Manly fans, pull ya bloody heads in.
A 0-2 start to the season is not ideal in anyone’s language and I’m the first to concede the loss to Newcastle was an utter embarrassment, especially on home soil.
But to read and hear Sea Eagles supporters declaring this is the worst it’s ever been … please!
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Don’t they remember 1999 when we went 0-7 over the first seven rounds and my great mate Bob Fulton stepped aside for Peter Sharp to take over and guide us to 13th on the ladder?
Or the next three years when there was no Manly at all and we had to put up with the Northern Eagles debacle?
At that point, there was no guarantee we’d ever have a club to call our own again.
I’d call that pretty much rock bottom, wouldn’t you?
o, to suggest they should sack Anthony Seibold after just two rounds is ridiculous.
But I can give you more examples.
Our first two years back as Manly – 2003/2004 – saw us run 14th and 13th respectively.
We’ve only made the play-offs four times in the past 11 years so it’s not as if the club is enjoying a golden era.
Yet everywhere I go on the northern beaches, supporters are telling me it’s the worst they’ve seen it.
It’s clearly not and I think we all need to take a deep breath and put things in perspective.
Manly lost its first match in golden point to a Canberra side coming off a minor premiership.
It’s a game that could easily have gone the other way.
And while there is no getting away from that abysmal performance against the Knights, I am willing to put it down to a bad day at the office.
So, to suggest they should sack Anthony Seibold after just two rounds is ridiculous.
What about the Dragons, Cowboys and Titans? They were all without a win after three rounds.
Was anyone demanding Shane Flanagan, Todd Payten or Josh Hannay be sacked after a fortnight?
Brisbane was in the same boat, but Madge Maguire obviously has plenty of runs on the board and won’t be going anywhere, espcailly after beating Melbourne on Friday night.
Seibold is a decent bloke with vast football knowledge.
He’s worked at some of our biggest clubs as well as a stint with English rugby, sitting alongside some notable names in the coaches’ box.
Reuben Garrick. Credit: Izhar Khan/Getty Images
Manly obviously see something in him because he’s been there since 2023 and they have since extended his contract until the end of next year.
So, if you’re CEO Jason King, how in the hell can he be expected to pull the trigger after just two games?
It’s ridiculous. We’re not the English Premier League.
The season has only just got underway and there is time for Manly to turn this around.
And it can start by the players taking some ownership and having a red-hot crack.
Some of the efforts last week were feeble to say the least.
You shouldn’t need a coach to tell you to put your body on the line or catch a ball from the kick-off or get to dummy half after a break.
Those sorts of things are non-negotiable when you play in the NRL.
I expect a fierce response on Thursday night when my old mate DCE returns to Brookie Oval.
They owe it to the fans and their coach to aim up.
AND DON’T GET ME STARTED
Gorden Tallis never leaves you in any doubt about what he’s thinking.
You don’t get the nickname the Raging Bull for pulling your punches and handing out bouquets of flowers.
Tallis is paid good money by numerous media outlets to give his views on the game without fear or favour and always shoot from the hip.
His former club Brisbane knows this better than most.
So for the Broncos to remove Gorden’s name from a conference room at their Brisbane headquarters because he dared questioned some of their decisions is precious and petty.
Rugby league is a tough game played by tough people and you cop your blows without complaint.
Well, that’s the way it used to be.
In this PC world we now live in, you’ve got to be careful with every word you say in case you offend someone.
The cancel culture I think they call it.
Tallis’s “crime” is to tell it as he sees it.
His views might upset a few people but they also provide major talking points between games.
Those running the Broncos might not like what he says at times but they should either fire back or let it wash over them and get on with the business of winning matches.
After what Tallis did for that club, they should be building him a stature, not erasing his name from history.
