Sea Eagles 2023 preview: Clean slate on the Northern Beaches
Fresh off a horror season derailed by injuries and behind-the-scenes drama, the Manly Sea Eagles come and hire a new head coach to put the nightmarish 2022 NRL campaign behind them.
What a nightmare the end of last season was for the Sea Eagles.
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Talisman Tom Trbojevic was injured in mid-2022 and Manly believers thought the world was crumbling around them. Little did they know that a rainbow jersey-fuelled club collapse was just around the corner, dooming them to a year without finals, club riots and Des Hasler’s sacking.
All of that, the Sea Eagles hope, should be behind them now. While little was done to really address players who refused to star in a Pride flick, Hasler’s removal was a decision made to try to push Manly past disaster.
The only thing Sea Eagles players and coaches alike can do is shake off, write off 2022 and get back to the grind.
Trbojevic should also be back for the first round if the US guru he sees gets his recovery right and new boss Anthony Seibold has had a full offseason to impose his vision on the team.
conclusion of the last year: 11th, nine wins and 15 losses
Last ten NRL campaigns: 11th, 4th (preliminaries), 13th, 6th (semifinals), 15th, 6th (qualification), 13th, 9th, 2nd (semifinals), 4th (runner-up)
Estimated line-up for round 1
- Tom Trbojevic
- Ruben Garrick
- Tolu Koula
- brad parker
- Jason Saab
- Josh Schuster
- Daly Cherry-Evans
- Josh Aloiai
- Lachlan Croker
- Sean Keppie
- Haumole Olakau’atu
- Kelma Tuilagi
- Jake Trboyevic
- Karl Lawton
- Toafofoa Sipley
- Tanya Paseka
- Ben Condon
Coach: Anthony Seibold
biggest loss: Martin Taupau, Kieran Foran Biggest win: Kelma Tuilagi
This is what 2023 looks like for Manly
The biggest thing for Manly in 2023 will be a clean slate, which is a funny thing as the Sea Eagles have been one of the clubs to have made the fewest trades in the ongoing NRL off-season.
But in theory, the squad is already in shape.
There is certainly quality in the Sea Eagles ranks. Trbojevic and his brother Jake are both representative players, as is captain Daly Cherry-Evans, and many are hoping Josh Schuster can return to 2021 levels after a very quick, very brutal loss of form for the youngster at half-time.
Everything will depend on how Seibold can deploy his troops. We already know from his time with the Rabbitohs and the Broncos that the new Manly coach likes to have visions. He will bring a game plan to the club that he has carefully mapped out and meticulously developed before putting his feet under the desk. And on top of that he still has to dust off the culture in the club.
If players accept that and Tommy Turbo can stay in the park for more than two-thirds of the season, it could be a better year for the Silvertails.
Expected end of 2023: 9.
The first five: Warriors (A), Tigers (A), Dolphins (H), Hunters (H), Sea Eagles (A)
TopSport Odds: Premiers $26, Make Top 4: $6.50, Make Final 8: $2.40, Miss The Top 8: $1.55
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