The 2023 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles season was the 74th in the club's history since their entry to the New South Wales Rugby League premiership in 1947. The coach was Anthony Seibold taking over from Des Hasler. Daly Cherry-Evans captained the club for the seventh consecutive year. The Sea Eagles won the inaugural pre-season challenge.
Des Hasler Situation As a result of not making the finals in 2022, a requirement under Des Hasler's contract, his contract would not able to automatically extend to the end of 2024. Initially the situation started out with a change in assistant coaches with Chad Randall and Michael Monaghan leaving the club. It upset Hasler, but after meetings everything was reported that everyone was happy before reports came out that Hasler would coach the club until the end of 2024, with a succession plan in place, which put the club in unrest.
A month later in October 2022, Des Hasler announced he threatened to sue Manly over the Manly pride jersey player boycott, as he believed that it derailed the season as a result of how there was little communication given between the playing group, coaching staff and the management about what was going on. By then Manly powerbrokers already identified Anthony Seibold as a potential successor to Hasler, with Hasler identifying Josh Hannay as his preferred successor. Emails were also leaked between Manly officials involving the pride jersey. It was then reported that if he is to coach Manly in 2023, he would have no say in recruitment/retention, accept Seibold as his successor and accept that 2023 would be his last year.
On the 13th of October 2022, Hasler was sacked from the club. On the 8th of November 2022, Seibold was officially announced as the head coach for the Sea Eagles.
2023 Squad
Transfers +GainsPlayerClubUntilSourceJake Arthur (gained mid-season) Parramatta Eels2024Ben Condon North QLD Cowboys2025Austin Dias Wests TigersTBCCooper Johns Melbourne Storm2023Matthew Lodge (gained mid-season) Sydney Roosters2023Kelma Tuilagi Wests Tigers2025Aaron Woods (gained mid-season) St. George Illawarra Dragons2023 +LossesPlayerClubUntilSourceAndrew Davey Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs2024Sione Fainu (left mid 2022) Wests Tigers2024Kieran Foran Gold Coast Titans2024Jorge Taufua (left mid 2022) Wakefield Trinity2023Martin Taupau Brisbane Broncos2023Dylan Walker New Zealand Warriors2025 Re-Signed: Josh Aloiai (2025), Daly Cherry-Evans (2025), Toluta'u Koula (2024), Karl Lawton (2024), Ben Trbojevic (2024), Kaeo Weekes (2023)
Results
Pre-Season Challenge
Source: +DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsField GoalsRefereeAttendanceFri 10 Feb 8:00pm1South Sydney RabbitohsCentral Coast Stadium30-28R. Vaega (2), J. Toby (2), Z. Fulton, C. BrownC. Johns (3/6)Todd Smith9,807Fri 17 Feb 8:00pm2Sydney RoostersCentral Coast Stadium16-28R. Garrick (3), K. Tuilagi, T. KoulaR. Garrick (4/6)Chris Butler10,744 Regular Season
Source: DateRoundOpponentVenueScoreTriesGoalsField GoalsRefereeAttendanceSat 4 March 3:00pm1Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsBrookvale Oval31-6D. Cherry-Evans (3), T. Trbojevic, R. GarrickR. Garrick (5/5)D. Cherry-Evans (1/1)Grant Atkins17,2789-12 March2ByeThu 16 March 7:50pm3Parramatta EelsBrookvale Oval34-30T. Trbojevic (2), H. Olakau'atu (2), R. Garrick, B. ParkerR. Garrick (4/6)Adam Gee13,353Sat 25 March 7:35pm4South Sydney RabbitohsAccor Stadium13-12H. Olakau'atu, D. Cherry-EvansR. Garrick (2/2)Chris Sutton18,379Sat 1 April 3:00pm5Newcastle KnightsGlen Willow Regional Sports Stadium32-32H. Olakau'atu, C. Tuipulotu, B. Parker, K. Tuilagi, K. Weekes, R. GarrickR. Garrick (4/6)Chris Butler9,024Sat 8 April 5:30pm6Penrith PanthersPenrith Stadium44-12J. Saab, T. TrbojevicD. Cherry-Evans (2/2)Todd Smith20,312Fri 14 April 8:00pm7Melbourne StormBrookvale Oval18-8T. Trbojevic, L. CrokerD. Cherry-Evans (5/6)Adam Gee13,572Sun 23 April 4:05pm8Wests TigersCampbelltown Stadium16-22D. Cherry-Evans, H. Olakau'atu, J. SaabR. Garrick (3/3)Todd Smith10,033Sat 29 April 5:30pm9Gold Coast TitansBrookvale Oval10-26S. KeppieR. Garrick (3/3) Ben Cummins10,107Fri 5 May 8:05pm10Brisbane BroncosSuncorp Stadium6-32B. TrbojevicR. Garrick (1/1)Gerard Sutton50,077Sun 14 May 4:05pm11Cronulla-Sutherland SharksBrookvale Oval14-20R. Garrick, L. CrokerR. Garrick (3/3)Ashley Klein10,358Sun 21 May 4:05pm12Canberra RaidersGIO Stadium16-42T. Trbojevic (3), B. Parker, R. Garrick, J. Schuster, J. Saab, B. CondonR. Garrick (5/8)Gerard Sutton14,730Sun 28 May 4:05pm13Newcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones Stadium28-18R. Garrick, L. Croker, J. SaabR. Garrick (3/4)Peter Gough20,6612-4 June14ByeFri 9 June 8:00pm15DolphinsBrookvale Oval58-18R. Garrick (3), J. Saab (2), T. Trbojevic (2), T. Koula (2), L. CrokerR. Garrick (9/10)Gerard Sutton14,598Sat 17 June 5:30pm16Parramatta EelsCommbank Stadium34-4C. TuipulotuR. Garrick (0/1)Chris Butler21,296Sat 24 June 7:35pm17Melbourne StormAAMI Park24-6H. Olakau'atuR. Garrick (1/1)Todd Smith13,198Sun 2 July 4:05pm18Sydney RoostersBrookvale Oval18-16D. Cherry-Evans (2), B. TrbojevicR. Garrick (3/3)Ben Cummins17,3856-9 July19ByeSat 15 July 5:30pm20North Queensland CowboysBrookvale Oval8-19D. Matterson, B. ParkerD. Cherry-Evans (0/1),R. Garrick (0/1)Adam Gee13,240Sun 23 July 4:05pm21Cronulla-Sutherland SharksShark Park26-30T. Koula (2), J. Aloiai, L. Croker, H. Olakau'atu, R. Garrick R. Garrick (3/6)Peter Gough10,634Sat 29 July 5:30pm22St. George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium24-18T. Koula, H. Olakau'atu, R. Garrick, J. SaabR. Garrick (3/4)Chris Butler14,872Thu 3 August 7:50pm23Sydney RoostersSydney Cricket Ground26-16J. Schuster, B. Parker, T. KoulaR. Garrick (2/4)Ashley Klein12,197Thu 10 August 7:50pm24Penrith PanthersBrookvale Oval12-24T. Sipley, R. GarrickR. Garrick (2/2)Gerard Sutton10,102Fri 18 August 6:00pm25New Zealand WarriorsGo Media Stadium29-22J. Saab (3), J. ArthurR. Garrick (3/4)Todd Smith24,112Sun 27 August 2:00pm26Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsAccor Stadium24-42J. Saab (2), T. Sipley, R. Vaega, H. Olakau'atu, D. Cherry-Evans, L. CrokerD. Cherry-Evans (6/7), G. Chan Kum Tong (1/1)Liam Kennedy13,074Fri 1 September 6:00pm27Wests TigersBrookvale Oval54-12T. Koula (2), J. Saab, E. Bullemor, H. Olakau'atu, J. Trbojevic, R. Vaega, G. Chan Kum Tong, D. Cherry-EvansD. Cherry-Evans (7/10)Belinda Sharpe16,503 Representative Players
Daly Cherry-Evans ( Queensland, Prime Minister's XIII, Australia) Gordon Chan Kum Tong ( Samoa) Austin Dias ( Māori All Stars) Latu Fainu ( New South Wales U19's) Samuela Fainu ( New South Wales U19's) Morgan Harper ( Māori All Stars) Tolu Koula ( Tonga) Haumole Olakau'atu ( Tonga) Jake Trbojevic ( New South Wales, Prime Minister's XIII, Australia) Tom Trbojevic ( New South Wales)
Milestones Daly Cherry-Evans played his 300th game for the club against the St. George Illawarra Dragons on the 29th of July 2023. He has played all of his games for the club. For Manly he scored 83 tries, 158 goals and 26 field goals. He was part of the 2011 Grand Final team. He has played in nine series for Queensland in state of origin, being the captain in 2019. He has made 18 appearances for the Kangaroos and played in both the 2013 and 2021 world cups. He also played for Australia at the 2019 RLWC 9s.
In that same game Lachlan Croker played his 100th game of NRL, playing all but one for the club. Before his 100th he had scored 16 tries and played games across both the hooker and five-eighth positions.
In Round 27 on the final home game for the season Jake Trbojevic played his 200th game for the Sea Eagles against the Wests Tigers playing all of his matches for the club. Before his 200th, he had scored 31 tries for the club. Trbojevic played 16 games for New South Wales in state of origin playing in every series from 2017. He has also made 12 appearances for the Kangaroos which included the 2017 and 2021 world cups.
References