Des Hasler apologises to family of Manly Sea Eagles player who died after training, vows to prevent future tragedies

Veteran rugby league coach Des Hasler issued an apology to the family of Keith Titmuss, a Manly Sea Eagles player who passed away following a training session in November 2020.

During an inquest into Titmuss’s death, Hasler, now the head coach of the Gold Coast Titans, expressed his sorrow and shared heartbreak with Titmuss’s family, acknowledging the young player’s value and the loss felt.

Titmuss suffered a seizure after a cardio workout and died hours later, with the inquest suggesting exertional heat stroke as a likely cause, though an autopsy could not confirm this.

The tragedy has prompted Manly’s head of football, John Bonasera, to pledge improvements within the sport to prevent such incidents, emphasizing the importance of creating a culture where players do not feel pressured to overexert themselves.

Measures to mitigate heat illness risks, such as the installation of air conditioning and cold pools at training facilities and educating players on heat stroke, have been implemented since Titmuss’s death.