Des Hasler has laughed off his return to Brookvale as a "part of the theatre", with Manly enjoying one of their best seasons at their spiritual home since the veteran coach's heyday.
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Hasler will walk back through the doors at 4Pines Park on Sunday for the first time since he was controversially axed by the Sea Eagles at the end of 2022.
His exit still remains a matter for the courts with the Gold Coast coach pursuing up to a $1.5 million payout from his old club and a two-day hearing set for November.
Manly coach Anthony Seibold urged fans on Saturday not to boo Hasler, labelling him one of the club's greats with two premierships as both a player and coach.
Hasler was met with boos and signage against him when he returned to Brookvale as a rival coach in 2012, having signed with Canterbury after winning the previous year's premiership.
But the 63-year-old attempted to laugh off Sunday's situation when quizzed by media on the Gold Coast, with Hasler still owning a house on the northern beaches.
"They'll be happy to see me ... so it'll be really good," Hasler joked.
"It's all part of the theatre."
What can't be denied is Manly are flying at home this year.
The Sea Eagles have won six of seven games at Brookvale and are on track to equal their best home record since Hasler's 2011 premiership team, if they defeat the Titans, Warriors and Cronulla in coming months.
Sunday's clash is also on track to be the sixth sell out at the venue this year, with the club's 2024 average crowd of 16,280 at Brookvale the best in the club's history.
Three of Manly's four previous best-season attendances came in the Hasler era, when Manly averaged above 15,000 in 2005, 2006 and 2007.
"I know the place pretty well. It's always a formidable ground to play at. That's the way it's been built over the decades," Hasler said.
"It'll be a really good test actually and our players are genuinely excited. It'll be a really good game of footy.
"Both sides are playing good footy at the moment so it's a dry track, I think you'll see some open footy."
Gold Coast will have Moeaki Fotuaika back up from State of Origin, while Queensland and NSW captains Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic will also play for Manly five days after Wednesday's decider.
"I spoke to both of them (Friday) ... it says a lot about them that they both wanted to play," Manly coach Anthony Seibold said.
"I gave them the option to have a rest, but they both wanted to play. It says a fair bit about their character and what Manly means to them."
Australian Associated Press
