Sea Eagles board offer Anthony Seibold ‘full support’, Brad Arthur enjoying winning feeling in UK
Embattled Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold is under ‘no immediate pressure’ despite background drama at the club, while former Eels mentor Brad Arthur has opened up on his UK plans
.Manly chair and majority owner Scott Penn has revealed that the club emerged from a board meeting this week with their full support behind coach Anthony Seibold as he battles to keep the Sea Eagles in finals contention amid a mounting injury toll.
Seibold bristled on Thursday when asked about his future, dismissing suggestions that he was under pressure to keep some members of the playing group on side.
Penn insisted that Seibold, who has two years to run on his deal, still had his backing and that external forces were lobbing “grenades’ at the club and its coach.
“We’re all aligned,” Penn said. “We know what we need to do. We have lost a lot of forwards during the year. We have lost our starting front row and at various times most of the back row.
NRL COACH RACE TAKES TURN AS ARTHUR MAKES CALL ON FUTURE
- Peter Badel
The NRL coaching merry-go-round has taken an intriguing turn with former Parramatta mentor Brad Arthur set to remain in the English Super League.
This masthead understands Arthur is poised to ink a multi-year extension with Leeds Rhinos in a move that will have ramifications for a raft of coaching contenders eyeing off a top job in the NRL.
Arthur will make a definitive call on Monday after months of negotiations with Rhinos bosses, but the former Eels grand-final coach is leaning towards staying at Leeds.
The 51-year-old is considered a frontrunner for the Titans post if Gold Coast management opts to sack besieged coach Des Hasler, who faces a wooden-spoon battle against Souths on Sunday.
The Titans have been inundated with expressions of interest but insist they have made no official call on Hasler, who is contracted until the end of 2026.
English media have been speculating on Arthur’s future for months and Leeds hierarchy are keen to extend his stay in the UK, with the veteran coach having steered the Rhinos into the top four.
Leeds chiefs are sweating on an answer and it’s understood Arthur will advise the club he is prepared to stay on for another two or three seasons.
Arthur has been at the epicentre of fierce coaching speculation with several names, including Willie Peters, Josh Hannay, Jason Demetriou, Adrian Lam, and Ben and Shane Walker, having been linked with various NRL jobs.
Arthur, Peters and the Walker brothers have been linked with the Titans and Newcastle, Hannay is an option if Todd Payten is sacked at the Cowboys, while Lam and Demetriou have been mentioned as possible coaches for the PNG team in 2028.
Arthur was initially slated as the preferred candidate for the Perth job, but the ARL Commission ultimately opted for NRL Immortal Mal Meninga, who will take charge of the Bears in 2027.
The ARLC, which owns the Perth licence, interviewed Arthur and offered him an assistant’s role with a view to eventually taking over from Meninga, but he knocked back that proposition.
It is believed Arthur will have clauses inserted into his new Leeds deal giving him the flexibility to cut ties with the club immediately if an NRL opportunity comes up.
The Rhinos will be amenable to that request, accepting Arthur has a desire to return to NRL coaching and be closer to his family in Australia.
Arthur told English media after Leeds’ 22-14 defeat of third-placed Leigh Leopards that he is relishing his stint with the Rhinos, who are on the brink of the Super League playoffs for the first time in three years.
North Queensland Cowboys coach Todd Payten is under pressure to keep his job after a disappointing 2025 season with a talented roster.
“I love winning and I’ve really enjoyed my time here, I love it,” he said.
“The club can’t do any more than what they’ve done for me, I’m so grateful.
“The players can’t do any more than what they’ve done for me, it’s purely just a decision based around my family.
“But I’m in a good space to be able to make that decision now.
“Me and ‘Bleasey’ (Leeds sporting director Ian Blease) had a good conversation the other day.
“We talked about a multi-year deal with a few options in the club’s way and a couple of things for me.
“There’s nothing I need to go back and forth on, the deal is what it is, I need to have that conversation with my kids and make sure everyone is comfortable — I’ll make a decision on Monday.
“The club have been great and they’ve been patient with me the whole way through, but it’s got to the point where a decision needs to be made.”
agree...club first champ or f**k off
