Anthony Seibold has defended his report as Manly coach, claiming any suggestion the Sea Eagles’ conflict with Wests Tigers might be job-defining is “agenda-driven” and “nonsensical”.
In a prolonged press convention on Thursday, Seibold declared Daly Cherry-Evans would stay captain for the remainder of 2025, and confirmed Tom Trbojevic’s centre transfer was a short-term one.
However the Manly coach additionally saved a prolonged defence for himself, along with his job within the highlight after shock losses to Newcastle and Gold Coast left the Sea Eagles tenth on the NRL ladder.
Manly CEO Tony Mestrov raised eyebrows final week when he mentioned Seibold was “secure at this level”, earlier than stating on Monday these have been “simply phrases” and that the coach was undoubtedly secure.
“If it’s been mentioned (this can be a big recreation), that’s agenda-driven,” Seibold mentioned on Thursday.
“Should you take a look at the information, I got here in on the finish of 2022. The membership had misplaced seven or eight video games in a row.
“There was loads of commentary across the satisfaction jersey. We received extra video games in 2023 than we did in 2022. We received extra video games in 2024 than we did in 2023.
“This 12 months, we’ve performed some distinctive footy. However we’ve additionally performed poorly at occasions. The hole between our greatest and our worst has been too vast for my liking.”
Seibold did affirm there had been a dialogue round a succession plan as coach on the finish of 2027, with a purpose to cease the roster from being blown up once more.
It has emerged previously fortnight that Manly had mentioned former NSW hooker Michael Ennis ultimately taking on.
“(That’s) with regard to placing the way forward for the membership first,” Seibold mentioned.
“It got here off a one-off dialog, or two conversations round that. After which it received leaked to the media final week for no matter cause.
“However once more, that claims extra round another individuals’s pursuits than mine.”
Regardless, Seibold insisted the strain on him was not actual strain in comparison with “what’s happening in Israel or Ukraine”.
However the former South Sydney and Brisbane coach insisted he was additionally assured within the path Manly have been headed.
“Should you take a look at the larger image and what we’ve achieved during the last two and a half years, we’ve received packed homes right here each single week,” Seibold mentioned.
“We’ve developed a footy group that may beat any group within the competitors on our day. We’ve simply received to shut the hole persistently.
Daly Cherry-Evans. (Picture by Cameron Spencer/Getty Photographs)
“That’s a part of my position and the gamers’ position.
“To counsel you’re a great coach should you win this week otherwise you’re a poor coach should you don’t is in some ways nonsensical.
“I’ve received good perspective on what’s essential. I do know what we have to do.
“We’ve received plans in place for now. I feel it’s fairly laughable.
“Nevertheless it’s additionally I do know that there’s an agenda someplace within the background. It says extra about these individuals than myself.”
Seibold additionally rejected any suggestion that Cherry-Evans’ contract saga had been a distraction after he introduced his looming end-of-season exit in March.
The Manly coach mentioned he had by no means thought of altering the captaincy, pointing to Adam Reynolds taking Souths to the 2021 grand closing as proof it might work.
Cherry-Evans spoke to the group at an everyday “campfire” discuss final week, with Seibold insisting he did properly to deal with the difficulty.
Seibold additionally revealed Trbojevic educated via the bye after being instructed he was shifting to centre, and mentioned 2024 was proof a brief stint there might work with Lehi Hopoate sporting No.1.
“We put him to centre final 12 months and he received a little bit of confidence,” Seibold mentioned.
“Then he received his recreation again on and he performed excellent on the again finish of the 12 months and made the Kangaroos facet.
“It’s about permitting ‘Turbo’ to go and play with a little bit of freedom and move.”
De Belin departs Dragons
St George Illawarra’s resolution to inform Jack de Belin to hit the highway to take up a suggestion from Parramatta has created a fan backlash over the veteran stalwart not with the ability to end his profession as a one-club participant.
New CEO Tim Watsford just lately instructed de Belin that the membership wouldn’t offer him a contract extension past the top of this season and because of this, the previous NSW Origin ahead has signed with the Eels on a two-year deal beginning in 2026.
There may be an out of doors probability that the Dragons will let him stroll mid-season if they’ll strike a deal earlier than the deadline on the finish of the week.
Complicating issues is the truth that the Dragons host the Eels on Saturday in Wollongong, two days earlier than the June 30 deadline.
They’re within the hunt for Penrith ahead Luke Garner as a alternative to spice up the expertise of their pack, in keeping with a Sydney Morning Herald report.
“Jack has been an excellent servant of the membership over the previous 15 years,” mentioned Watsford.
“These choices are by no means straightforward, however as a membership we have to steadiness the wants of the taking part in roster over each the brief and long run and with a number of promising younger forwards now rising into real first graders we felt this was the very best end result for the membership shifting ahead.
“Whereas Jack received’t end his profession as a one-club participant, there isn’t any questioning the loyalty that has been proven each by Jack in direction of the Dragons and from the Dragons in direction of Jack over the previous 15 years.
“He has been an excellent participant over a decade-and-a-half within the Pink V and we want him nothing however the easiest for the subsequent chapter of his profession.”
De Belin, in a membership assertion, mentioned his focus was on ending his closing season on the Dragons on a constructive observe.
“I’ve loved each minute of my time on the membership and have made some great mates and recollections,” he mentioned.
“I’m additionally grateful for the best way the followers have at all times supported me for the reason that day I arrived right here as an adolescent.”
De Belin is 34 and has performed 242 matches for the Dragons since his debut in 2011.
Jack de Belin (Picture by Ashley Feder/Getty Photographs)
He missed your entire 2019 and 2020 seasons after he was controversially banned beneath the NRL’s no-fault, stand-down coverage whereas he confronted sexual assault prices which have been ultimately dropped after two trials failed to achieve a verdict.
The Eels’ deal is for 2026 with the membership holding the choice on whether or not he will get a second season in blue and gold.
Parramatta are additionally hoping of prying Tallyn Da Silva from the Wests Tigers earlier than the signings deadline with the proficient younger gun rising stressed after being given no ensures about getting the nod as their long-term hooker.
Though they face competitors from the Knights and Cowboys for his providers.
AFB goes into bat for Hynes
Star Cronulla signing Addin Fonua-Blake has admitted to checking-out throughout video games, however says the Sharks should urgently hit kind to resuscitate their NRL season.
Sixth-placed Cronulla have the worst win proportion in opposition to the opposite top-eight sides, claiming just one win from seven this season.
Since their shock five-point win over Melbourne in spherical 11, Craig Fitzgibbon’s males have received only one recreation and fallen to 3 top-eight sides.
Fonua-Blake was touted because the lacking piece within the Sharks’ premiership puzzle on arrival from the Warriors this 12 months, however admitted he has been under his finest through the kind stoop.
“I’ve had just a few psychological lapses within the recreation on the weekend and within the few video games I’ve dropped on alongside the best way this 12 months,” he mentioned.
Nicholas Hynes pleading his case. (Picture by Albert Perez/Getty Photographs)
“I need to be doing all the things I can to ensure that I assist the group carry out as finest they’ll.”
Sunday’s rematch in opposition to the Storm at AAMI Park is shaping to be one of many greatest checks thus far for the Sharks, with simply two competitors factors separating fifth from eleventh.
“(I) really feel like each recreation is fairly pressing. We don’t need to be the place we’re sitting in the intervening time,” Fonua-Blake mentioned.
“We’ve dropped just a few on the run now and we will’t afford to drop any extra.”
Halfback Nicho Hynes has been extremely criticised for his contribution to the group’s efficiency, however Fonua-Blake dismissed the thought.
“It’s not proper that Nicho wears all of the punishment and all of the strain is on his shoulders,” he mentioned.
“I’m fairly certain out of the 17 blokes that took the sector 17 of us would put our hand up and say we weren’t ok. So Nicho’s unrightfully been the simple scapegoat over just a few years.”
Teammate Teig Wilton argued self-discipline was key to discovering kind.
“It’s our self-discipline round our recreation plan, and our self-discipline to have consideration to element, to little issues,” he mentioned.
“It’s not straightforward to win on this comp, and should you’re a bit of bit off in too many areas, you clearly pay for it and that’s what occurred.”
The sting ahead was hospitalised on Sunday after copping a poke within the eye in opposition to Brisbane, however mentioned the harm received’t have an effect on his recreation this week.
“I simply received a little bit of a poke and received a little bit of a scratch throughout the floor so I simply couldn’t actually see for just a few hours,” he mentioned.
“Nevertheless it’s coming good, it heals fairly fast so I’m proud of it.”
Wilton mentioned each bodily and psychological features of the sport have been a spotlight for Cronulla’s essential coming weeks.
“Teaching employees put a lot effort into us and the followers they’ll see that now we have the expertise and now we have the flexibility, and once we don’t carry out on our potential, I feel it may be irritating,” he mentioned.
with AAP
