New Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has confirmed Josh Schuster will get first crack at the number six jersey in 2023 that has been vacated by Kieran Foran.
Foran has departed for the Gold Coast Titans ahead of the 2023 campaign on a two-year contract, having formed a successful partnership on the Northern Beaches with Daly Cherry-Evans in recent seasons.
Cherry-Evans will remain in the number seven jumper for the new campaign, with the Queensland State of Origin captain still on contract with the club until the end of the 2025 season.
His leadership and experience will be invaluable as the Sea Eagles begin life under Seibold following the departure of Des Hasler, which came after a seven-game losing streak to end the 2022 campaign.
โWe certainly look at Josh as a No. 6 option,โ Seibold said at his first press conference since being announced as Manly's new coach.
โKieran Foran has now left the club. Josh is going to get an opportunity in that position, but we have a couple of other guys as well who'll get a chance to train in that position.
โBut we think that josh has a big opportunity to have first crack at that.โ
The Sea Eagles have recently added Cooper Johns to the club after his departure from the Melbourne Storm in a bid to increase their depth in the halves.
Schuster will now move from the second row to five-eighth to commence the 2023 campaign, having been unable to hold a spot in Hasler's team on the edge at the end of last year.
The young gun desire to move into the halves is well-known, and he missed the recent Rugby League World Cup to work on returning to full fitness after a disappointing 2022 season.
A former New South Wales under-18s State of Origin skipper, Schuster was part of an SG Ball team who made the grand final before progressing to reserve grade and into the NRL, where he was one of the competition's boom rookies in 2021, where he played 21 games and was part of a Manly side who made the preliminary finals.
Schuster is on contract until the end of the 2024 season with the Sea Eagles.
