A New Chapter for Anthony Seibold
Anthony Seibold has opened up about his unexpected departure from the Manly Sea Eagles less than a month into the 2026 NRL season. Speaking publicly for the first time since his sacking on March 27, Seibold expressed surprise at the decision but admitted he had sensed it was coming after the team’s round-three loss to the Sydney Roosters.
Seibold, who had spent 77 games coaching the Sea Eagles, including a finals appearance in his second season of 2024, said he hadn’t expected to be let go so early in the 2026 season. His side had won six of their last 10 games in 2025, including their final three matches of that year. However, a series of home losses in the first three games of 2026—against Canberra, Newcastle, and the Roosters—ultimately led to his dismissal.
“I didn’t think I’d be sacked after round three,” Seibold told the Seven Network. “But the actual response after the Roosters game, my gut feeling sort of said that something was going to happen.”
He explained that he had spoken to CEO Jason King after the game and expressed his concerns about the growing media scrutiny around his role. “I said, ‘Look, I feel like there’s a lot of commentary and a lot of noise around my role (and) the club.’ And 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.”
King made the decision to part ways with Seibold, and while the process was emotionally difficult, the former coach respected the way it unfolded.
“Rather than a long, slow death, I actually respect that it was a quick kill in many respects,” Seibold said.
Despite the painful end to his tenure, Seibold said he would remember his time at Manly fondly. “Although, you never want to go through what I had to do at the end.”
He also praised Daly Cherry-Evans for handling his departure from the club with transparency and dignity. Seibold recalled that Cherry-Evans had made his intentions clear during a conversation in November 2024.
“Daly couldn’t have been more clear in his conversation with me,” he said. “Daly told me, November 1, 2024, that he was going to look around and see whether there was an opportunity to continue playing elsewhere.”
As captain, Seibold said he wanted to support Cherry-Evans and did not drop him from the captaincy or send him to reserve grade.
Transitioning to a New Role
Seibold also spoke highly of his successor, Kieran Foran, calling him “an impressive guy.” He revealed that he is now working with AFL giants Collingwood, where he has been assisting in a small capacity.
“The last couple of weeks, I’ve been doing a little bit of work for Collingwood,” he said. “I know the head coach (Craig McRae) really well. So I’ve been down there a couple of times and I’m just going to do a small role there for the rest of the AFL season.”
Seibold’s move to the AFL marks a significant shift in his career, but he remains focused on supporting the teams he works with, even in a different code. His experience in the NRL has clearly shaped his approach to coaching and leadership, and he continues to carry those lessons forward in his new role.
