: Getty Images
Hasler does the same, calling Jaylan De Groot “Alex”. The Titans rookie did not have the heart to correct Hasler at the start of the year, so “Alex” has stuck.
While Souths players did not look like a team under pressure trying to avoid a potential last-place finish this week, the same could be said with the Titans.
The Gold Coast were in the headlines all week after a Penrith trainer ran in front of Jayden Campbell as he lined up a sideline conversion. The trainer, Corey Bocking, was hit with a five-match ban. Campbell confirmed this week Bocking had reached out to apologise, and there were no hard feelings.
The players could even see the funny side, and uploaded a video to their socials of several Titans running in front of Campbell as he tried to kick a goal at training.
Bennett and Hasler will not be adding to the nine NRL premierships between them this year – but their thirst for success, and unwavering belief in their own ability, can never be questioned.
“We’ve had so many injuries this season, it’s been tough, but Wayne has stayed calm the whole time,” says Jai Arrow, one of only two players to feature in every game for Souths this season.
“We haven’t had any crisis meetings or any of that crap.
“Wayne has been about trying to turn up to work every day to make it enjoyable so we can try and perform at our best on the weekend.
“He’s a big believer in what’s happening in the moment, and not worrying about the past.
“We didn’t even do review on the Broncos game.
“Wayne can read the room and has these one-liners that make people relax.”
Kieran Foran has a long association with Hasler.Credit: Getty Images
Kieran Foran played under Hasler at Manly twice, was meant to play under him at Canterbury – only for the coach to be sacked before he arrived – and will finish his career next month with the coach who handed him his debut, in 2009.
Foran has seen his good friend cope with his share of challenges, and rated this season among one of Hasler’s toughest.
“He’s been unbelievable, and I said to someone the other day how I’ve never seen someone under pressure just stay the course like Des does,” Foran says.
“He’s got this incredible ability to block it out.
“He doesn’t allow himself to hear it or see it, and he just knows he has to prepare this side the best he can, and he does that every single week without fail.
“His thirst to bring success to this group and club is unwavering.
“Des absolutely loves what he does every single day – he genuinely loves having the opportunity to coach at this level, help bring success to young men’s lives, and help turn clubs around.
“Des lives for it. He doesn’t know any other way.”
Hasler did lose his cool, however, after a loss to the Wests Tigers. TV cameras in the Leichhardt Oval change rooms capturing him losing his cool, and ordering players out of the showers.
But then there is the Hasler who still loves to play pranks and have a laugh. Remember, the story we told you last year about Hasler and how he would annoy staff by pressing a buzzer at the front office, only to disappear. After a week of going to the front door and seeing nobody there, fed-up Titans staffers studied the CCTV footage and discovered Hasler was the culprit. They clipped up the footage, set it to the Pink Panther theme tune, and sent it around the office.
The Titans have won five of their 19 games this season, hardly flattering numbers, but Hasler has kept his messaging simple.
“From the moment he coached me as an 18-year-old, Dessie was always about detail, effort areas, giving your heart and soul and being competitive – he was all about going to the fight and going to the contest,” Foran says.
“To this day, Dessie still asks that of his players every single day, every single week. The messaging has not changed.
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“One thing experienced coaches have got is an incredible ability to not waver under pressure.
“That’s what you’re seeing now from Dessie and Wayne, despite where their teams sit on the ladder.”
The winning coach on Sunday will hardly be doing cartwheels. Expect the losing coach to keep doing what they know best.
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
Their priority has been maintaining a happy working environment, and not pushing their stresses on to the players.
Some of their best coaching work has probably been happening the past few months.
“I have a responsibility to them, and to make sure what’s happening around them, is not impacting on them … it’s a different process to what you’re doing when your team is in the top four,” Bennett said on Saturday.
The Rabbitohs are coming off a 60-14 drubbing at the hands of the Broncos.Credit: Getty Images
“Everybody around you can be doom and gloom, but we can’t afford that. It won’t help us play better.
“Maybe 20 years ago, when I was young coach, I may have had a different approach, but I know what works these days. Doing sad on a regular basis doesn’t work.”
Hence, the impromptu lunch at Grappa. Bennett also told the players he was scrapping any video reviews of last weekend’s 60-14 hammering by the Broncos.
“What could you possibly learn from watching that shit back,” he told his players.
Bennett would rather keep the mood light. He has always been known for his one-liners. He’ll often enter the video room dressed like a rapper, “with his pants slightly down and cap on backwards”, says forward Jacob Host.
“He makes things enjoyable, and makes people want to be here,” Host says.
Bennett still calls Tallis Duncan “Dallas”, and spells Jye Gray’s first name “Ji” whenever he writes it on the whiteboard.
Titans winger Jaylan De Groot, aka “Alex”.Credit: Getty Images
Hasler does the same, calling Jaylan De Groot “Alex”. The Titans rookie did not have the heart to correct Hasler at the start of the year, so “Alex” has stuck.
While Souths players did not look like a team under pressure trying to avoid a potential last-place finish this week, the same could be said with the Titans.
The Gold Coast were in the headlines all week after a Penrith trainer ran in front of Jayden Campbell as he lined up a sideline conversion. The trainer, Corey Bocking, was hit with a five-match ban. Campbell confirmed this week Bocking had reached out to apologise, and there were no hard feelings.
The players could even see the funny side, and uploaded a video to their socials of several Titans running in front of Campbell as he tried to kick a goal at training.
Bennett and Hasler will not be adding to the nine NRL premierships between them this year – but their thirst for success, and unwavering belief in their own ability, can never be questioned.
“We’ve had so many injuries this season, it’s been tough, but Wayne has stayed calm the whole time,” says Jai Arrow, one of only two players to feature in every game for Souths this season.
“We haven’t had any crisis meetings or any of that crap.
“Wayne has been about trying to turn up to work every day to make it enjoyable so we can try and perform at our best on the weekend.
“He’s a big believer in what’s happening in the moment, and not worrying about the past.
“We didn’t even do review on the Broncos game.
“Wayne can read the room and has these one-liners that make people relax.”
Kieran Foran has a long association with Hasler.Credit: Getty Images
Kieran Foran played under Hasler at Manly twice, was meant to play under him at Canterbury – only for the coach to be sacked before he arrived – and will finish his career next month with the coach who handed him his debut, in 2009.
Foran has seen his good friend cope with his share of challenges, and rated this season among one of Hasler’s toughest.
“He’s been unbelievable, and I said to someone the other day how I’ve never seen someone under pressure just stay the course like Des does,” Foran says.
“He’s got this incredible ability to block it out.
“He doesn’t allow himself to hear it or see it, and he just knows he has to prepare this side the best he can, and he does that every single week without fail.
“His thirst to bring success to this group and club is unwavering.
“Des absolutely loves what he does every single day – he genuinely loves having the opportunity to coach at this level, help bring success to young men’s lives, and help turn clubs around.
“Des lives for it. He doesn’t know any other way.”
Hasler did lose his cool, however, after a loss to the Wests Tigers. TV cameras in the Leichhardt Oval change rooms capturing him losing his cool, and ordering players out of the showers.
But then there is the Hasler who still loves to play pranks and have a laugh. Remember, the story we told you last year about Hasler and how he would annoy staff by pressing a buzzer at the front office, only to disappear. After a week of going to the front door and seeing nobody there, fed-up Titans staffers studied the CCTV footage and discovered Hasler was the culprit. They clipped up the footage, set it to the Pink Panther theme tune, and sent it around the office.
The Titans have won five of their 19 games this season, hardly flattering numbers, but Hasler has kept his messaging simple.
“From the moment he coached me as an 18-year-old, Dessie was always about detail, effort areas, giving your heart and soul and being competitive – he was all about going to the fight and going to the contest,” Foran says.
“To this day, Dessie still asks that of his players every single day, every single week. The messaging has not changed.
Loading
“One thing experienced coaches have got is an incredible ability to not waver under pressure.
“That’s what you’re seeing now from Dessie and Wayne, despite where their teams sit on the ladder.”
The winning coach on Sunday will hardly be doing cartwheels. Expect the losing coach to keep doing what they know best.
NRL is Live and Free on Channel 9 & 9Now
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