'Next cab off the rank': Origin winner tipped to take Des Hasler's job at Titans
Slater was widely hailed for his tactics and bold selection calls as the Maroons bounced back from defeat at home in Game 1 to become the first Queensland side to win the remaining two games on the road and claim the Origin shield. Slater is contracted until the end of next year, which will be his fifth series in charge of the Maroons, but Ikin says the QRL are keen to tie him down 'for as long as we can'.
'It won't be a negotiation that looks similar to what happens in NRL land. I have great trust when we hand him the reins to take this team through a series and that trust has only increased every year he's had the job," Ikin told News Corp. 'It's for him to decide what he wants to do beyond next year and clearly if Billy wants to keep coaching the Queensland State of Origin team then he's probably going to keep the job.'
Ikin's comments come amid reports that Slater's Maroons assistant Josh Hannay has emerged as the frontrunner to succeed under-fire Gold Coast head coach, Hasler. The veteran mentor reportedly has a clause in his contract meaning the Titans can sack him if they fail to finish the season inside the top-eight.
That could happen after this weekend if Gold Coast fail to beat the Broncos on Sunday evening, with another loss meaning the Titans are mathematically out of finals contention. There have been suggestions that Hasler could retire at the end of the season anyway, despite being contracted until the end of 2026.
Either way, Hasler's tenure has been 'an absolute disaster' according to league reporter Michael Caryannis. The former premiership-winning Manly coach was signed to the Titans on a big-money deal to replace Justin Holbrook, and tasked to deliver a harder edge to the Gold Coast and deliver finals footy to the club. But the Titans are rooted to the bottom of the ladder after just four wins in 15 games and Hasler's position is under fire.
"It has been an absolute disaster," Caryannis said about Hasler's reign. "He's on a one million dollar contract and he was supposed to come in and really give this Titans side some clout. And it hasn't worked... the questions that we've had about the Titans for the last 24 months to three years still linger.
"Can they unlock David Fifita and what's their best halves combination? And we still don't have those answers. And if you can't have those answers 18 months into your tenure... you're never going to have them." The Titans will also be without veteran playmaker Kieran Foran next year after he announced on Friday that he was retiring at the end of the season.
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And with Hasler's exit seemingly edging closer, Maroons assistant Hannay has emerged as his potential successor. The former Cowboys and Sharks assistant was part of Slater's coaching staff for Queensland's Origin series win and Caryannis says it's understood he is 'the next cab off the rank' as far as the Gold Coast coaching job goes.
"When you look at assistant coaches he's had a bit of experience with the Cowboys and Sharks... He's been in the Queensland Maroons set-up and went very close to getting the Parramatta job last year," Caryannis said about Hannay. "So if he wants the job, he'll be among the next cohort of coaches that don't have proper NRL experience (as a head coach)." Matt King, Ben Hornby and Dean Young have also been mentioned as potential candidates to succeed Hasler.
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