Anthony Seibold has been sacked as Manly coach just three games into the 2026 season.
Manly suffered a 33-16 loss to the Sydney Roosters on Thursday, continuing their dismal start to the 2026 campaign.
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Manly have begun the season with three consecutive home losses at Brookvale Oval to Canberra, Newcastle and the Roosters — the Sea Eagles are the early favourites to claim the wooden spoon.
Now an extraordinary decision has been made to sack Seibold just three games into a new campaign and bring to an end his contract that was due to run until the end of next season.
In a statement on Friday night, the club confirmed: “The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles have today confirmed that Head Coach Anthony Seibold will depart the Club effective immediately.
“The Sea Eagles thank Anthony for his service and contribution to the Club and wish him and his family all the best for the future.
“The Club is disappointed with its start to the season but remains focused on making the 2026 season a success.
“The Club will shortly confirm the appointment of an interim Head Coach for the remainder of the season.”
The club will hold a press conference on Saturday morning.
Manly’s players were reportedly informed of Seibold’s sacking via a group message on Friday.
Code reports an interim coach will be appointed from within Manly’s current assistant coaching ranks, which include Jim Dymock, Brett Kimmorley and Kieran Foran.
Former Parramatta coach Brad Arthur, Dragons assistant Michael Ennis and Broncos assistant Matt Ballin are the frontrunners to replace Seibold as Manly’s next head coach.
Ennis is a former assistant at Manly and has expressed a desire to be an NRL head coach, while Ballin won two premierships with the Sea Eagles as a player.
‘Shocked’: Candidates react to Seibold’s sacking
The Daily Telegraph’s Brent Read told Fox League Seibold was summoned to Manly chairman and owner Scott Penn’s office on Friday afternoon.
“I don’t think it came as a shock to Seibs,” Read said.
“After the game last night, when people were calling for his head, there wasn’t a lot of public support from the club I think that was an indication some of that support had been eroded by the results this season and last season.”
Foran said on Fox League he was “shocked” by the decision to sack Seibold.
“It was business as usual for us this morning. Obviously disappointing loss last night but we were in there at 6.30 this morning with Seibs himself going through the review of last night’s game and then preparing for Sunday’s training.
“My thoughts are with Seibs at the moment.”
Ennis said: “I’m as surprised as Kieran is, to be honest. It’s been a tough start to the year for Manly, but certainly didn’t see it coming.
“Obviously it’s extremely disappointing for Anthony. I know him. They’ve had a tough start to the season.
“It’s been more amplified because of the expectations of how Manly are expected to play at Brookvale Oval and how special that home ground is.”
Ennis, coincidentally wearing a maroon and white tie on the Fox League panel, played a straight bat to questions about his name being mentioned as a possible candidate to be Manly’s next coach.
“I haven’t put any thought into it to be honest,” he said.
“I’m completely and utterly focused on our game at the Dragons on Sunday and us getting the win. There’s no other focus for me at the moment.”
Greg Alexander said “it’s very early” in the season for a coach to be sacked.
He added: “What is the plan? You would think if they’ve got someone in mind, they’re already working (at another club). I don’t think there is anyone Manly is spotting now that is out of a job.”
What Seibold said after his final game in charge
Seibold was asked about his future following Thursday night’s loss, which saw disgruntled supporters chanting “Seibold out” and calling for him to be sacked.
“I can’t control that decision, I mean, only Scott (Manly owner Scott Penn) and the ownership group can control that, so there’s no point in wasting any energy or time on that,” Seibold said.
“I think I’ve invested a lot of time in the club over the last three or four years and made a lot of sacrifice with my time, but if I’m not the right person, I’m sure Scott will tell me.
“I still believe that we can do something together as a group, so I haven’t really put any thought into it.
“I’m three games into a two-year extension, so it hasn’t been a focus for me.
“I still believe that we can do something together as a group so I haven’t really put any thought into it. I’m three games into a two-year extension, so it hasn’t sort of been a focus for me.
He added: “I didn’t hear the fans, but what do you want me to do?
“I feel I’ve got a group there that can win games of footy and they fight hard. Like if we didn’t have any fight in us we would have got towelled up by 60 points with those stats.
“I can’t control that narrative, so there’s no point wasting my time on it.”
Manly have looked rudderless to begin the season with errors and a lack of intensity called out by commentators, notably when no teammate was ready to receive Reuben Garrick’s play-the-ball when he made a break against Newcastle.
The Sea Eagles have one of the weakest forward packs in the NRL, and club stalwart Jake Trbojevic’s place in the team has come under scrutiny as his output dwindles.
According to Code, Seibold is expected to receive a payout of more than $300,000 from Manly.
The axing likely spells the end of the 51-year-old’s career as an NRL head coach.
Seibold, 51, was coach of the Rabbitohs for one season in 2018 and spent two seasons as coach of the Brisbane Broncos before he was sacked.
He had been coach of Manly since 2023 and this was his fourth season in charge.
It comes on a day that the PNG Chiefs appointed the highly touted Willie Peters as the inaugural coach of the expansion side.
