Coach Seibold thoughts so far.... so good

[Brookie1973]

With Penn as our owner what is in our DNA now? Our DNA is now in the shallow gene pool. Years ago we had to sell out. That DNA which won us all those premierships in the 70s,80s, 90, 00s has gone. Penn is now our DNA that doesn't = wanting to win a premiership at all costs.

I have to live in hope our DNA is still alive somewhere and will return, otherwise what’s the point of following Manly? There was plenty of Manly spirit in those 2008 and 2011 teams, so the hope is more of that vintage will reengage. We also have the Trbojevics who are Manly to the core. The Manly heart is still beating.

 

[eaglebuzz]

For me he needs to win 50% of games remaining to stay in his job, 4 from 8.

That would be a pass mark at best. We have the chance to make the 8, and if Paseka can come back from injury before the finals we can still have a serious tilt.

 

[Brookie1973]

That would be a pass mark at best. We have the chance to make the 8, and if Paseka can come back from injury before the finals we can still have a serious tilt.

Would love to travel down to Canberra and smash Ricky’s Raiders in week 1 of the finals.

 

[Ralphie]

Appointing a former Manly player as coach is not a quick fix. The game has changed so much and part of our problem is that we drag our feet and are stuck in the past signing too many older forwards at the end of their career. . Money changes everything. Compare player salaries in 2011 to what they are in 2025. Players don't have loyalty to the club they play for, their loyalty is to the dollar they can earn to support their families.
I don't believe that Seibold is the answer either. The old excuse that there is no one better is lame. If you need something you go and look for it, you don't wait for it to fall in your lap. IMO KPI's have been a factor in Seibold's selections and decisions.
Unless you have a very rich benefactor financing a spending spree (a la Bulldogs and Roosters) you need to build for the future. You need to develop young talent and show them a pathway otherwise they won't hang around. The fact that we have a number of players in the top 30 that are clearly viewed by the coaching staff as not up to first grade standard is concerning and points to poor recruitment. An eye for talent is a gift not bestowed to all.

I'm not after a quick fic and I don't think most on here are. What we want is signs of continuous improvement at both a player and club level. What frustrates is the same old selections. For example, if anyone thinks Jazz or Croker is a better hooker than Simpkins, then I don't know what to say. His service from the ruck was excellent and there were numerous great runs from Dummy Half that helped build momentum. it just beggars' belief that at best he gets a bench spot.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

I'm not after a quick fic and I don't think most on here are. What we want is signs of continuous improvement at both a player and club level. What frustrates is the same old selections. For example, if anyone thinks Jazz or Croker is a better hooker than Simpkins, then I don't know what to say. His service from the ruck was excellent and there were numerous great runs from Dummy Half that helped build momentum. it just beggars' belief that at best he gets a bench spot.

Re Simpkin, I wonder if it’s not the actual plan , Jazz or Frog ( although think he’s done ) goes in to get down and dirty and blunt the attack , then on comes Simpkin when the opposition forwards are starting to tire.

I’d agree he’s faster / crisper , however he’s not exactly built like a brick ****house so I wonder if that’s not the game plan??

PS: I really have no idea but that’s all I can think that’s a reason for this.

 

[Ralphie]

Re Simpkin, I wonder if it’s not the actual plan , Jazz or Frog ( although think he’s done ) goes in to get down and dirty and blunt the attack , then on comes Simpkin when the opposition forwards are starting to tire.

I’d agree he’s faster / crisper , however he’s not exactly built like a brick ****house so I wonder if that’s not the game plan??

PS: I really have no idea but that’s all I can think that’s a reason for this.

Sounds reasonable.

 

[Rocky]

Re Simpkin, I wonder if it’s not the actual plan , Jazz or Frog ( although think he’s done ) goes in to get down and dirty and blunt the attack , then on comes Simpkin when the opposition forwards are starting to tire.

I’d agree he’s faster / crisper , however he’s not exactly built like a brick ****house so I wonder if that’s not the game plan??

PS: I really have no idea but that’s all I can think that’s a reason for this.

Most of us seem to like Simpkin on here but its pretty obvious he isn't seen as a 80 minute hooker.

So the "experts" on here who think he should start probably need to take that into consideration

As you say @Mark from Brisbane the plan is pretty obvious - let the more physical Jazz soak up the early contact and let Simpkin bring the energy when the game opens up.

The same thing applies with Bully and Lodge - give Lodge the opening sets and let Bully come on to use his speed when things open up.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Sound reasonable.

I can’t see any other reason as you can detect a real “ jump in intensity “ as soon as he comes on , SO, if they though he could manage the whole 80 why not ??

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Most of us seem to like Simpkin on here but its pretty obvious he isn't seen as a 80 minute hooker.

So the "experts" on here who think he should start probably need to take that into consideration

As you say @Mark from Brisbane the plan is pretty obvious - let Jazz soak up the early contact and let Simpkin bring the energy when the game opens up.

The same thing applies with Bully and Lodge - give Lodge the opening sets and let Bully come on to use his speed when things open up.

Yeah it has to be that , it’s a plan not just dumb coaching

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Said it another thread, but I swear I have seen signs of, like, actual coaching in the last two games. Adapting the game plan, showing more patience, concentrating on trying to win the middle and work teams over in the early stages of the game in order to reap the rewards as the game goes on. Much less "Weapons! Weapons! Weapons!" than before.

I agree. I’ve noticed a tendency to get into the grind a little. When DCE scored his try to make it 24-0, the old Manly reload and shoot for 50 points, shifting the ball wildly at every opportunity, gifting possession and momentum to the opposition, culminating in a loss or narrow victory.

I think Seibold and Evans (Evans, lol) hinted at this in the post game presser, saying they'd been working on a couple of things in the last couple of weeks, and DEC even said it was about a style that would hold up in finals footy. (Forget their actual words, but something like)

 

[mave]

I think Seibold and Evans (Evans, lol) hinted at this in the post game presser, saying they'd been working on a couple of things in the last couple of weeks, and DEC even said it was about a style that would hold up in finals footy. (Forget their actual words, but something like)

If he'd being playing this style of footy from the start, I'd argue we would have had a lot higher chance of, you know, actually playing finals footy.

 

[Wombat64]

I have to live in hope our DNA is still alive somewhere and will return, otherwise what’s the point of following Manly? There was plenty of Manly spirit in those 2008 and 2011 teams, so the hope is more of that vintage will reengage. We also have the Trbojevics who are Manly to the core. The Manly heart is still beating.

Yeah but they weren't Penn DNA.... they were Delmege which is Manly DNA

 

[susan]

So let me understand this

A Manly coach would have stopped the D$E implosion ??

And would have instantly fixed our cap issues ??

And we wouldn’t have the injury crises with a Manly man ??

And you could add to that , would a Manly man see the owners pay more than lip service to the organisation ??

Look I get you hate Seibold , all good , we all have opinions , but I’m sorry I just don’t see how ( let’s say Ballin ) would magically have fixed all these issues and seen us in a better position.

So much on here is all about “ we only succeed with a Manly man “.

That’s certainly been the case in the past but NRL, circa 2025 is a completely different beast.

Get most of your points but this “ injury crisis” stuff is a red herring

Ola had missed the last two games ( which we ironically won) so not sure why he is on list

Paseka was a big loss as , despite his limitations , he is clearly our best prop.

Aloia is a decent player but has been a silvertails whipping boy forever. He’s average.I agree with Kiwi … Sips is better than him.
TKO , Sipley , Bully as a rotation is as good as we could field if they all fit , with the obvious exception of Paseka ,so it’s not some massive crisis. In general other than Paseka , Ola and Bully any combinstion of the rest is much of a muchness. They are all average at best.

Brown would be lucky to make any other bench in comp and is nether a big body nor mobile.

Basically the injuries are concentrated in front row but by and large our best players / playmakers have been out there most weeks, which can’t be said for a lot of clubs. Croker not playing has actually been a godsend by giving Simpkins a chance we wouldn’t have had with Siebolds Croker love.Lehi has looked => Tom in the few weeks he had off.

Jake missing a couple of games is no real loss either as if ever a player needed a rest now and then it’s him and his effectiveness is limited anyway.

Compared to Souths , Roosters , Panthers, Dolphins and a couple of others we have done ok injury wise

Compare to other past years we’ve had recently it’s also been a cakewalk. In a tough comp like this most teams lose multiple player for extended periods.

Top clubs can cover a shortage in one position while our depth is bog ordinary with the wrong style of player another issue.
That’s the real problem.

At the start of the year the draw screamed at us that we need to be right up the top to compete after 20 rounds,with a litany of home games to start the season and weak opposition mid rounds.Most pundits had us as having close to the best draw of all the clubs.

The last 8 games were going to be the test - being equal 8th going into this stretch is sub par and the the next couple of months will show that unless they find something better than the last two weeks which were noting better than average.
It was 4 tries to 3 this week with 1 minute to go at home against an awful Souths side with their very best three players out.

Happy to be proved wrong but anyone betting on making the top 8 with our draw is drawing a long bow.

I really fear for us next round - after they slaughtered us at home I think this could be worse.

Obviously hope I’m wrong but nothing ive seen recently gives me much hope ,other than liking the Tommy transition to centre which is a possible game changer if the forwards can match the good packs , which is unlikely.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

Get most of your points but this “ injury crisis” stuff is a red herring

Ola had missed the last two games ( which we ironically won) so not sure why he is on list

Paseka was a big loss as , despite his limitations , he is clearly our best prop.

Aloia is a decent player but has been a silvertails whipping boy forever. He’s average.I agree with Kiwi … Sips is better than him.
TKO , Sipley , Bully as a rotation is as good as we could field if they all fit , with the obvious exception of Paseka ,so it’s not some massive crisis. In general other than Paseka , Ola and Bully any combinstion of the rest is much of a muchness. They are all average at best.

Brown would be lucky to make any other bench in comp and is nether a big body nor mobile.

Basically the injuries are concentrated in front row but by and large our best players have been out there most weeks. Croker not playing has actually been a godsend by giving Simplins a chance we wouldn’t have had.Lehi has looked => Tom in the few weeks he had off.

Jake missing a couple of games is no real loss either as if ever a player needed a rest now and then it’s him and his effectiveness is limited anyway.

Compared to Souths , Roosters , Panthers, Dolphins and a couple of others we have done ok injury wise

Compare to other past years we’ve had recently it’s also been a cakewalk. In a tough comp like this most teams lose multiple player for extended periods.

Top clubs can cover a shortage in one position while our depth is bog ordinary with the wrong style of player another issue.
That’s the real problem.

At the start of the year the draw screamed at us that we need to be right up the top to compete after 20 rounds,with a litany of home games to start the season and weak opposition mid rounds.Most pundits had us as having close to the best draw of all the clubs.

The last 8 games were going to be the test - being equal 8th going into this stretch is sub par and the the next couple of months will show that unless they find something better than the last two weeks which were noting better than average.
It was 4 tries to 3 this week with 1 minute to go against an awful Souths side with their very best three players out.

Happy to be proved wrong but anyone betting on making the top 8 with our draw is drawing a long bow.

I really fear for us next round - after they slaughtered us at home I think this could be worse.

Obviously hope I’m wrong but nothing ive seen recently gives me much hope ,other than liking the Tommy transition to centre which is a possible game changer if the forwards can match the good packs , which is unlikely.

Fair points

 

[Cochrane]

So who chooses Ballin over S Burgess, W Peters, M Ennis, J Hannays etc, simply because manly coach needs to be a former player.

Now I wouldn't mind Ballin cause I liked the bloke, but to those certain he needs to be chosen above all others cause he played for manly, explain why it will also work next time.

 

[Cochrane]

I think Seibold and Evans (Evans, lol) hinted at this in the post game presser, saying they'd been working on a couple of things in the last couple of weeks, and DEC even said it was about a style that would hold up in finals footy. (Forget their actual words, but something like)

The new plan was for dce to stop treating a game, at any time and particularly when manly are in the lead, like he is at the crap tables in Las Vegas

 

[ManlyTragic]

Meanwhile …. Des and Wayne fight it out for the wooden spoon!

Just sayin’

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

No pre-game thread yet because of the bye - so I'll float this question here?

How much do people think Storm will beat Manly by? I'm assuming many will guess somewhere between a lot and a record thrashing. Based on facts!

• They thrashed us last time, on our home. This time it's their home ground
• They have the greatest club coach in NRL history, we have Seibold
• They have superstars in key positions, we have a couple of broken down ex-stars
• They have journeymen turned into top-liners by Bellamy and the great Storm culture, we have retirees and Lodge Waddell and Burbo
• they are competition favourites, Manly is a club in crisis every other week.

My tip - I think Manly will win!
(go figure)

 

[Brookie1973]

Yeah but they weren't Penn DNA.... they were Delmege which is Manly DNA

I’m no fan of Penn, but he ain’t going anywhere. Manly is bigger than him. Plenty of past and current players carry Manly DNA.