The Sea Eagles are believed to be pursuing Anthony Seibold. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Manly players are likely to be without a senior coach for the first three weeks of pre-season training should favoured candidate Anthony Seibold be handed the reins at Brookvale for 2023.
Seibold has emerged as Des Hasler’s likely replacement in the wake of the Manly coach’s stunning sacking, with the Sea Eagles moving on from the premiership coach following a tumultuous year for the Northern Beaches club.
The decision has seen Seibold, who was already in the mix to join Manly prior to Hasler’s departure, as a near “certainty” to take on the senior coaching duties following the Sea Eagles’ 11th-placed finish to 2022.
But should the former Broncos and Rabbitohs coach get the nod, his duties under England rugby coach Eddie Jones are set to delay his start to pre-season with the Sea Eagles.
Seibold is tipped to jet off to the UK this weekend due to his commitments as Jones’ assistant, likely meaning a return to Manly won’t come until the club is three weeks into their pre-season regimen.
“Anthony Seibold is almost a certainty to be unveiled as Manly’s new head coach,” 9 News’s Zac Bailey reported on Friday.
“Seibold heads to the UK on Sunday as an assistant coach of England’s national rugby union team, and he won’t return back to Australia until the end of November.
@SeaEagles superstar Tom Trbojevic today held an emergency meeting with his manager to discuss his future at the club in the wake of Des Hasler’s sacking. @ZacBailey14 has the details. #9News pic.twitter.com/r5rbsX31rA
— 9News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) October 14, 2022
“The first crop of Manly players will return for pre-season training on November 10.
“That means a host of Manly players will return (to Brookvale) for pre-season training for the 2023 NRL season without their new mentor for almost three weeks.”
A key piece of business for Seibold will be to extinguish any suggestion superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic could depart Manly in the wake of Hasler’s axing.
Dolphins senior coach Wayne Bennett has flagged his side could come calling for both Tom and brother Jake should either feel unsettled at Brookvale.
MUDGEE, AUSTRALIA – APRIL 17: Tom Trbojevic of the Sea Eagles scores a try during the round six NRL match between the Manly Sea Eagles and the Gold Coast Titans at Glen Willow Sporting Complex, on April 17, 2021, in Mudgee, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)
Seibold is sure to have the retention of the Origin duo among the top priorities of his to-do list should he secure the Sea Eagles job, while recruitment for 2023 has been bleak throughout the course of this year.
While no names are set to arrive at Manly for next season, the club has parted with Sione Fainu (Wests Tigers), Kieran Foran (Gold Coast Titans), Jorge Taufua (Wakefield Trinity) and Dylan Walker (New Zealand Warriors) for next season.
Source:: ZeroTackle
