Manly appear likely to lose winger Jason Saab to suspension after he was sin-binned on Thursday night for a high shot on Hugo Savala. And the pressure gauge is at an all-time high for Anthony Seibold after the Sea Eagles fell to 0-3 on the year with a 33-16 loss to the Roosters.
Daly Cherry-Evans had the last laugh after being booed by Manly fans in his return to Brookvale, having a hand in three of the Roosters’ six tries. By the end of the night the Sea Eagles supporters were booing their own players and chanting “Seibold out”.
Pressure is at an all-time high for Anthony Seibold and Manly, who could also cop a suspension. Image: NRL/Getty
To make matters worse, Saab is staring down the barrel of a suspension after collecting Savala in the head with his shoulder. Saab raced up to shut down the Roosters’ attacking raid, and made very for eful contact with Savala’s head.
He was marched to the sin-bin, but many felt it could have been a straight send-off. Due the force and impact, the match review committee could hit Saab with a suspension on Friday, meaning he’d miss the Round 6 game against the Dolphins.
Manly are now 0-3 with a bye, and all three losses have come at home. There’s huge question marks over the futures of Jake Trbojevic and Luke Brooks, with many urging Seibold to blood young half Joey Walsh in place of Brooks.
Trbojevic had just two runs for 17 metres in 46 minutes, and at one stage was ordered to undergo a head injury assessment by the Sea Eagles despite there being no obvious incident. Brooks missed six tackles and made two errors, and Manly fans are calling for him to be axed. There’s also been some suggestions the Sea Eagles should bite the bullet and drop Trbojevic.
Jake Trbojevic looks on from the bench during Manly’s loss to the Roosters.
(Getty Images)Anthony Seibold responds after fans call for sacking
As for Seibold, fans have clearly had enough and want a change. “I didn’t hear the fans (chanting Seibold out), but what do you want me to do? I turn up, work hard for the group,” the coach said in his presser.
“I feel I’ve got a group there that can win games of footy and they fight hard. If we didn’t have any fight in us, we would have got towelled up by 60 points with those stats.”
Seibold is under contract for 2027, and the Sea Eagles now have a crucial few weeks against the Dolphins, Dragons and Cowboys. “I can’t control that decision,” Seibold said when asked about his future.
“Only (chairman) Scott (Penn) and the ownership group can control that, so there’s no point me wasting any energy or time on that. I’ve invested a lot of time in the club over the last three-and-a-bit 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.”