Manly chief executive Tony Mestrov will seek to clear the air with Tom and Jake Trbojevic at the end of the season as he attempts to get the Sea Eagles back on track amid unprecedented levels of infighting and unrest.

The main issue Mestrov needs to work on is the relationship between Tom and coach Anthony Seibold. Presently, it’s serviceable.

But it needs to be more than that, especially as club owner Scott Penn is backing Seibold to remain as coach. The superstar player and the coach need to have a strong bond. At one point, around the time of Des Hasler’s exit in 2022, Tom even flirted with the idea of leaving the Sea Eagles.

Manly won’t admit to there being any issues. But they can’t afford another season like this one, where their captain, Daly Cherry-Evans decided to quit.

With respect to DCE, the Trbojevic brothers are more loved on the northern beaches than their departing leader.

Manly have an offer ready to put to Jake for 2027, but he will need to decide whether he wants to continue playing. He has a contract for 2026, but is wrestling with whether to play on beyond his deal after suffering three serious concussions this year.

Jake and Tom Trbojevic.Credit: NRL Photos

Negotiations with Tom are not as well advanced. There is no rush to do that deal.

Tom’s name has been mentioned as having concerns with the direction of the club. He has never said anything publicly, but he is a smart man and has strong opinions that he would share with the club if asked. Mestrov will hear those views in the weeks to come.

Mestrov was hired by Manly to transform the club, and there have certainly been changes. In his time there, the influence of the famous Fulton family has come to an end.

He did not offer Cherry-Evans a new contract until Nine News and Herald journalist Michael Chammas revealed the halfback planned to leave, and now he has those connected with management company SFX Sports Group in his sights.

Last week, we revealed the paranoia at Manly when it comes to George Mimis, the face of SFX.

SFX has two coaches on its books, Michael Ennis and Matt Ballin, who have been linked to Seibold’s job. Ennis is an assistant at Manly and has been offered a contract extension.

SFX also represents the Trbojevic brothers. They are managed by Paul Sutton. I have been told by sources with knowledge of the issues at Manly that to get greater buy-in from the brothers, Sutton has suggested they should be involved in developing tactics and planning with Seibold.

That accountability is considered important, and Manly say it is happening.

Mestrov says he has a great relationship with the Trbojevic family.

He also has his suspicions about where anti-Seibold stories are coming from. Mimis and Mestrov went head-to-head over Hasler’s messy exit from the club in 2022. However, Mimis has no reason to plot against Seibold.

A year ago, Manly approached Mimis to let him know Ennis was the coach they wanted to take over from Seibold. Ennis is in no hurry to coach in the NRL, and walking into a viper’s nest is only a job for someone who is genuinely ready.

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The American rapper has come under fire for

© The Sydney Morning Herald