Anthony Seibold, the coach of the Manly Sea Eagles, has indicated he will reconsider Tom Trbojevic’s positioning on the field for the remainder of the season following the team’s challenging rain-soaked defeat against the Roosters. Initially playing at centre, Trbojevic switched to fullback after Lehi Hopoate underwent a head injury assessment. After Hopoate returned, Seibold made the decision to keep Trbojevic at fullback in an attempt to invigorate the Sea Eagles’ attacking strategy.
Despite their efforts, the Sea Eagles fell short, suffering a 20-4 loss at Brookvale Oval, which has significantly impacted their chances of making the finals. In a post-match interview, Seibold addressed the rationale behind moving Trbojevic, stating, “We went down 20 points and needed three tries. We had to try something different, as we weren’t gaining any field position.”
This season has been tumultuous for Trbojevic due to ongoing injuries and fitness issues, although he has recently found some stability at centre. However, with consecutive defeats against the Bulldogs and Roosters, Seibold may consider further alterations to captivate the team’s approach.
Currently, the Sea Eagles sit on 24 points, in line with the Roosters and trailing the Sharks by two points, with important fixtures against the Raiders, Dolphins, and Warriors upcoming. Seibold remains optimistic about the team’s potential to turn their fortunes around as they head into the final stretch of the season.
“We’ve demonstrated resilience. While the scoreline got away from us in the last 25 minutes last week, we’ve been showing a lot of fight,” Seibold commented. He noted that improvement in discipline is crucial, as penalties have given their opponents advantages. “Our players are working hard, and we will keep pushing; the outcome is still in our hands.”