Sea Eagles snap up O’Brien to help Seibold get back to finals

Adam O’Brien has nearly immediately found another rugby league coaching role after leaving the Newcastle Knights, with the Manly Sea Eagles this week snapping him up for the 2026 season.

O’Brien will join the Sea Eagles as Anthony Seibold’s assistant coach, The Sporting Base understands, with the club hoping that the veteran helmsman working alongside Seibold will help the club return to finals.

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Seibold and O’Brien were two of the most under-fire coaches throughout the season just gone, with the Knights’ wooden spoon finish eventually costing O’Brien his job in early September. Seibold, however, got the full support of the Sea Eagles board around the same time and has since been guaranteed another preseason before he comes into question.

The assistant role became available after attacking coach Steven Hales left to join the Knights alongside next boss Justin Holbrook. O’Brien and Seibold had previously worked together in the Hunter before taking up new roles.

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There will be some that quickly suggest O’Brien could take over for Seibold in the near future, but The Sporting Base understands Willie Peters – currently commanding Hull Kingston in the Super League – is actually seen as Seibold’s successor. Right now, Peters is signed with the England club through to 2028 and is expected to see that deal out.

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From O’Brien’s side, it’s no surprise he pounced on an assistant role, especially after he said he “didn’t necessarily want to be the lead singer for a long time” after leaving his Knights head coach role earlier this month.

“There’s no doubt I need to get some energy levels back, but I know that that will come because I’ve still got a deep passion for the game,” he said in an exit interview in the Hunter at the time. “I’ll do the back-up vocals for a while.”

“Something will come along,” he had added. “I haven’t lost my work ethic, I haven’t lost my passion.”