Sea Eagles sack Seibold just three games into NRL season

Manly have sensationally sacked Anthony Seibold just three games into their 2026 NRL campaign.

The decision was made on Friday afternoon following Thursday night’s 33-16 loss to the Roosters. Seibold was only three games into a new contract, which was to run until the end of the 2027 season.

Seibold was under pressure after the Sea Eagles’ 0-3 start to the season, during which they lost to the Roosters, Knights and Raiders.

The 2018 Dally M coach of the year needed a fast start after the Sea Eagles missed the finals last year, finishing 10th. However, even by the NRL’s ruthless standards, getting sacked in round four – the Sea Eagles have also had a bye – is a shock.

Seibold had a 49 per cent win rate during his 76-game stint on the northern beaches that began in 2023. Injuries and inconsistent performances have conspired against him, and the Manly hierarchy made the call to terminate his contract immediately.

The decision comes on the same day Hull KR coach Willie Peters accepted the job as the inaugural Papua New Guinea Chiefs coach. With Peters out of the running for the Manly job, Leeds coach Brad Arthur is expected to be among the frontrunners for the vacant post. Other options include Matt Ballin and Michael Ennis.

Ennis, who is now at the Dragons as an assistant coach and previously worked under Seibold, said he had not been approached.

“No conversation, no thought around it,” he said on Fox Sports on Friday night.

Seibold has experienced a turbulent head coaching career since his first NRL job at South Sydney in 2018. Named coach of the year that season after steering the Rabbitohs to third on the competition ladder and a preliminary final, the Rockhampton product was granted a release from his contract after being poached by Brisbane.

The 51-year-old’s time at Red Hill started well, guiding the Broncos to an elimination final. But after losing that game to Parramatta by a record 58-0 margin, things quickly went downhill and he was sacked in 2020 after just 40 games.

After a code change, during which he worked with England Test rugby coach Eddie Jones, Seibold found himself back in the NRL.

He replaced Des Hasler as Manly coach in 2023 and the team finished 12th. The club appeared to be on the cusp of a resurgence after Seibold guided them to seventh and a finals win over Canterbury the following year.

However, last year’s failure to make the play-offs has proven costly.

Manly players were informed of the shock development via their WhatsApp group on Friday night.

One of Manly’s assistants, Brett Kimmorley, Jim Dymock and Kieran Foran, is expected to take over the role on an interim basis. Kimmorley and Dymock have NRL head-coaching experience and are most likely to fill the void in the short term.

Foran, an assistant at Manly, said he didn’t see it coming.

“Shocked, shocked,” he said on Fox Sports. “It was business as usual this morning … going through the review … and preparing for Sunday training.”

Seibold, Manly chief executive Jason King and chairman Scott Penn were contacted for comment.

The Sea Eagles confirmed Seibold’s sacking on Friday night in a statement and have scheduled a press conference with King and Penn for Saturday morning.

“The Sea Eagles thank Anthony for his service and contribution to the club and wish him and his family all the best for the future,” the Sea Eagles statement said.

“The club is disappointed with its start to the season but remains focused on making the 2026 season a success. The club will shortly confirm the appointment of an interim head coach for the remainder of the season.”

Some Manly supporters called for Seibold’s axing after the Roosters match at Brookvale on Thursday night.

“I didn’t hear the fans, but what do you want me to do?” Seibold said post-match.

“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.

“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 learnt his fate when King and Penn called him into meeting on Friday afternoon.

Manly officials had been concerned about the number of fadeouts towards the end of last season, and asked Seibold how he planned to stop the capitulations during his end-of-season review.

Sources with knowledge of the situation not authorised to speak publicly said the club had given Seibold the resources required to change that situation.

But after a loss to the Raiders in round one, when they led 14-0 early, an awful performance against Newcastle, then the second-half showing against the Roosters, the club felt it had to make the call.

The same sources confirmed Manly did not want to wait another month and risk further decline. Officials believed that if they acted now, playing finals football was still an option.