The Manly Sea Eagles slump to a 0-2 start to the year, with their most recent outing against the Newcastle Knights being described as "one of the most insipid performances I have ever seen” by Fox Sports commentator Greg Alexander.
Despite showing promising signs in their opening match against the Canberra Raiders, there were glimpses of fatigue and unpolished areas amongst the Sea Eagles' outfit.
Then, against the Knights, a game they should have been up for, they failed to land a punch as the injury-depleted Newcastle outfit outclassed Manly in every area.
How long does Seibold have?
Reports surfaced on Monday morning surrounding the Sea Eagles holding an honesty session involving their poor start to the season, where it looks like Seibold faces a tough challenge to keep his head coach position alive.
In his fourth year in his tenure on the Northern Beaches, Seibold has come under scrutiny for player retention and signings to the maroon and white outfit.
Players like Latu and Samuela Fainu, Kaeo Weekes and Jamie Humphreys all struggled to find their way into Seibold's NRL side under his reign and subsequently left for better opportunities.
Along with long-term veteran Daly Cherry-Evans' well-publicised exit from the club, and the mis-handling of Tom Trbojevic's recent contract extension, it hasn't been pretty behind the scenes on the peninsula.
Seibold currently has a 48.6 per cent strike rate across all his coaching stints, and with Manly fans hurting after their recent loss to the Knights, people are searching for an answer.
The Sea Eagles' outing against the Newcastle Knights was a tough watch for the faithful on the hill, with the Knights missing Kalyn Ponga and Dylan Brown for most of the game.
The players who came in stepped up and out-classed a Sea Eagles outfit who were at full-strength.
Tactical decisions made by the coach must be questioned when Luke Brooks has more runs than the two biggest Manly enforcers in Taniela Paseka and Haumole Olakau'atu.
The disconnect between the playing group was at its most evident when Reuben Garrick took an intercept, and no player was there at dummy half.
Despite this, Seibold has proven he has what it takes to win big games, winning a Dally M Coach of the Year accolade and taking the Sea Eagles into the semis in 2024.
Now it's all about unlocking that belief in the players, bringing the best out of them, and getting them to work hard for each other on the paddock.
Setting standards that would make the old boys of 1996 proud.
I'm backing Seibold in to turn it all around and get Brookvale back to the feared venue it once was.
How Manly can turn it around
Seibold and the coaching staff have what it takes to get Manly back on track for their 2026 campaign.
Back in 2021, the Sea Eagles slumped to a 0-4 start to the season, and not only that, they were heavily beaten in every encounter.
They had their worst start to a season ever, being outscored 34-156 in the opening month.
The pitchforks were out for Des Hasler as they are for Seibold now, but Manly went on to win 16 out of the next 20 games after that and finish in the top four, stats courtesy of RandomStatsGuy on Instagram.
The return of Tom Trbojevic in Round 6 sparked an all-time momentum shift for the maroon and white, who essentially scored 50 points every second week.
Another similarity drawn between the two time periods was the crackdown on slowing the ruck, where 'six again' infringements were running rampant in the NRL, and defensive lines were becoming more fatigued than ever.
The 2021 season was subsequently nicknamed 'V'landys ball' as a result of the drastic changes contributing to the lopsided scorelines.
It saw the great attacking sides of that year, such as Manly, put on a scoreline of 66-0 against the Bulldogs.
The same is to be said about the start of the 2026 season, where teams are getting blown out of the water again.
If Manly can resolve their edge defence issues and work hard for each other, we could see another 2021 replica where Trbojevic can run rampant and get his Sea Eagles side back in the top four.
Selection thoughts
If the Sea Eagles want to compete with heavyweights such as the Panthers, Storm, Broncos and others, they need to make changes.
Their 2026 roster is essentially (apart from DCE) an unchanged side from last year; however, they are still underperforming.
One of the key concerns for Manly is that their attack is one-dimensional; either Tolutau Koula or Trbojevic are the only threats that show any glimpse of flair.
It's time for Seibold to bite the bullet and play Joey Walsh in the five-eighth role. He showed spark and a unique set of skills during his trials campaign. Teams know incumbent Luke Brooks likes to run the ball or make a double-drop-under play to 'Turbo', and defensive systems have figured it out.
Other teams don't know what to expect with a rookie like Walsh. I think it's time to give him a chance to see what he can do.
A young prospect such as Simione Laifai should be making his NRL debut and straight into the 19-man side.
Laifai is a big body who is mobile and adds aggression to a Sea Eagles pack that can lack forward momentum a lot of the time. Known for a great back fence carry too.
It's a great shame Caleb Navale ruptured his ACL in the late stages of the preseason. I'm sure it was the plan to get him plenty of game time, as he looks to be the long-term lock after Jake Trbojevic's retirement.
Kobe Hetherington needs to start at 13, with Jake Trbojevic playing the role he did in the NSW Blues side he captained through their 2024 series win. Starting at prop with early defence, setting the tone for the match in the first 20-25 minutes, and then being relieved.
It would be wise see Paul Byran and Hugo Hart get more minutes in the top grade during the year to prepare them for their big futures in the game. Manly needs aggression and a ‘villain' type role that will go after the biggest forward on the opposite team, a player similar to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves or Spencer Leniu.
Manly will benefit a lot if Laifai can fit into that role.
The Sea Eagles have been unsteady with their hooker role since Manase Fainu was stood down in 2019. Lachlan Croker has filled in since then, and although Jake Simpkin is a great player, they've lacked spark and creativity since Fainu and Koroisau's departure.
Blake Wilson is certainly a high-quality player who should be playing in the top grade instead of NSW Cup. With great outside back depth in the Sea Eagles roster, Wilson is applying pressure. This also enables all of the Sea Eagles' wingers and centres to work hard and get the best out of each other as they are competing for spots, iron sharpening iron.
Zaidas Muagututia isn't too far off from an NRL debut, a young, creative dummy half who is deceptive and gives great service. He's been applying his trade nicely in NSW Cup with 21 appearances. With Simpkin starting the match and Muagututia coming on, playing around tired forwards is an exciting prospect for Sea Eagles fans.
It's a big test against a strong Sydney Roosters line-up in their next match at 4 Pines Park in Round 4, however, I'm expecting the Sea Eagles to bounce back for this one.
