Sea Eagles Part Ways with Head Coach Anthony Seibold After Disappointing Season Start
In a swift and surprising move, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have parted ways with head coach Anthony Seibold, just three games into what the club has described as a “disappointing” start to the season. The decision was confirmed on Friday evening, bringing Seibold’s tenure at the helm to an abrupt end.
The club issued a statement acknowledging Seibold’s departure, expressing gratitude for his contributions and wishing him and his family well for the future. While acknowledging the poor start to the season, the Sea Eagles have firmly stated their focus remains on achieving success in the 2026 season.
Stepping into the interim head coach role is club legend Kieran Foran. Foran, who recently concluded his illustrious playing career with the Gold Coast Titans at the end of last season, has been serving as an assistant coach this year. He expressed his commitment to the club, stating, “I love this club and I’ve been asked to step into the interim coach role and that’s what I’m going to do.”
Chairman Defends Shock Sacking
Club chairman Scott Penn defended the decision to sack Seibold so early in the season, citing the team’s performance at home. “We lost three games at home for the first time in 20 years, and we’re not happy about that. It doesn’t meet our standards,” Penn told reporters. He emphasised the immediate need for wins and a renewed focus for the team, believing Foran is the best person to achieve this.
Seibold’s Defence Before Dismissal
Just hours before the news of his sacking broke, Seibold had publicly asserted his belief that he was still the right man to lead the Sea Eagles. This came after a particularly emotional night where fans voiced their frustration following the team’s third consecutive home defeat. A large crowd had braved a significant storm to attend the match, and their dissatisfaction was palpable, with boos directed at former Manly star Daly Cherry-Evans, who was playing for the Roosters.
Chants of “Seibold out” were heard as Manly slumped to an 0-3 record after a 33-16 loss at 4 Pines Park. Despite the mounting pressure and fan discontent, Seibold remained steadfast.
“Well, I can’t control that narrative,” Seibold stated after the game, claiming he hadn’t heard the boos or chants. He deferred to the club’s ownership group, stating, “Only Scott (Manly chairman and owner Scott Penn) and the ownership group can control that, so there’s no point me wasting any energy or time on that.”
Seibold highlighted his commitment to the club, saying, “I think I’ve invested a lot of time in the club over the last three and a bit years and made a lot of sacrifice with my time, but if I’m not the right person, I’m sure Scott will tell me.” He reiterated his belief in the team’s potential, stating, “I still believe that we can do something together as a group so I haven’t really put any thought into it. I’m three games into a two-year extension, so it hasn’t sort of been a focus for me.”
He added, “I feel I’ve got a group there that can win games of footy and they fight hard. Like if we didn’t have any fight in us, we would have got towelled up by 60 points with those stats. I can’t control that narrative, so there’s no point wasting my time on it.”
Key Moments in the Roosters Loss
The Sea Eagles’ performance against the Roosters, despite a half-time lead, ultimately proved to be their undoing. They conceded three quick tries in the second half and struggled to regain territorial control against a disciplined Roosters outfit.
The crowd’s positive reception for young forward Simione Laiafi, who came off the bench, highlighted growing calls for Seibold to integrate more emerging talent, such as playmaker Joey Walsh.
“We led 10-8 at half-time against a team that many predicted to be one of the two or three teams that are premiership favourites,” Seibold reflected. He pointed to a penalty try and a sin binning against Manly in the second half, which he felt accounted for 12 points, along with two defensive lapses on their last tackle sets. “So there are so many positive things tonight, but one thing I know is you’ve got to keep cohesion in your group. It was good to see (Laiafi) get on the field, which is great. He’s got a great future but he’s got to build up his minutes.”
Upcoming Challenges and Injury Concerns
The Sea Eagles’ next challenge comes against the Dolphins, a fixture that will see continued pressure on the coaching staff. Their task will be made more difficult by the unavailability of forward Ethan Bullemor, who sustained an Achilles injury during warm-up before the Roosters game.
“He was warming up and he was about to go on, and when he was warming up to go on, he hurt his Achilles. That sort of messed around a little bit with our interchange plan,” Seibold explained. He was uncertain about the severity of the injury but noted, “I mean it’s certainly not a rupture, but there’s a fair bit of pain there. He wasn’t able to go on and play, so that doesn’t sort of sound great.”
