‘There are rumblings': Sea Eagles rocked by three bombshells in one night
Manly has been rocked by three bombshells in one night.
The club reached crisis point over the weekend following an ugly loss to the Titans and it emerged on Monday night coach Anthony Seibold is running out of time to prove he deserves to keep his job.
Leading Fox League journalist James Hooper said on NRL 360 there are 'rumblings' players are not invested in Seibold's coaching style.
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Rugby league journalist Michael Chammas also reported on Monday Seibold may have just two matches to keep his position with the club heading into a make-or-break period of their season.
The Sea Eagles looked hapless in a 28-8 loss to the Titans as Des Hasler claimed a much-needed win against his former side. It was the third loss in four games for a Manly team that began the season with expectations of finishing in the top four.
Thye sit 11th on the ladder after winning three of their first four games of the season.
As reported by The Sydney Morning Herald, the upcoming month of football — where the team has two bye rounds and matches against the Rabbitohs and Tigers — will have 'major ramifications' for Seibold.
Seibold's position has been left on even shakier ground after individual meetings with players on Monday that appear to have backfired on the under pressure coach.
Chammas reported some players have been left disgruntled as a result of the seven-minute meetings between individual players and the coach.
That is just one of several bombs that dropped on Monday, including:
— Superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic will be shifted to centre for their next game against Wests Tigers on June 27 with Lehi Hopoate to play the fullback position when he returns from concussion.
— The relationship between Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic has been strained; AND
— Sections of the dressing room believe there are holes in Seibold's game plan.
The most striking rumour surrounds the meetings between players and the under-pressure coach.
Chammas said on Nine: 'They were all given a document with criticism around their performances to start the year and where he wants them to improve.
'I was told it didn't go down well with some certain sections of the playing group, the fact that it's providing problems rather than solutions.'
Former NSW captain Paul Gallen was blown away when hearing the news on 100% Footy.
'You don't always agree with what your boss says but at the end of the day he's your boss, you've got to respect what the boss says and does,' he said.
'He's putting his name forward and he's the boss out there. When you start questioning the boss that's when things start to go wrong.'
It appears things have already gone very wrong.
Hooper said the issues extend back to Cherry-Evans' announcement that he will leave the club at the end of 2025.
'There's a hell of a lot going on at the Manly Sea Eagles,' Hooper said.
'The Daly Cherry-Evans decision earlier in the year has not sat well with Jake Trbojevic. I don't think those two are ever going to go for a beer or spend a lot of time together in the future.'
He went on to say: 'You've got Anthony Seibold as the coach and there are rumblings his style – nothing personal – just the way the he presents, the 'tactical periodisation', the spread sheets, the game plans they are devising... there's some holes in those and that some of the players aren't entirely invested in all of that.
'And then you have Jake as well who is off contract at the end of 2026 who is getting closer to the end than he is to the start. So there's a lot going on.'
Manly's loss to the Titans was compounded when Haumole Olakau'atu suffered a dislocated shoulder — the star forward is facing an extended stint on the sidelines.
Daly Cherry-Evans was well below his best in attack but according to Code Sports, of greater concern is Manly's 'attitude problem' in defence, with 34 tackles missed against the Titans.
Seibold is staring down the barrel of missing finals twice in his three seasons in charge.
Seibold is contracted until the end of 2027, but veteran NRL reporter Phil Rothfield believes rugby league's coaching merry-go-round could be about to go into full swing.
Rothfield reported there is a rumour Sea Eagles assistant Michael Ennis 'is being groomed to eventually take over from Seibold', adding: 'Seibold is no certainty to see out his deal unless he can quickly turn Manly's form around.'
Waiting in the wings for an NRL head coaching job is Maroons and Cronulla assistant Josh Hannay, while ex-Broncos boss Kevin Walters is keen on a return to the coaching caper.
Gold Coast's win over Manly released the pressure valve on Hasler, 64, who is also fighting to keep his job and fulfil a clause on his contract that states the Titans must play finals footy this season.
Manly CEO Tony Mestrov told the Herald that the coach 'is safe at this point'.
'Seibs understands this as well as I do, it's all about winning games. Seibs is safe at this point,' he said.
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