Seibold Faces Fan Backlash as Sea Eagles’ Woes Continue
The pressure is mounting on Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold following a disheartening 33-16 home loss to the Sydney Roosters. The frustration of the Brookvale faithful was palpable, with the team’s winless streak extending to three home games. What began with boos for former Sea Eagle Daly Cherry-Evans quickly morphed into chants of “Seibold out” by the end of the match, reflecting a deep dissatisfaction among the fanbase.
Seibold, however, remains steadfast in his belief that he is the right man to lead the club. “I feel I’ve got a group there that can win games of footy and they fight hard,” he stated. He pointed to the team’s statistics in the Roosters game, arguing that a lack of fight would have resulted in a far more lopsided defeat.
Despite the vocal dissent from the stands, Seibold claims he didn’t hear the chants. “I turn up, work hard for the group,” he said, deflecting from the fan reaction. He acknowledged that his future at the club is ultimately in the hands of the ownership group, led by chairman Scott Penn. “I can’t control that decision,” Seibold admitted. “Only (chairman) Scott (Penn) and the ownership group can control that, so there’s no point me wasting any energy or time on that.” He emphasised his significant investment in the club over the past three years, highlighting the personal sacrifices made.
The Sea Eagles’ performance against a dominant Roosters outfit, who boasted an impressive 96 per cent completion rate and spent the majority of the game in Manly’s territory, did offer some glimmers of hope. In the first half, the team’s defence showed resilience. Youngster Tolu Koula demonstrated his attacking prowess, with all three of Manly’s tries originating from deep within their own half. Prop Simione Laiafi also made a promising debut.
However, Manly’s recurring struggles with field position proved to be their undoing. A critical five-minute period in the second half proved particularly damaging. With Manly clinging to a slender 10-8 lead, a one-on-one strip by the Roosters’ Connor Watson on Corey Waddell shifted the momentum dramatically. By the time Manly regained possession, they found themselves trailing 26-10. This devastating passage of play saw Robert Toia weave through tackles, Watson chase down an early grubber, and Daniel Tupou awarded a penalty try.
Daly Cherry-Evans was instrumental in the Roosters’ resurgence, playing a hand in four of their six tries. His return to Brookvale was met with near-constant booing, a stark contrast to his impact on the game. He was involved in the Roosters’ opening two tries, first with an offload that led to Mark Nawaqanitawase’s first four-pointer. Nawaqanitawase’s second try came after Tom Trbojevic spilled a Cherry-Evans bomb, with the No.6 then setting up the winger on the next play.
Furthermore, Manly struggled to contain Cherry-Evans’ tactical kicking game. His kicks were key in the lead-up to Tupou’s penalty try and also contributed to Toia’s second try late in the match.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson brushed off the booing as “a little bit of fun” but stressed the importance of the team’s improved cohesion and field position. “We defended ourselves into field position and our completion rates were really high,” Robinson commented. “It improved a little bit, but we’ve still got a bit to go.”
Adding to Manly’s woes, Jason Saab was sin-binned late in the game for a high tackle on Hugo Savala. The Roosters also suffered a blow with centre Billy Smith sustaining a knee injury before halftime, which will require further scans.
The coming weeks will be crucial for Anthony Seibold and the Manly Sea Eagles. With upcoming fixtures against the Dolphins, St George Illawarra Dragons, and North Queensland Cowboys, the team faces a challenging path to turn their season around and appease their increasingly frustrated fanbase. Seibold’s long-term contract, which extends to 2027, was contingent on making the 2024 finals, a target that appears increasingly difficult to achieve given their current form. The club’s leadership will undoubtedly be closely monitoring their performances and the public sentiment.
