Manly Coach Seibold Under Fire as Fans Boo After Home Defeat to Roosters
Anthony Seibold remains adamant that he is still the right man to lead the Manly Sea Eagles, despite a vocal section of the club's supporters turning against him during their 33-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night. The match at Brookvale Oval saw fans initially booing former Manly star Daly Cherry-Evans on every touch, but by fulltime, the ire had shifted to Seibold with chants of "Seibold out" echoing from the main grandstand.
The winless Sea Eagles have now suffered three consecutive losses at home, intensifying pressure on Seibold's position. When asked about the fan reaction, Seibold stated, "I didn't hear the fans, but what do you want me to do? I turn up, work hard for the group." He emphasized his belief in the team's potential, adding, "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."
Seibold's Future in Question Amid Crucial Upcoming Fixtures
Seibold, who received a two-year contract extension through 2026 and 2027 after guiding Manly to the 2024 finals, faces a pivotal period with upcoming matches against the Dolphins, St George Illawarra, and North Queensland. Reflecting on his job security, he noted, "I can't control that decision. 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 highlighted his commitment, saying, "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."
The game itself was dominated by the Roosters, who completed at an impressive 96 percent and spent much of the match camped in Manly's half. Despite this, there were some positives for the Sea Eagles, including a resilient first-half defensive effort. Tolu Koula demonstrated his attacking threat, contributing to all three of Manly's tries, while prop Simione Laiafi showed promise on his debut.
Cherry-Evans Shines in Return to Brookvale Oval
Daly Cherry-Evans, playing his 352nd game for Manly before joining the Roosters, was at the center of the action, playing a role in four of the Roosters' six tries. The booing from Manly fans was almost comical, but Cherry-Evans had the last laugh. He offloaded in the lead-up to Mark Nawaqanitawase's first try and was involved in the winger's second after Tom Trbojevic spilled a Cherry-Evans bomb. His kicks also set up Daniel Tupou's penalty try and Robert Toia's late score.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson commented on the atmosphere, saying, "I thought the boos were a little bit of fun. But the important thing for us was improving that cohesion he is running with it. We defended ourselves into field position and our completion rates were really high. It improved a little bit, but we've still got a bit to go."
Costly Errors and Injuries Compound Manly's Woes
Manly's inability to escape their own end proved costly, particularly during a crucial five-minute passage in the second half. With the Sea Eagles leading 10-8, Corey Waddell was stripped in a one-on-one tackle by Connor Watson. By the time Manly next touched the ball, they trailed 26-10 after tries from Toia, Watson, and Tupou's penalty try.
Further compounding Manly's troubles, winger Jason Saab was sin-binned late for high contact on Hugo Savala. On the Roosters' side, luckless center Billy Smith suffered a knee injury before halftime and will require scans, adding to the team's injury concerns early in the season.
As the Sea Eagles prepare for their next matches, the spotlight remains firmly on Seibold and his ability to turn around their fortunes, with fan patience wearing thin after another disappointing home performance.
