Tom and Jake

[Dee Why Eagle]

Mestrov to meet Trbojevic brothers amid simmering tension at Manly​

Danny Weidler​

Sport columnist
August 24, 2025 — 6.00am

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.
y Vi
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 Trbojevic 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.

Negotiations with Tom Trbojevic 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 Daly 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.

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 Des 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.

Why can't players just play,
and let coaches coach???

 

[CoreyWaddellSuperFan]

Why can't players just play,
and let coaches coach???

Why can't 'journalists' stop making stuff up?

 

[manlyfan76]

Why can't players just play,
and let coaches coach???

Welcome to 2025.
Different times.

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

Welcome to 2025.
Different times.

Maybe...
But can you imagine any old school coach - Gibson, Ryan even Fulton or Hasler;
Or any new school coach - Bellamy, Robinson or Ciraldo
entertaining a player dictate playing tactics or systems?

Bow to that and you no longer have a team.
Don't like it? then f off - no matter what your surname!

 

[Wombat64]

Maybe...
But can you imagine any old school coach - Gibson, Ryan even Fulton or Hasler;
Or any new school coach - Bellamy, Robinson or Ciraldo
entertaining a player dictate playing tactics or systems?

Bow to that and you no longer have a team.
Don't like it? then f off - no matter what your surname!

Maybe the first one to be cleaned out and fxcked off was DCE?

 

[CoreyWaddellSuperFan]

Maybe...
But can you imagine any old school coach - Gibson, Ryan even Fulton or Hasler;
Or any new school coach - Bellamy, Robinson or Ciraldo
entertaining a player dictate playing tactics or systems?

Bow to that and you no longer have a team.
Don't like it? then f off - no matter what your surname!

You need to stop arguing as if any Weidler article is fact.

Leads you, a supporter, to bagging our players/club/management/whatever on the basis of gossip.

Unfounded, unsubstantiated gossip

 

[Cliffycomeback]

but... he told Danny Weidler!
Yeah, right

Is there any universe where you might accept that the players are off the coach? Or have you drawn a line in the sand? I find it absurd that there can be so much noise around this subject (not just from Weidler) without there being any truth to the matter. Does that mean I think everything reported is accurate, not a chance.

Your "but he told Danny Weidler!" response is immature. Love him or loathe him, do you think that no one in the game talks to Danny? i can assure you that he is loved and loathed in equal measure by people in the game. What he does have is respect for the cleanskin lifestyle he leads, basically he is everything that Kent and Hooper aren't in that regard.

It's okay to be wrong sometimes man.

 

[Frogz]

Mestrov was hired by Manly to transform the club.

What a load a cr@p that is by Weirdler. Mestrov was hired by Penn, to do what Penn wants him to do.

 

[47MVEagle]

Mestrov was hired by Manly to transform the club.

What a load a cr@p that is by Weirdler. Mestrov was hired by Penn, to do what Penn wants him to do.

I disagree.

We’ve had a revolving door policy of CEOs for the last 10 years, none of whom seemed to make much of a difference.

Mestrov arrived & removed the Fulton & Tartak influences within the club & has made inroads into getting our junior development back on track & local. He’s also overseen DCE’s exit from the club & from what I can glean from the various rumours & reports, brought the idea of Turbo & Jake on greatly reduced contracts when they renew to the fore.

He’s achieved a lot more than any other CEO we’ve had in the past decade IMO.

 

[HK_Eagle]

Maybe...
But can you imagine any old school coach - Gibson, Ryan even Fulton or Hasler;
Or any new school coach - Bellamy, Robinson or Ciraldo
entertaining a player dictate playing tactics or systems?

Bow to that and you no longer have a team.
Don't like it? then f off - no matter what your surname!

My understanding is that Gifty would often “curtail” crazy Des ideas in the day. 🤷‍♂️

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

My understanding is that Gifty would often “curtail” crazy Des ideas in the day. 🤷‍♂️

No objection to putting forward your views, but to make ultimatums is a different matter entirely

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

No objection to putting forward your views, but to make ultimatums is a different matter entirely

Where did you here about players giving ultimatums? (I can't see anything like that in Weidler's article)

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

Where did you here about players giving ultimatums? (I can't see anything like that in Weidler's article)

Strongly implied - see below quotes:

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

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.

Negotiations with Tom Trbojevic are not as well advanced

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.

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.

Strongly implied... Review above quotes finishing with:
"Sutton has suggested they should be involved in developing tactics and planning with Seibold."
That goes much further than discussing tactics & airing your opinion.

Well, that's my take on it anyway

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Thanks @Dee Why Eagle some fair assumptions there, but still lot of guesswork too maybe.
For example if Tom considered leaving in 2022 'around the time of Des exit' it was probably because he was disgusted with Des being made the scapegoat for the disaster caused by Penn's then-leaderless club management. I think the turbos (indeed players in general) always loved Des

Either way, interesting times ahead

 

[Tragic Eagle]

If true players wanting that much control is dysfunctional and unhealthy. Players have to job to do and frankly our senior playing group have had a very poor season on the field. Frankly that's where their focus needs to be. Once player focus moves away from person performance and moves to club and team politics your team is in trouble.

 

[Brookie Bob]

“It’s a bit scary”: Trbojevic makes career call amid retirement talks

Fans have called for him to hang up the boots in 2026.

www.zerotackle.com

 

[manly al]

Sure that it is not that uncommon at any high profile sporting club for equally high profile players to occasionally express opinions or views on club developments or situations from time to time but would think also not that uncommon for many sports jurnos to blow or exaggerate out of proportion such views .
Probably just need a sense of proportion all round and would hardly think that there is any crisis level with anything happening with player opinion on whatever issue in the club now or for some time

 

[frank stokes]

For newer members there are whole threads relating to Biff ....

Thread 'Hey Biff'

Mar 28, 2022

Hey Biff

Guess what. The person you just abused and threatened was not even the person who did what upset you. Oh well we all make mistakes.



Regarding “Biff” – I still notice the odd comment, What happened to Biff? I liked Biff

Here’s the story.

On Silvertails we have usernames. But behind the username is an actual person, who logs in and makes the comments

Infrequently there are people who join ST who for one reason or another don’t or can’t comply with the basic expectations of the site, which ends up causing problems for other users.

The person who used to log in as Biff is one...

• SeaEagleRock8
• Replies: 71
• Forum: Rugby League Forum

• 
• 
• 

@SeaEagleRock8 wrote this back in March 2022

Hey Biff

Guess what. The person you just abused and threatened was not even the person who did what upset you. Oh well we all make mistakes.

Regarding “Biff” – I still notice the odd comment, What happened to Biff? I liked Biff

Here’s the story.

On Silvertails we have usernames. But behind the username is an actual person, who logs in and makes the comments

Infrequently there are people who join ST who for one reason or another don’t or can’t comply with the basic expectations of the site, which ends up causing problems for other users.

The person who used to log in as Biff is one such person. This person abuses others in the foulest terms, makes threats of physical violence against others, is bigoted and uses hate speech, and refuses to comply with the basic requirements of this site.

This person by his own admission operates multiple accounts in order to avoid the consequences of being suspended or banned from using the site. We can trace him in various ways but the easiest is just through his posts because he can’t help revealing his true self eventually.

Is he really that bad? You may ask.

Well we tend to delete the worst of his attacks so many of you may not have seen them. Here’s a little of his work, as examples.

• You are a filthy fukn dog and a smart ass piece of **** you know that!
• LOL you pathetic kents deadset you act like manly belongs to you and you can pick and choose who comes here..... you cannot iv always been here and always will. Got 5 accounts now I just sneak one in every now and then in case you do another dog act.
• Lucky you dont live in Australia buddy because I would love to meet you at a manly game so i can get on tv for beating you into next month you fukn dog**** human.
• Fuk your dead mother you piece of ****
• Shut up you filthy dirtbag! You fukn dog playing games like a kid.
• Just a smart ass dog **** son of a whor3
• What a deadset no life bunch of faggots. I'll always be on this forum you CANNOT stop me i already have 3 other accounts.
• hey you low iq dog**** human being where is your significant other ball sack boy? Two ****ing idiots and paedophile ****s. You dogs need to be locked up permanently in a gulag.
• you are a filthy old coffin dodging bigot fuk your father and his fathers father for raising such low iq mutts
• LOL you seriously are one fukin loser scumbag no life gronk! You really are a son of a filthy whore you know that!
• You run and hide like a little bitch but when im banned you come out from under that rock
• you piss weak pea hearted coward 2 years you've been hiding from me.
• i came here to talk to the good people not bigoted faggots like you you fukn flop
• Hah! I have 3 other accounts ill just use one of those.
• You filthy son of mutah shame you live in qld or id find you and piss on you record it and post it with your own account.
• You are a key board warriors probably still living with his whore mother right?
• Atheist dog the Lord has a special place for cowards like you!
• Now go run you bitch made homunculus go run like the pussy you are
• Back to you coward son of mutah. You are a spectacular piece of garbage
• LOL pathetic dog i came here to talk to the real manly fans instead i get donkeys like you.

The reason I mention this now is really just to remind everyone that Silvertails is specifically an on-line community with a large degree of anonymity. Not only are we unable to vouch for the good character or bona fides of all site users, we know for a fact that among us at any time there is at least one rather noxious person present here who holds others in contempt and is potentially dangerous.

So ... we always advise against sharing your personal information with other users!

“ball sack boy”… 🤣🤣🤣
aaahhhh…. Memories….

Biff has definitely been back (imo) but he has either mellowed or gotten himself free of the glass didgeridoo…

 

[Frogz]

I disagree.

We’ve had a revolving door policy of CEOs for the last 10 years, none of whom seemed to make much of a difference.

Mestrov arrived & removed the Fulton & Tartak influences within the club & has made inroads into getting our junior development back on track & local. He’s also overseen DCE’s exit from the club & from what I can glean from the various rumours & reports, brought the idea of Turbo & Jake on greatly reduced contracts when they renew to the fore.

He’s achieved a lot more than any other CEO we’ve had in the past decade IMO.

So you think he did that on his own accord, not under any instructions. Mestrov seems to be the yes man that Penn can finally work with. I don't dislike the guy, just isn't the messiah we had hoped for. And may I add, no one ever will be whilst Penn is pulling all the strings.

 

[Mark from Brisbane]

One of the things that amuses me most is the validity some on here give the journalists, it’s like “ whatever they say is gospel “.

We absolutely know beyond all doubt they get a lot of the **** they write from forums such as this , we’ve set them up , they’ve taken the bait , and done stories on what is absolute made up trash.

Today’s journos are a lower breed than they used to be , they would no doubt be paid ( somewhat ) on the clicks they generate , so the more outrageous , the more scurrilous the rumour is , the more interest in the story there is and the more money they get.

So they simply have to say “ it’s alledged that Turbo hates Seibold , can’t bear to be in the same room he’s in and is actively assisting the old boys in getting him sacked as quickly as possible “

Whereas , there might be no issues at all OR Tom may have said in passing “ I don’t always agree with the coach but he is the coach and he has a plan for the team”.

Or , they simply read the Sack Seidud thread on Silvertails and there’s reams & reams of stories in there.