The Gold Coast Titans have dumped coach Des Hasler and replaced him with Josh Hannay

The Gold Coast Titans believe they have placed one of the “best young minds in the game” in charge after confirming Josh Hannay would replace Des Hasler who has been axed as coach after just two seasons in charge.

Hannay will join the will join the Titans from the Cronulla, where he’s an assistant coach, having also helped steer Queensland to State of Origin success with coach Billy Slater as part of a number of sweeping changes at the club.

He has been given a three-year deal and will head to the Gold Cost after Cronulla’s 2025 finals campaign.

Hasler will see out the season as the bottom-placed Titans look to avoid the wooden spoon with games against the Dolphins and Wests Tigers..

Hannay has coached 30 games as interim head coach and has plenty of experience with Queensland, but this will be his biggest test at a team that has won just five games this season and has a number of stars pondering early exits.

But Titans chief executive Steve Mitchell is confident he’s the right man to help Gold Coast finally enjoy some success.

“Josh is one of the best young minds in the game,” he said.

“After 10 years in the NRL as a player, Josh has built a body of work as an assistant coach that has him ready to be successful with a team of his own.

“He is highly regarded with players and staff who have worked with him across his coaching roles to date, speaking to his ability to communicate and deliver a winning game plan.

“Josh is excited by our squad, having worked with a number of our players through his time with the Queensland Origin and Emerging Origin camps.

“We have been highly impressed by Josh and his vision for this team, however out of respect to both Josh and the Cronulla Sharks, we will wait until he has finished with his current role before he speaks to Titans members and fans directly.”

The Titans have won just five matches this season and are on track to claim the wooden spoon for the third time, with Hasler the latest coach who struggled to make it work with a squad brimming with talent.

Hasler still had a year to run on his deal but won’t be there in 2026 after winning just 13 matches in his two seasons in charge despite enjoying plenty of success with Manly where he won two titles.

The veteran coach will lead the Titans for the final two games of the season against the Dolphins and the Wests Tigers, and they can avoid the spoon with a win and a couple of Newcastle losses.

Hasler brought up his 500-game milestone earlier in the season, but his exit has been looming for a while now and was sealed on Saturday following a loss to the Warriors and a terse exchange with a journalist after the game,

“His deep knowledge, passion and unwavering commitment to excellence have been evident every day he has worked with our club,” Titans chairman Dennis Watt said.

“While this season hasn’t gone as planned, Des has conducted himself with the dignity and class that has defined his entire career.”

Anthony Laffranchi will alo become the club’s head of recruitment next year, with inaugural general manager of football Scott Sattler returning as the director of football in 2026.

Sattler will have to give up his radio work and player agent commitments as the club looks to turn things around on and off the field.

“As a player, Scott was known for his incredible work rate, effort and never-say-die attitude,” Mitchell said.

“These are the traits we want to see from our players and who better to instil this than as someone who lived and breathed these during his own career.

“Scott has a strong connection with the Titans, having been involved in the development of the inaugural roster back in 2007 and has showed that he knows how to put together a winning squad.

“He is a Gold Coaster through and through, he grew up here, played his junior footy here, made his first-grade debut here and continues to call our region home - Scott is passionate about the Coast and wants success for this club.

“Post-football Scott has been successful in both business and media, and he’s got a great understanding of not just the needs of the football program but the business more broadly.”