Contract clause Titans can trigger to oust Hasler

A clause in Des Hasler's Titans contract could decide his future by the end of the weekend with defeat to the Broncos certain to rule them out of making the eight.

According to News Corp journalist Pete Badel, the club will be within their rights to activate the clause should they fail to win on Sunday.

It has been a disastrous season for the Titans who currently sit dead last on the ladder with the worst point differential in the competition.

Reports this week have varied from Hasler being sacked to him retiring with immediate effect.

Either way, the club parting company with another coach means they will have had four leaders in the space of eight years, with only two finals appearances during that time.

"It’s a sad state of affairs," Badel told SENQ Breakfast. "There was great hopes that Hasler would be the man to make this sleeping giant become a force.

"There's disharmony there. Players have raised issues with the coaching style.

"Players aren’t dealing with Hasler. He’s confusing and complex. They’ve asked him to ease back on training. It’s untenable.

"It in his contract, a clause that he can be let go if the Titans don’t have a mathematical chance of the eight and that will be this weekend if they lose.

"I cant see how the Titans make the eight and that gives them the power to pull the trigger.

"If they don’t pull the trigger I think they will part ways."

As for who could come in and help the club to a brighter future, Badel's colleague Michael Carayannis backed current Maroons assistant coach Josh Hannay to take the reins.

“I think he is the next cab off the rank,” Carayannis said.

“When you look at assistant coaches, he’s had a bit of experience with the Cowboys and Sharks and dipping his toe as an interim coach (at both North Queensland and Cronulla). He’s also been in the Queensland Maroons setup.

“He went very close to getting the Parramatta job last year. If he wants the job, I think he will be off the next cohort of coaches that have proper NRL experience week in and week out.”

Carayannis also thinks that other NRL assistant coaches could be considered for the job. However, he did note that the Titans' issues ran far deeper than the identity of the coach.

“Then you look at Matt King, Ben Hornby, Dean Young, these sorts of guys are the next guys (to go for),” he added.

“But the thing for the Titans is they’ve had experienced coaches, premiership-winning coaches in Des Hasler. They’ve gone the rookie, rising coach in Justin Holbrook,(and) Garth Brennan.

“They’ve gone through all these cycles before; Neil Henry was an experienced coach. So, what’s the best fit? Maybe it’s not the coach, maybe it’s the culture, the development.”

The Titans will be looking for their first win since Round 15 when they play the Brisbane Broncos this Sunday at Cbus Super Stadium.