Manly coach Anthony Seibold will be under “intense pressure” to keep his job if the club misses finals again this season and Brad Arthur has been named as his potential replacement.
The Sea Eagles stunned the rugby league world when they sacked club legend Des Hasler for Seiboold at the end of 2022.
Seibold hadn’t worked in the NRL since he was unceremoniously axed as Broncos coach en route to the club’s first ever wooden spoon in 2020.
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Manly finished 12th last year and this season they sit delicately poised in ninth with nine games to play.
Seibold’s side have a soft run home and the NRL 360 panel believe if he can’t guide them to finals then recently-sacked Eels coach Arthur could be in line to replace him.
“They travel to Townsville this weekend, they get their superstar Tommy Turbo back, but there are just a few rumblings (about the coach),” James Hooper said on NRL 360.
“They finished 12th last year, they really need to make a run at the finals. If they play in September I don’t think there’s any questions around Anthony Seibold’s contract for next season.
“But if they don’t make finals, I think the noise could start to crank up a little bit and I think that Seibs might feel some heat.
“You’ve got a gun coach like Brad Arthur, we saw what he was able to do at Parramatta, took them to a grand final. He’s on the sidelines at the moment.
“I think he’s a chance if Manly don’t make finals, it’s contingent on that.
“If they don’t make the finals, with a cushy run into September… 12th last year, don’t make the finals again… is that a success?”
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Gorden Tallis then asked how Seibold’s relationship is with Manly’s chief executive Tony Mestrov, who has made ruthless coaching calls in the past.
“Well they’re very tight but I also think as a CEO, Tony would know he’s got to make the best decision in the best interest of the club,” Hooper said.
“I think if he had to, he could make a hard decision.”
Fellow journalist Michael Carayannis echoed the sentiment and revealed Seibold’s contract extension talks have been put on hold.
“Results will obviously dictate what happens with Anthony Seibold’s future and if he doesn’t make the eight this year, he’ll start under intense pressure next season,” Carayannis said.
“He’s not in any danger of getting sacked in the short term, but he’ll start next year under the pump and the contract negotiations, the talks, well they’ve been put on hold until the back end of the year to see how they finish.”
The Sea Eagles were in the top four after Round 8 but they’ve lost five of seven games since then to sit outside the top eight.
“It’s crazy to see where Manly are at the moment and that we’re talking about this considering the start to the season that they did have and the promise they showed,” Braith Anasta said.
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