A New Chapter for Manly and Anthony Seibold
Anthony Seibold, the former coach of the Manly Sea Eagles, has opened up about his time at the club and his feelings towards its current direction under Kieran Foran. While he expresses satisfaction with the team’s recent success, Seibold also reflects on the difficult end to his tenure as head coach.
Seibold spoke for the first time since being removed from his position following three consecutive losses in the 2026 NRL season. He admitted that the experience was emotionally challenging and that he hadn’t anticipated being sacked so early in the campaign. “The end of my time… obviously that’s very difficult and can be quite emotional,” he shared during an interview with Channel 7’s Agenda Setters. “I didn’t think I’d be sacked after round three, but the actual response after the Roosters game, my gut feeling sort of said that something was going to happen.”
After the match against the Roosters, Seibold had a conversation with the club’s CEO, Jason King. He explained that there was significant public commentary surrounding his role, and he felt the club needed to either support him or make a decision to move on. “I felt as though either the club needed to come out and back me and support me or the club needed to make a decision to move me on. And, you know, that’s the decision the club made.”
Kieran Foran’s Rise and Seibold’s Support
Despite the difficult circumstances, Seibold has expressed genuine happiness for the club and its new direction under Kieran Foran. “I’m happy for the club,” he said. “Obviously, my ego takes a little bit of a hit when we lose three games and they’re doing so well now, but that’s just the ego talking and I want the group to do really well.”
Seibold revealed that he recently caught up with Foran and was not surprised by his immediate success as the head coach. “I think he’s an impressive guy,” he added. “One of the things that impressed me and why I wanted to bring him into the club was he had that Manly DNA, and not only the DNA, but he was a winner there. He won a premiership, played in the grand final, and everyone spoke highly of him.”
Seibold also highlighted Foran’s personal resilience and perseverance. “Without knowing him, just his resilience and his perseverance to go through a lot of stuff personally… to see people go through challenging times and keep marching forward, I think that says a lot about their character and them as a person.”
He shared that he had reached out to Foran during a holiday on the Gold Coast in October and had met with him a couple of times. “I caught up with him for a coffee about two weeks ago. I’m really happy for him that it’s going well.”
A Warning for Kieran Foran
While Seibold is pleased with Foran’s performance, he also issued a warning about the challenges that lie ahead. Foran has won five of his first six games in charge, but Seibold emphasized that the road will not always be smooth. “The challenge for Foz will be when you lose a couple of games, when you’ve got to drop a player, when you’ve got to tell a senior player, ‘hey, look, we can’t sign you’. They’re all the challenges, but he’s obviously made a great start of it.”
Seibold acknowledged that the pressure will increase as the season progresses. However, he remains confident in Foran’s ability to handle the responsibilities. “I believe in him and I think he’s got what it takes to lead the club through tough times.”
Looking Ahead
As the Sea Eagles continue their journey under Foran, Seibold’s insights offer a glimpse into the dynamics of the club and the expectations that come with leading such a storied team. While the past may have been bittersweet for Seibold, his positive outlook and support for the new leadership suggest a mature and forward-thinking approach. The future of Manly looks promising, and with the right strategies and determination, the club could achieve even greater success in the years to come.
