Manly Sea Eagles legend Anthony Watmough has provided a scathing review of his former club's depth in 2026, particularly in the forward stocks.
The tough-as-nails edge back rower fears the club could be in a bit of strife if they don't recruit some firepower, notably in the engine room.
Watmough remains all praise of what coach Kieran Foran has inherited at the start of 2026, but knows he's in a tough period working with a side that was built before his arrival in November last year.
The club has lost five games in a row after some mid-season form saw them skyrocket into top four contention, but has since fallen off a cliff and is bound to finish the season in the bottom nine in the competition.
Manly's depth has been tested heavily during 2026, with most opponents exposing their pack as a weakness after long-term injuries to Siosuia Taukeiaho, Kobe Hetherington, and Caleb Navale have stretched their forward stocks thin.
The 278-game Sea Eagle legend highlighted the Northern Beaches pathways as a pivotal element that needs sharpening if they are to remain in the hunt for a premiership in the near future.
"I think what masked the issues at the club was the 'Fozball' period there," Watmough said on FanaticsTV.
"Our juniors, our pathways haven't been recruited well, our depth is lacking. I don't reckon we've got a Top 30, I reckon we've got a Top 20 that we could choose from.
"We've got people there that just aren't standing up for the club.
"I know Foz would be pulling his hair out because he understands where we're at.
"In my opinion, we're almost at a rebuild stage, we definitely need a couple of front rowers, and I think we're just lacking one or two mature players in that squad, that we're gonna lose over the next couple of years.
"If we don't get this next period right, we're gonna be in a bit of trouble for the next five years, and this isn't Fozzie's team, remember, he's inherited all of this.
"I thought he's done a phenomenal job to get them to where they're at, but at the moment, he's still picking the bones out of what he's got there."
Watmough signed on as the Manly Leagues coach for the Sydney Shield competition in 2024, where the club later won the 2025 title in a thrilling one-point win against Wentworthville.
They were later promoted to the Ron Massey Cup in 2026, one tier below the NRL's NSW Cup.
Although Watmough's legacy in the maroon and white was formed when he featured during a golden era of Sea Eagles teams, including players such as Brett and Glenn Stewart, Jamie Lyon, Jason King, Steve Matai and current coach Foran.
The club won two premierships during the era between 2007 and 2014, and made the play-offs every year, including four Grand Final appearances, before a new age on the Northern Beaches took over.
It will be an intriguing offseason to see if Foran looks to recruit some Manly blood into his coaching staff to instill the DNA of the successful run into the early 2010s.
The Sea Eagles have four games remaining against the Dolphins, Knights, Dragons and Warriors, and risk slipping further down the ladder.
Foran's first encounter when taking over as head coach came when he faced the Dolphins in Redcliffe, where they walked away with a 52-18 victory, thus 'Fozball' was born.
When Kristian Woolf's men come to visit Brookvale on Friday for payback, it'll be a tremendous test to see if Manly can rise to the task and create the same magic.
