A surprising candidate has emerged as a possible successor to Manly Sea Eagles head coach Anthony Seibold as he prepares to move into a new front office role in the coming seasons.
Although Seibold has received the backing of CEO Tony Mestrov and Chairman Scott Penn, there have been growing rumours over the past six months that the players are pushing him out of the club, and Seibold could be moved to a new role sooner rather than later.
This saw assistant Michael Ennis linked as a long-term successor before departing for the St George Illawarra Dragons.
While former Newcastle Knights head coach Adam O'Brien is set to join the Sea Eagles' coaching staff as an assistant next season, Hull Kingston Rovers coach Willie Peters has been identified as a possible successor to Anthony Seibold, according to News Corp.
According to the publication, it is understood that Peters' name is also being linked as a potential replacement for Wayne Bennett at the South Sydney Rabbitohs - a club he played at for two seasons in 1997 and 1998.
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This comes as his current CEO, Paul Lakin, at Hull KR, insisted that he remain confident that Peters will see out his contract until the end of the 2028 season.
"Willie's a fantastic communicator, me and him are very close," Hull KR CEO Paul Lakin said on Sky Sports' The Bench podcast over the weekend.
"We talk God knows how many times a day, and we've said to each other, if there is genuine interest, talk to me, tell me. Just open and honest conversations (is how the club will keep hold of Peters).
"We haven't needed to have that conversation. I'm genuinely relaxed on these sorts of things because I think if Willie's attracting interest, then we're doing well. You've got to be pragmatic about it. It's a good situation."
Previously linked with the head coaching jobs at the Newcastle Knights and Perth Bears, Peters has guided Hull to the top of the Super League ladder and holds a winning percentage of over 70 per cent.
Additionally, he has changed the club's culture during his time as head coach and has held several coaching roles in Australia before succeeding Tony Smith at Hull Kingston Rovers.
A former halfback for the Rabbitohs, he was named the head coach of the Wests Tigers Under-20s side before becoming an assistant coach for the Manly Sea Eagles, South Sydney Rabbitohs and most recently the Newcastle Knights in 2020.
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"He's contracted to 2028. Genuinely, we haven't had a conversation to suggest otherwise. I believe he's really happy and his family are really happy. So we'll take it as it comes," Lakin added.
"I'm not that bothered. It's all smoke and mirrors sometimes. I think he really enjoys it here, and he knows that, and over the next couple of years we'll see, but I'm confident, and relaxed in a sensible way.
"He's a brilliant coach. He never misses anything. He's into every detail. He thinks about it non-stop. I think how he delivers his messages to the players is superb, too. Short and sharp.
"But he's always thinking every week: 'How do I deliver the right messages for the week ahead?' Theme of the week, etc. But detail is the detail. He's all over all the details."
