Credit to coach

[eaglebuzz]

I think the recruitment/retention decisions under Siebold's tenure have been solid so far. He has cleared out most of our dead wood and replaced them with players who make our best 17 stronger. We now have 23-24 players who can really hack it in first grade and some genuine depth.

In prior seasons we had reserve graders in our 17 every week.

We also aren't fading out of matches as badly this year. There's still more improvement to be had there but we don't just get owned in the arm wrestle anymore.

 

[The Who]

We certainly looked fit today, finishing strongly.
The Tits were all over us in the first 20 minutes then something happened. Maybe it was fatigue-related or perhaps our senior players stepped up. From that moment our defence improved and when we have sufficient possession we are a real threat in attack.
One day we may be able to field our strongest 17 and give this comp a real shake.

 

[Rocky]

They have conceded 64 points in the last 5 games (12.8 points per game), winning 4 out of 5.

The endless bagging of Seibold and the team's defence certainly has gone away for the moment!

Roosters will likely score tries so we need to bring the "D" again this weekend.

 

[JakeyB789]

Seibold has done a good job over the last month since the Souffs game. My main issue with him has been his team selections (De$ was even worse with these) but he seems to have learnt from some mistakes and improved since that night where we had no halfback. A few things I've liked:

• Keeping Lehi in the 17 for the one week our backs were all available vs Cowboys, and then finding a new spot for him on the wing (get well soon!)
• Tom had a fairly rough stint in the centres but getting through the 80 that night seems to have helped his confidence to do what he has done over the last 2 weeks
• Lawton keeping his 2nd row spot as he's emerged as a better option than Burbo/Waddell
• Playing Humphreys vs Knights, and Navale over the likes of Condon/James
• Increased minutes for Bullemor & Brown (we are almost always a better side when they are on)
• Paseka's return from injury handled really well yesterday

Even Garrick is starting to look like a top line NRL centre. Our competition hasn't been overly strong the last couple of weeks and the Roosters away will be a whole new challenge but credit where it's due, I think Seibs finally has us going in the right direction.

 

[Ryan]

I've always said I don't think it's the coaching. We've had all sorts (B.Arthur, Siebold, Monaghan, Cartwright, Flannagan, Hasler, Dymock, Randall, Barrett, Toovey, Ennis, Hales to name but a few).

It comes down to the players. Setting expectations. Having accountability (even to each other). Building chemistry. Injuries. It also comes down to recruitment / retention. We've let some absolute ballers go (BUT, the past few weeks have been outstanding even on this front).

It seems the bar has moved. We look really committed. We had a period of 15 months, where we hadn't kept teams to less than 10, and we've just done it twice - in a row.

We are well above .500. Means if we lose to the Chooks, but learn and improve from it, so be it (I wouldn't be negative). But it's a huge game, given the position of the bye. Win, and in two weeks, we are knocking on positions 2-3 door on the ladder !!

Imagine a home semi final at Brooky !

We'll be getting Lodge, Koula, Croker, Haumole back soon, too.

 

[The Who]

I've always said I don't think it's the coaching. We've had all sorts (B.Arthur, Siebold, Monaghan, Cartwright, Flannagan, Hasler, Dymock, Randall, Barrett, Toovey, Ennis, Hales to name but a few).

It comes down to the players. Setting expectations. Having accountability (even to each other). Building chemistry. Injuries. It also comes down to recruitment / retention. We've let some absolute ballers go (BUT, the past few weeks have been outstanding even on this front).

It seems the bar has moved. We look really committed. We had a period of 15 months, where we hadn't kept teams to less than 10, and we've just done it twice - in a row.

We are well above .500. Means if we lose to the Chooks, but learn and improve from it, so be it (I wouldn't be negative). But it's a huge game, given the position of the bye. Win, and in two weeks, we are knocking on positions 2-3 door on the ladder !!

Imagine a home semi final at Brooky !

We'll be getting Lodge, Koula, Croker, Haumole back soon, too.

So nice to read an upbeat post from you Ryan.
The world is a much more enjoyable place following a Manly win, or two, or three.

 

[Cameron]

Look if he can get us a premiership. I will get the name Siebold tattooed on my rather large right butt cheek. That is all

 

[Terry Zarsoff]

Look if he can get us a premiership. I will get the name Siebold tattooed on my rather large right butt cheek. That is all

Thanks for sharing that ‘bold’ response with the rest of us.

 

[Eagles4Life]

Look if he can get us a premiership. I will get the name Siebold tattooed on my rather large right butt cheek. That is all

Sounds like an awesome idea. @Cameron However, if Seibold pulls that miracle off, we won't require any photographic evidence of the tattoo. I, for one, will be happy to take your word for it.

 

[Cameron]

I'd

Sounds like an awesome idea. @Cameron However, if Seibold pulls that miracle off, we won't require any photographic evidence of the tattoo. I, for one, will be happy to take your word for it.

I'd on my schlong but there's too many letters in the word Siebold 🙂 🙂

 

[Ron E. Gibbs]

I'd

I'd on my schlong but there's too many letters in the word Siebold 🙂 🙂

See, I'd be going "SEIBOLDANDBEAUTIFUL2024", and I'd still have plenty of,"white space" left over…

 

[ManlyTragic]

Not calling out names - but a few bagging bad coaching based on results should maybe give credit to recent results on a team on the Rise

Yeah …. What happened to the SpoonBold’ posters?

 

[Sheikheagle]

Yeah …. What happened to the SpoonBold’ posters?

Crickets 🦗 one in particular is MIA.

 

[Rosko]

Look if he can get us a premiership. I will get the name Siebold tattooed on my rather large right butt cheek. That is all

I’ll pay for it. Both, if you insist.

 

[Rosko]

As a dedicated ‘Spoonbolder’ I accept the ridicule on this thread. For this week anyway, and as long as we put in a decent effort against Easts. I was always counting this game as a loss, so it would be a dream to sneak a win somehow (I’ll settle for a bunker howler in our favour…)

 

[globaleagle]

Look if he can get us a premiership. I will get the name Siebold tattooed on my rather large right butt cheek. That is all

When that happens, spell his name correctly, it's Seibold,

...though spelling it incorrectly does sound hilarious, and on point.

 

[Uber Eagle 72]

I will certainly be signing his praises if we make the top 4. Will keep my powder dry until the end of the season but it’s certainly looking promising…

 

[Pete W]

Personally, I was horrified at the Seibold appointment. And whilst many appreciated his different approach to media and PR over the last 18 months, I saw it all as just means of manipulation, great propaganda but merely the toolkit of a con man, or at the least, a wannabe coach seriously lacking the 'right stuff'.

As I saw team unity improve dramatically, whilst a little impressed, was quick to dismiss this - obviously, I thought, there could only be improvement on this front, anyone other than Des could have done the same considering the disastrous and untenable aftermath of 'Jerseygate'.

Home crowd figures saw a noticeable bump. Again, I dismissed this. Some of the worst performing teams can get sell-outs regularly, it means nothing if the team can't win. And even still, this must be all Mestrov anyway.

Recruitment... well I don't need to comment too much here as we all know that there are several external factors that are outside of Seibold's control. Having said that, was this a man that had pulling power in the market? Are top line players keen to improve their prospects under the greatness of Seibold? Certainly not. (He has seemingly been able to maximise whatever talent our low budget recruits have to offer - but desperate players can lift on their own account.)

Defence. Defence. Defence. As an assistant defensive coach, his teams were poor. As a head coach, his teams were even worse defensively. At Manly, up until Magic Round this year, we were again bottom 4 in almost all defensive metrics. Why, I thought, does this fool keep talking of attacking 'weapons' when he clearly can't fix the single most important aspect of a rugby league team? Time and time again, the evidence is there for all to see.

I just want to take this opportunity to respond to some posters gleefully gloating about how great Seibold is, and cheekily asking the whereabouts of all the 'Spoonbolders'. This is obnoxious. I don't think, given the facts, many can dismiss Seibold's poor record. As passionate fans who are entitled to their opinions, for many, it was a tough pill to swallow after the unfair sacking of a multi-Premiership winning club legend. Everything one disdains about Penn, seem to resonate with our new coach, and vice versa, and how can this be a good thing?

But indeed the last several weeks has seen a surprising and significant improvement in our defence. Maybe Seibold does have it in him? Let's be honest people, we've thrashed a couple of bottom 8 teams at Brookie. We still haven't achieved anything.

Beat the Roosters away from home on Saturday, and even the most hardened 'Spoonbolders', of which I am certainly one, will start coming around. Top 4 finish, and most deeply-entrenched opinions start reversing. A Premiership, and I too, will get the bloke's name tattooed on my arse.

(Thank you to anyone who has actually wasted their time reading this dribble)

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

I will certainly be signing his praises if we make the top 4

Where will you sign? Hey maybe we can all sign @Cameron 's butt cheek? (Or maybe not.) 🙂

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

(Thank you to anyone who has actually wasted their time reading this dribble)

Hey I just did! And it's not dribble, you make some reasonable points.
However...!!
I don't agree with those who say Hey Seibold has coached Ok in the last few weeks! He's suddenly improved! (after finally taking on board all our tips)

I suggest it's far more likely it's just taken some time for things to come together under his regime.

Every time a club signs a new coach they never expect instant results, rugby league folklore says it will usually take time to turn things around.

Which is probably why coaches are rarely signed to one-season deals.