Seibold’s Sea Eagles Face Early Season Scrutiny Amidst Fan Frustration
The Manly Sea Eagles find themselves in a precarious position early in the NRL season, with mounting pressure on coach Anthony Seibold following a string of losses. However, a look back at Seibold’s coaching history reveals a pattern of slow starts that have ultimately been overcome, offering a glimmer of hope for the club and its supporters.
Despite chants of “Seibold out” echoing from the stands after their latest defeat to the Sydney Roosters, Seibold remains resolute in his belief that he is the right man to lead the Sea Eagles. The team succumbed to a 33-16 loss at 4 Pines Park, marking their third consecutive defeat from as many starts.
A Familiar Pattern: Seibold’s History of Resilience
This early-season struggle is not uncharted territory for Seibold. In 2018, during his tenure with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, he endured a similar start, losing three of his opening five games. Yet, the Rabbitohs managed to rally and reach the preliminary finals that season. The following year, as head coach of the Brisbane Broncos, Seibold again faced an uphill battle, securing only one win from their first six rounds. Despite this sluggish beginning, Brisbane ultimately recovered and advanced to a qualifying final.
Seibold is currently contracted with Manly until the end of 2027. Following the loss to the Roosters, he expressed confidence that on-field results would eventually quell the speculation surrounding his future.
“I didn’t hear the fans, but what do you want me to do?” Seibold stated. “I turn up and work hard for the group. I feel I’ve got a group there that can win games of footy and they fight hard. If we didn’t have any fight in us, we would have got towelled up by 60 points with those stats.”
He acknowledged that decisions about his tenure rest with the club’s ownership. “I can’t control that decision [about my future]. Only Scott [Penn] and the ownership group can control that, so there’s no point me wasting any energy or time on that. 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. I still believe that we can do something together as a group.”
Seibold emphasised that his focus remains on the team’s performance, not on the external noise. “I haven’t really put any thought into it. Three games into a two-year extension … it hasn’t sort of been a focus for me.”
Cherry-Evans’ Return and Mixed Emotions
The match also marked a significant occasion for Daly Cherry-Evans, who returned to his former stomping ground at 4 Pines Park. Cherry-Evans spent 15 seasons with Manly, amassing a club-record 352 appearances and contributing to their 2011 premiership triumph. On Thursday, for the first time, he entered the venue as an opposition player, donning the Roosters jersey.
While he managed to laugh off the persistent booing from the Manly faithful, Cherry-Evans admitted to feeling a sense of sadness for his former club and for Seibold.
Upon hearing about the fans’ vocal disapproval of Seibold, Cherry-Evans commented, “I was here for a long time, and I don’t feel great about seeing them without a win yet. There are too many people here I have too much of a friendship with to see sad, or down, or getting booed. I don’t love that.”
He maintained a professional stance, however: “As much I can sit there and show empathy, the reality is I’m a Rooster now, and that’s where my focus is; I have to stay in my lane when it comes to that.”
A Glimmer of Promise Amidst the Gloom
Despite the eventual scoreline, Manly showed moments of promise in the first half, leading the Roosters 10-8 at the break. They managed two impressive long-range tries, including a blistering 85-metre effort from Tolu Koula, who weaved past five defenders.
Cherry-Evans delivered a strong performance for the Roosters, seemingly unfazed by the hostile reception. He drew on past experiences, including conversations with teammates like Spencer Leniu who had faced similar challenges returning to play against former clubs.
“It was a really bizarre experience, it was a really different experience,” Cherry-Evans reflected. “It felt like they had to do it [boo] because that’s what you have to do. From my end there was nothing but love. Even after the game, I didn’t feel any hostility – they booed at times, which is fine, but I really did feel like it was in jest.”
On a more positive note for Manly, the game saw the debut of 19-year-old prop Simi Laiafi, who impressed and clearly possesses a bright future. However, the team will have to contend with the absence of Jason Saab for their upcoming clash against the Dolphins after he was charged for a high tackle.
