Des Hasler's future is set to be on the agenda at a meeting of the Canterbury football club board on Tuesday, with the Bulldogs coach under fierce scrutiny again less than four months after he was re-signed for two more seasons.
The blowtorch is back on Hasler with the Canterbury all but out of the semi-finals hunt and figures behind the scenes agitating again for change.
Barring a miraculous late-season surge the Bulldogs won't figure beyond the first weekend of September and for the first time since 2004, Hasler's first year at Manly, one of his teams will be miss the semi-finals.
After months of speculation Canterbury handed him a contract extension in April and if directors now choose to part ways with him it would be a stunning backflip.
It has been reported that the Bulldogs would have to pay out Hasler in the range of $1 million if they were to sack him.
The Bulldogs are adamant Tuesday's gathering is a regular monthly board meeting. But the performance of the team and Hasler will be discussed.
Canberra assistant Dean Pay has been regarded as the favourite to win the job as Canterbury coach should Hasler be moved on. Sources have told Fairfax Media, however, that the likely scenario in the event Hasler was sacked would be for long-time assistant coach Jim Dymock to take over in a caretaker capacity.
Bulldogs winger Brett Morris believes, however, it is the players, not the coach who should be wearing criticism.
"I suppose that's what happens when you're not winning games of football. Everyone looks for a scapegoat," Morris said. "Obviously they're trying to pick out Des.
"But if you look at it the players are the ones who have got to out there and perform and execute. I don't think we've been doing that. It's not up to Des to score the tries, it's up to the players out there.
"Des has the full support of the boys. Everyone loves Dessy as a coach. I can't believe that they're talking that sort of way.
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