Manly Sea Eagles sack Anthony Seibold as interim coach after 0-3 start in 2026 NRL season
Consensus Summary
Manly Sea Eagles sacked Anthony Seibold as head coach after a disastrous 0-3 start to the 2026 NRL season, with the club losing all three home games. Seibold, who had a 49% win rate during his time at Manly, was informed of his sacking on Friday following a 33-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters. The decision came after Manlyâs board, led by CEO Jason King and chairman Scott Penn, concluded that the team needed a change to avoid a wooden spoon. Kieran Foran, a former premiership-winning player and current assistant coach, was appointed as the interim coach for the remainder of the season. Seiboldâs sacking was notable for its speed, occurring just three games into the season, and he was the third NRL coach to be dismissed within the first month of a campaign. Long-term replacements under consideration include Brad Arthur, Matt Ballin, and Michael Ennis, though Willie Petersâ move to the PNG Chiefs removed him from contention. The sacking highlights Manlyâs struggles, including a lack of finals appearances since 2023 and a roster with only nine players locked in beyond 2026. While Seiboldâs tenure was marked by inconsistency, his departure signals a shift at the club as it seeks to rebuild its competitive foundation.
â Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- Anthony Seibold was sacked by Manly Sea Eagles after three games into the 2026 NRL season (ABC, SMH, ABC)
- Manly lost their first three games of the 2026 season, all at home (ABC, SMH, ABC)
- Seibold was appointed Manly coach in 2023 after replacing Des Hasler (ABC, SMH, ABC)
- Seibold had a 49% win rate (48% in ABC) during his 76-game stint at Manly (SMH, ABC)
- Kieran Foran was named interim coach for the remainder of the 2026 season (ABC, SMH)
- Manly sacked Seibold following a 33-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Thursday night (ABC, SMH, ABC)
- Seibold was informed of his sacking via a meeting with Manly CEO Jason King and chairman Scott Penn on Friday afternoon (SMH, ABC)
- Seibold was granted a contract extension in late 2024 covering 2026 and 2027 seasons (SMH, ABC)
- Brad Arthur, Matt Ballin, and Michael Ennis are early contenders to replace Seibold on a full-time basis from 2027 (ABC, SMH)
- Willie Peters agreed to become the inaugural PNG Chiefs coach earlier this week, removing him from Manlyâs long-term options (ABC, SMH)
- Manlyâs last premiership was in 2008, and they have not made the finals since 2023 (ABC, SMH)
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Kieran Foran was called to Brookvale Oval for his appointment as interim coach (ABC)
- Seiboldâs sacking was confirmed in a statement by Manly Sea Eagles thanking him for his service (ABC)
- Seiboldâs 48% win rate included 37 wins, 38 losses, and 2 draws in over 3 years at Manly (ABC)
- Seibold was the third NRL-era coach sacked within the first month of a season (ABC)
- Manlyâs last premiership-winning five-eighth, Kieran Foran, played 196 games for the club (ABC)
- Seiboldâs sacking was announced after a press conference with Jason King and Scott Penn (ABC)
- Seibold was under pressure due to Manlyâs 0-3 start, including losses to Roosters, Knights, and Raiders (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was announced on the same day Hull KR coach was also dismissed (SMH)
- Seiboldâs contract was terminated immediately after the Roosters match, despite being under a new contract until 2027 (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was confirmed via a WhatsApp group message to Manly players (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was seen as inevitable after Matt Ballinâs name surfaced as a potential replacement (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was linked to Manlyâs budget cuts, with $750,000 reportedly cut from the football budget (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was tied to the botched contract dealings with Daly Cherry-Evans (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was confirmed in a statement by Manly thanking him for his service and wishing him well (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was seen as a result of Manlyâs poor management and lack of support for him (SMH)
- Seiboldâs sacking was confirmed after a review of his end-of-season performance, particularly regarding fadeouts (SMH)
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- ABC states Seibold had a 48% win rate with 37 wins, 38 losses, and 2 draws, while SMH states a 49% win rate during his 76-game stint (SMH says 76 games, ABC does not specify total games but confirms 37 wins)
- SMH claims Seibold was told his sacking was inevitable after Matt Ballinâs name surfaced as a replacement, while ABC does not mention this specific detail
- SMH reports Seiboldâs sacking was tied to Manlyâs budget cuts and a $750,000 cut from the football budget, which is not mentioned in ABC or the other sources
- SMH states Seiboldâs sacking was confirmed via a WhatsApp group message to players, while ABC does not mention this method of communication
- SMH implies Seiboldâs sacking was a result of poor management and lack of support, while ABC focuses more on the teamâs poor start and Seiboldâs contract extension
Source Articles
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