Pre-Game Manly V Broncos [Round 13, 2025]

[Mark from Brisbane]

He’s right
It’s Gary Winter and co all over again

Look at all the good teams , mobile fast forwards with impact off bench and a good hooker .. then look at ours

The Melbourne game a few weeks ago lit our deficiencies up in lights .. a two year old can see the way the games is going .

The sad thing is our halves and outside back potential looks good … yet thdy will be playing behind plodders under the current coaching regime

I would bet my house Jake is resigned on a still hefty contract , Tom will re-sign minus maybe 200k and our so called “best “ ,blokes like Burbot, Paseka and Aloia will still be around in 2027 with people pretending they can all be in a premiership winning pack

How many games do we have to watch to realise that Siebold does not buy into the modern view that young mobile aggressive packs win comps. He does not believe that

Name any coach that would be happy to rotate Sipley, TKO , Aloia , Tevaga ,Jake , Bully, Lodge , Waddell and Brown in the middle for two years and at the same time say “ we are a top 4 side “ in a “ premiership window “
There is no indication whatsoever that this big slow middles policy is going to be discarded - As hard as it might be to take Siebold GENUINELY believes that slow big bodies is the way. And the cream on top is we haven’t had a hooker in five years to stop these lugs getting picked off like wood ducks in the ruck

Slow , immobile and no guile at 9

Perfect

All good apart from your last comment should be,

“ perfectly ****ed “

 

[Phobia]

I don't even think our squad is (for our poor standards) bad, it's just minute allocations, bench vs starting, and Waddell over Navale. E.g. giving Bullemor low minutes, and starting him over Lodge, is stupid. This is most of the squad that knocked off the now table-topping Bulldogs in Week 1 last year.

Waddell was absolutely **** against the Eels, but second chances are reasonable. Corey has been serviceable this year. Serviceable. I'm not saying he has been good. He only plays like 20 minutes per game. If he comes out and gives away a penalty a minute, gets sent off, dropping him is 100% justified and will occur.

I also think his performance may be indicative of Seibold not adequately preparing him as a backup second rower. MCK had already been ruled out of the squad by the time Burbo rocked up sick on the Friday morning. Probably only had a captains run in the second row.

I also think it's due to injury concerns. Seibold is likely shellshocked from the last two Dragons games, where we lost our bench. I don't think we've had a back on the bench since then, for instance. Having someone with lower fitness such as Navale, will not serve us well in these scenarios, especially when we have an 80 minute player unavailable in Jake.

IF AND ONLY IF, that is the line of reasoning, then it is acceptable. If it's "Waddell is a great first grader who we are lucky to have!" Or "Jake gave me his dark side and hired a hitman to shoot up my house AGAIN if I didn't play Corey", then it's less so.

I'd like to see some late switches though. I'd have Croker and Lodge starting ahead of Simpkin and Bullemor. They do their best work in that reversed order.

 

[Eagledare2dream]

Back playing at Brookie, Just about everyone available. The bounce back from a bad loss will serve us well.

Bounce back used2B the Manly's way but not anytime soon feathers friend.

 

[danny-boy]

Free throw at the stumps?

**** I’ll never forget that….its the moment I realised this guy is ****.

Never heard a coach say that.

 

[Dingo]

That is the problem if we are not winning at home where are we winning?

Away from home, apparently ☹️

 

[Thewestisbest]

He’s right
It’s Gary Winter and co all over again

Look at all the good teams , mobile fast forwards with impact off bench and a good hooker .. then look at ours

The Melbourne game a few weeks ago lit our deficiencies up in lights .. a two year old can see the way the games is going .

The sad thing is our halves and outside back potential looks good … yet thdy will be playing behind plodders under the current coaching regime

I would bet my house Jake is resigned on a still hefty contract , Tom will re-sign minus maybe 200k and our so called “best “ ,blokes like Burbot, Paseka and Aloia will still be around in 2027 with people pretending they can all be in a premiership winning pack

How many games do we have to watch to realise that Siebold does not buy into the modern view that young mobile aggressive packs win comps. He does not believe that

Name any coach that would be happy to rotate Sipley, TKO , Aloia , Tevaga ,Jake , Bully, Lodge , Waddell and Brown in the middle for two years and at the same time say “ we are a top 4 side “ in a “ premiership window “
There is no indication whatsoever that this big slow middles policy is going to be discarded - As hard as it might be to take Siebold GENUINELY believes that slow big bodies is the way. And the cream on top is we haven’t had a hooker in five years to stop these lugs getting picked off like wood ducks in the ruck

Slow , immobile and no guile at 9

Perfect

Articulated with pinpoint precision.

 

[Thewestisbest]

All good apart from your last comment should be,

“ perfectly ****ed “

Welcome to the dark side Mark. Glad you are starting to see how piiss poor our coach has been on the recruitment front. It's telling that information came out a while back that the club is looking for younger more mobile forwards. If only our coach realised this last season we'd be in a much better place right now. Too many people propagating a false narrative that old and experienced is all we can acquire because we have 3 guys on big dollars. It's madness.

Call it what it is. Shiit recruitment from a coach who seems incapable of grasping that the game has sped up so much in the past few years. One big lumbering type, maybe two depending on their stamina is all we can afford. Especially with a lock as slow as Jake.

It's maddening, sad and typical of what we are as a club right now. I'm glad Zorba gave it to our forwards this week. It's about time someone close to the club spoke the truth, because our coach appears to walk around the joint on tippy toes, fearful of making waves.

He might pull the "I'm going to let the team train themselves card" soon like he did at Brisbane.

 

[wombatgc]

Burbo is pictured at training so he will be our sole Urbo this weekend.
I presume TT2 will be picked which is a positive. Personally, I'd like him tried at 5/8 as Brooks has been disappointing. I guess if DCE doesn't play then Brooks could move to halfback.
Whatever team runs on to the paddock it's a lottery as to how they will perform.

I’ve been keen to see TT2 have a run at 5/8 for a while now. Brooks’ shiithouse defensive reads are shocking.

 

[Chunkytuna]

Ok

Mate Croker & Waddell are 28, Lodge 29, Brown oldest at 32. Not so much a dads army although yes be nice to have a young spirited forward in there as reserve!

I suppose it was more a reflection on their impact, fitness, youth, energy as opposed to their actual ages. But yes, point taken. And agree, navale must think he is cursed.

 

[Chunkytuna]

To continue my previous post... this week, for some reason, I had imagined may be the week we see something different. The coach demonstrating he understands we are not up to standard and making a point to signal that. There are many ways he could have done that, such as dropping established players to reserve, bringing in fresh faces like Patolo, Hugo, etc. Something... even dropping DCE as captain. But there is nothing. Absolutely nothing to signify change or progress. I cannot remember the last time I felt so deflated after a TLT. I'm clearly too invested in this team as it's starting to effect my mood, which is not healthy.

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is a very depressing team to follow and be a member of at the moment. Only saving grace is that it will get so laughable soon that I’m assuming I will begin to care less and less. Hope that’s the same for you.

 

[Bomb Voyage]

Don’t worry, you’re not alone. This is a very depressing team to follow and be a member of at the moment. Only saving grace is that it will get so laughable soon that I’m assuming I will begin to care less and less. Hope that’s the same for you.

My hope is that the misery will prompt some sort of change, which is the main reason for my disappointment this week, change isn't coming.

 

[Eagle 1]

My hope is that the misery will prompt some sort of change, which is the main reason for my disappointment this week, change isn't coming.

What sort of change do you want, right now it would be pretty limited. The reserves aren't pushing for 1st grade spots, we could try shopping players to other clubs, but this would be a painfully slow process. I'm afraid we've just got to suck it up and take our medicine.

 

[manly al]

Broncs will field a fairly capable backline as well so real advantage there on paper .
Broncs big gun in Hass and with Manly Ola to influence proceedings if both used to best effect . Maybe some issues with Hass 's ability to back up and Manly will just have to find a way to utilize Ola better then against the Eels .
Reynolds has done well against Manly in recent times so if D C E can not back up sufficiently and play to a required level , going to make it that much harder again .
Maybe Burbo can replicate that top effort against the Cows .
May have been more inclined to have Navale instead of Brown and use Jazz in a prop role for a while but will just have to see if the pack can or really has to provide a lot better then last Friday night .
Going to take the recent Cowboys type effort at the least to have them competitive and any chance of getting up

 

[manly al]

Broncs will field a fairly capable backline as well so real advantage there on paper .
Broncs big gun in Hass and with Manly Ola to influence proceedings if both used to best effect . Maybe some issues with Hass 's ability to back up and Manly will just have to find a way to utilize Ola better then against the Eels .
Reynolds has done well against Manly in recent times so if D C E can not back up sufficiently and play to a required level , going to make it that much harder again .
Maybe Burbo can replicate that top effort against the Cows .
May have been more inclined to have Navale instead of Brown and use Jazz in a prop role for a while but will just have to see if the pack can or really has to provide a lot better then last Friday night .
Going to take the recent Cowboys type effort at the least to have them competitive and any chance of getting up

Meant to say in first line - No real advantage there on paper

 

[The Royal Soup]

#SeiboldOUT

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

How many games do we have to watch to realise that Siebold does not buy into the modern view that young mobile aggressive packs win comps. He does not believe that

Name any coach that would be happy to rotate Sipley, TKO , Aloia , Tevaga ,Jake , Bully, Lodge , Waddell and Brown in the middle for two years and at the same time say “ we are a top 4 side “ in a “ premiership window “
There is no indication whatsoever that this big slow middles policy is going to be discarded - As hard as it might be to take Siebold GENUINELY believes that slow big bodies is the way. And the cream on top is we haven’t had a hooker in five years to stop these lugs getting picked off like wood ducks in the ruck

I wonder if he's still a little haunted by his time at Brisbane where he let older players go and ran with a bunch of highly talented tyros and it turned to mud.

Meanwhile in recent years Manly has actually signed some 'promising' youth but not A-List and haven't cut the mustard as yet. Tuilagi (let go, ok but not top line) James (had shown potential but still waiting..), now Pua'avase and Patolo ...presumably they've not been banging down the door. Navale is being brought along slowly.

As for our recruitment, I doubt we've been getting our first choice targets, so more like, 'Oh bugger, well lets get this one instead at least they are experienced'. I recall when Seibold was first signed he publicly made a play for Flegler so it's its not as though he doesn't want young mobile aggressive forwards.

 

[Thewestisbest]

I wonder if he's still a little haunted by his time at Brisbane where he let older players go and ran with a bunch of highly talented tyros and it turned to mud.

Meanwhile in recent years Manly has actually signed some 'promising' youth but not A-List and haven't cut the mustard as yet. Tuilagi (let go, ok but not top line) James (had shown potential but still waiting..), now Pua'avase and Patolo ...presumably they've not been banging down the door. Navale is being brought along slowly.

As for our recruitment, I doubt we've been getting our first choice targets, so more like, 'Oh bugger, well lets get this one instead at least they are experienced'. I recall when Seibold was first signed he publicly made a play for Flegler so it's its not as though he doesn't want young mobile aggressive forwards.

Flegler is a big boy. And it wasn't Seibold who instigated the approach but we did go from favourites to get him on a 4 million dollar contract to missing out once Seibold arrived. A better question is what did Spoon do with that available 4 million bucks. I thought he didn't have the cash to sign anyone but old experienced guys.

As reported below

It is understood the Flegler camp has held preliminary talks with the Sea Eagles, who outlined plans to table a mega six-year offer worth $675,000 a season to lure the Origin hulk to Brookvale until the end of 2027.
Manly recruitment chiefs first approached Flegler last month before the appointment of Des Hasler’s coaching successor Anthony Seibold, who mentored the 23-year-old during his stint at the Broncos in 2019-20.

 

[Sea Eagle 4 Life]

Flegler is a big boy. And it wasn't Seibold who instigated the approach but we did go from favourites to get him on a 4 million dollar contract to missing out once Seibold arrived. A better question is what did Spoon do with that available 4 million bucks. I thought he didn't have the cash to sign anyone but old experienced guys.

As reported below

It is understood the Flegler camp has held preliminary talks with the Sea Eagles, who outlined plans to table a mega six-year offer worth $675,000 a season to lure the Origin hulk to Brookvale until the end of 2027.
Manly recruitment chiefs first approached Flegler last month before the appointment of Des Hasler’s coaching successor Anthony Seibold, who mentored the 23-year-old during his stint at the Broncos in 2019-20.

Sounds like Flegler did not want to be coached by Seispoon again.

 

[BOZO]

#SeiboldOUT

I’ve been keen to see TT2 have a run at 5/8 for a while now. Brooks’ shiithouse defensive reads are shocking.

For some reason Seibold fell for the failing Tiger and the rest is History
$650K a year could have been better Invested

 

[Thewestisbest]

Sounds like Flegler did not want to be coached by Seispoon again.

What did our coach do with that $4'million?

He bought Woods, Brown, Tevaga, TKO, Lodge, Chee Kam, and he extended Toff Sipley.

Terrible recruitment from a guy who doesn't seem capable of getting the balance right. At the Broncos he released too much experience while at Manly he's gone way over the top in adding "experience." If he can get us into the finals this year, I'd be blown away and prepared to back him to make a few signings to freshen up the squad. If he doesn't lead us to finals, he should be replaced by another coach who can be entrusted to rebuild the roster in coming years.