Seibold was a dead man walking from the moment his bodyguard left Brookvale

March 29, 2026 — 5:30am

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Sacked Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold knew he was in trouble at Manly from the moment Jason King took over as chief executive in December.

It has been suggested to me that at least $750,000 has now been cut from the football budget in the form of a coach and analyst is an indication of a broader issue at the club, where penny-pinching is a genuine problem.

Seibold was sacked on Friday night following Manly’s 33-16 loss to the Roosters at Brookvale. It was their third straight defeat at home this season. Premiership-winning five-eighth Kieran Foran was on Saturday announced as the interim head coach.

Seibold’s immediate predicament was rammed home to him on Friday when people who should know started telling him another Sea Eagles premiership-winner and Broncos assistant coach Matt Ballin was going to take his job. Ballin’s appointment has not been confirmed, but those who know Seibold well have told this column that’s when he knew it would be a matter of hours, not days or weeks, until he was looking for a new gig.

Let’s cut to the chase. Seibold was seen as an appointment by his mate and former Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov. King has no emotional connection to Seibold and no reason to be loyal to him. When Mestrov went, Seibold should have been moved on. But Manly have been poorly run for years, and instead they were dealing with a coach who was not really wanted.

Take it as fact: Seibold knew that and sensed the lack of support. Unfortunately, it extended to some sections of the playing group. The point of no return was the botched contract dealings with Daly Cherry-Evans. There was no way Mestrov – Seibold’s bodyguard – was going to survive that, and ultimately, it meant Seibold’s life span as Sea Eagles coach was always going to be limited.

Fox, Broncos crisis summit........

© The Age