The Manly Sea Eagles sensational decision to axe Anthony Seibold just three rounds into a new season will give the club plenty of time to work out what comes next.
Seibold, in all seriousness probably should have been sacked at the end of 2025, but chairman Scott Penn and his board elected to carry on with the under seige head coach for another season.
In the end, it was proven quickly to be the wrong decision, with Manly losing three from three at home to start the new year.
On Friday, Seibold was terminated by Manly, and the club will now begin a process to appoint a new coach.
Reading between the lines of Saturday morning's press conference, the club is going to give interim coach Kieran Foran every chance to impress, but alongside the former star half, who else is in the mix?
Here are the eight options that should be under consideration by the Sea Eagles board and powerbrokers.
MORE COVERAGE
» Kieran Foran appointed as interim coach
» Everything Scott Penn, Jason King and Kieran Foran said
» The burning questions for Manly after Seibold's exit
2. Matt Ballin
The second of two Manly faces at the pointy end of this list, and maybe the more likely option to take over the club.
Ballin already has the blessing of Michael Maguire to leave his current role at the Brisbane Broncos if the Sea Eagles approach him, and that's hardly a surprise.
But Ballin has been nominated as a head coach in waiting by plenty of good judges, even if not immediately.
A player who spent most of his career at the Sea Eagles though and is now impressing in that space taking over is something that's fairly easy to see happening here.
A hard-working player during his career, he'd be the sort of person to drag standards out of Manly's forward pack who have struggled during Seibold's tenure.
It could even well be that Ballin and Foran wind up teaming up, unless Manly can grab a serious bit of experience...
