Sea Eagles 2023 preview: Clean slate on the Northern Beaches

Fresh off the back of a horror season derailed by injuries and behind-the-scene dramas, the Manly Sea Eagles are plugging in a new head coach and looking to put the nightmare 2022 NRL campaign behind them.

What a nightmare the end of last season was the Sea Eagles.

Talisman Tom Trbojevic was injured midway through 2022 and Manly faithful thought the world was falling down around them. Little did they know a rainbow jersey-fuelled club collapse was waiting just around the corner that would damn them to a finals-less year, club turmoil, and Des Hasler’s sacking.

All that, the Sea Eagles will be hoping, should be behind them now. While little was done to really push back against the players that refused to play in a Pride strip, removing Hasler was a choice made to try and shuffle Manly past the disaster.

The only thing the Sea Eagles players and coaches alike can do is shake themselves off, chalk 2022 off, and get back to the grind.

Trbojevic should be back for round one too, if the U.S. guru he’s seeing can get his recovery right, and new boss Anthony Seibold has had a full offseason to stamp his vision on the team.

Last year’s finish: 11th, nine wins and 15 losses

Last ten NRL campaigns: 11th, 4th (Prelim), 13th, 6th (Semi), 15th, 6th (Qualifying), 13th, 9th, 2nd (Semi), 4th (Runners-Up)

Predicted Round 1 lineup

1. Tom Trbojevic
2. Reuben Garrick
3. Tolu Koula
4. Brad Parker
5. Jason Saab
6. Josh Schuster
7. Daly Cherry-Evans
8. Josh Aloiai
9. Lachlan Croker
10. Sean Keppie
11. Haumole Olakau’atu
12. Kelma Tuilagi
13. Jake Trbojevic
14. Karl Lawton
15. Toafofoa Sipley
16. Taniela Paseka
17. Ben Condon

Coach: Anthony Seibold

Biggest loss: Martin Taupau, Kieran Foran Biggest gain: Kelma Tuilagi

How 2023 is looking for Manly

The biggest thing for Manly in 2023 will be a clean slate, which is a funny thing to suggest when the Sea Eagles were one of the clubs that made the fewest trades in the proceeding NRL offseason.

But, in theory, the squad is already up to shape.

There’s certainly quality in the Sea Eagles ranks. Trbojevic and his brother Jake are both representative level players, as is captain Daly Cherry-Evans, and many are hoping Josh Schuster can return to 2021 levels in the halves after a very fast, very brutal drop in form for the youngster last time out.

Everything will hinge on how Seibold can marshal his troops. From his time at the Rabbitohs and the Broncos we already know that the new Manly coach likes to have a vision. He’ll bring a game plan to the club that he’s carefully crafted and meticulously developed ahead of getting his feet under the desk. And, on top of that, he’ll be required to dust out the culture in the club to boot.

If the players can take to that, and Tommy Turbo can keep himself on the park for more than two-thirds of the season, it could be a better year for the silvertails.

Predicted 2023 finish: 9th

First five: Warriors (A), Tigers (A), Dolphins (H), Raiders (H), Sea Eagles (A)

TopSport odds: Premiers $26, Make Top 4: $6.50, Make Final 8: $2.40, Miss The Top 8: $1.55

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