'He's our best fullback': Seibold confirms Trbojevic to remain at the back for Manly 06:39

Yesterday, Manly Seagulls had a big win over the Raiders, 46-24 down there at GIO Stadium in Canberra. The Seagulls have won four of their last five matches, and in four of those games, they've scored at least 30 points. Their coach is Anthony Seabold, and I'm pleased to say he's on the line. G'day, Anthony. G'day, guys. How you going? Really well, mate. You're certainly hitting your straps at the right time of the year as we lead into the finals. You must be wrapped.

Yeah, we feel like we're building along nicely. Obviously, managing that origin period was a little tricky because it's a great recognition to have the two captains of the two origin teams, but you get one of the boys coming back happy and one not so much. So we felt as though we sort of navigated that tricky period as best as possible. We're both really professional guys. So yeah, we're happy with how we're doing. Obviously, there's some areas of our game that we need to continue to work on, but yeah, we're getting some of our players back and

Hey, Seams, we were watching the game yesterday afternoon in here and that try right on half-time to Ethan Bullimore where Turbo sort of spun back around, came back through the middle of the ruck. One, it looked to us like it really hurt the Canberra Raiders, but then off the back of that, out of half-time, Cherry Evans was able to go over early and really break their hearts.

Yeah, I mean, that probably was, I guess, to run a play. It was probably more of a 12-12 game at halftime. And one of the things we spoke to the guys about was just our accuracy. I was really happy with our attitude and our application, but we were really scratchy with our discipline. I think we gave away five or six penalties in the first half, which enabled the Raiders to get down our end of the field. And we made some errors in Yardies, which gave a field position. So we weren't happy with that, but we were really happy with our application and

So we just tidied things up a little bit, changed one or two things at halftime. And yeah, you're right. So Chez's try after halftime probably broke up that scoreline a little bit. Anthony, it's Neil Breen. Look, I've got to stay on Turbo. I'm just obsessed with Turbo. Like there was that missed tackle on him. And then out of absolutely nowhere, he's just straight back through the middle and sets up that try for Ethan Bullimore.

He's just so important to you. Like, I suppose I'm stating the obvious. You know, he has those injuries. He is that important to you, isn't he? Yeah, Breeney. You know, that was good coaching, wasn't it, on Turbo? Unbelievable. Well, to bring him back in the centres and then move him to fullback. You might get a gig on this show if you wrap yourself anymore. No, look, he does things that, like, you know...

You don't coach that sort of stuff, right? Some of the stuff he does, out the back of shape or individual efforts like that. Yeah, look, I admire him probably as much as the supporters do. I'm just thinking he's just a fabulous player. I'm really blessed to be able to coach him and work with him. Yeah, he's really important for us. I think his best position has always been full-back,

but, you know, we've tried to look after him there with putting him at centre for a week, but I think his last month of footy has sort of shown that, you know, he's our best fullback and he's really important to us, not just with the attack, but, you know, we look at the defensive stuff that he does. He saved two tries yesterday and, you know, his line organisation was really strong. Mate, I think you need a wrap too for the fact that you got Luke Brooks this year. Now, Luke Brooks

was probably always going to leave the Tigers, but we didn't know where he was going to go. But you blokes went pretty heavily for him. And look, 5'8 is a tough spot to play. We all know that, but he's done a great job. He's played 20 games for you. He's been one of your best players nearly every game. And you've sort of, well, reignited his career, basically. It's a great signing.

Well, first and foremost, Big Man, he's like a really good guy. Like, I met him socially with the Tigers assistant coach. We had dinner one night in Noosa probably during the COVID period, and I was actually working with England Rugby. And I met him then. I just thought, geez, he's a really good young bloke. You know, I met his partner, who's now his wife. But he just seemed like a really good guy. And then when he came on the market, I just thought that he could help us and we potentially could help him, you know, by...

Putting Turbo and Chez around him, if we win or when we lose, it's not Brooksy under the gun, is it? They're looking at the coach or they're looking at Turbo or they're looking at Chez. So we just want him to come here and enjoy his footy, play a really important role for us with Chez and Turbo in particular. And I feel like he's done that really well this year.

One last one, Anthony. It's about the club itself. Every time we come over to Four Pines Park, the place is absolutely pumping. Capacity crowds every time you play a home game. The club's being well run at the moment, headed up, of course, by Tony Mestroff. And it's just the little things like...

We lost a dear friend of ours and a colleague of ours, David Morrow, a few weeks ago. And Wayne Cousins, your media manager, put a can of beer up on the window and closed off our commentary box for the day. So, mate, there must be a real buzz on the peninsula about the Manly Seagulls because you're winning football games, you're positioning yourself for a crack at the finals, and the fans are turning out in big numbers to support you guys.

Yeah, first and foremost, just paying my respects to David Morrow. I know you guys work very closely with him. I've listened to him over a number of years commentating. So obviously one of the really great commentators of our game has now gone. I remember that vision and the commentary when I think it was Sticky made the line break over in the Kangaroos Tour. I think it was 1990 from memory, but Sticky,

But, yeah, more to your point around the community, the Northern Beaches, yeah, they've really got behind us. I think there's been six or seven sellouts out of our eight or nine games that we've had here. I think it's eight games now we've had here. So, yeah, the community's really got behind us. You look, you know, around the streets, there's people wearing manly gear, which is really

But, yeah, look, we're really wrapped with how the community's got behind us. We feel like we're playing some decent footy, you know, for them to sort of get behind. Mezzy's running the club really well. I really enjoy the club myself. I've lived in the area for quite a long time, but actually working for the club in the area, it's been really good reinvigorating for myself as a coach and as a person. So, yeah, there's lots of luck around our club at the moment. Well, you talk about reinvigorating yourself as a person. I think most people in rugby league would be familiar with

some of the dark places you went to following on from your time up there in Brisbane, mate. You should be enormously proud of yourself. Second year as coach of the Manly Seagulls. The club's flying. You're flying. And you should keep your chin up and look forward to some finals footy in 2024. You're doing a great job, Anthony. We'll catch up soon. Yep. Thank you, guys. Have a good afternoon. Good on you, mate. There he is, the Manly coach. He's an impressive bloke.