Paul Green, Wally Lewis lead the figures we’d love to see coach the Wynnum Manly Seagulls
Immortals, NRL premiership coaches and fan favourites – see our list of candidate suggestions to take over as head coach of one of Queensland Rugby League’s biggest clubs. WHO MADE THE CUT
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One of the best jobs in Queensland Rugby League is up for grabs but who will be the next in line to take the historic club that is the Wynnum Manly Seagulls into the next era?
The Seagulls announced last week coach Adam Brideson will step down from the role after six seasons with the club due to family and work commitments.
Brideson, who still hopes to end his tenure with a Hostplus Cup (Queensland Cup) premiership at the end of the season has overseen a rebuild at Wynnm Manly and led them to two grand final appearances.
Former NRL player, Michael Dobson, who coached the club’s colts side, on top of being an assistant to Brideson, could have been next in line but will also move on at season’s end to take an opportunity in he NRL.
While the Seagulls put out an official call for head coach applications last week, here we name the top 10 candidates we would like to see put their hand up.
Some of them may not be realistic but here they are.
THE TOP 10 FIGURES WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE COACH THE SEAGULLS
PAUL GREEN
Could the bayside legend return?
Green is the only coach in Seagulls history to win back-to-back premierships after the 2011 and 2012 titles, which propelled him onto the big stage of the NRL.
The former NRL and Queensland Maroons playmaker then went on to continue his winning ways at the top level, claiming a premiership as an assistant with the Sydney Roosters in 2013 before leading the North Queensland Cowboys to their first ever title in 2015 in a memorable victory over Wayne Bennett’s Brisbane Broncos.
After a one-year stint as the Maroons State of Origin coach, Green has been tossed up for several jobs around the NRL but could he return to Kougari Oval, where he is beloved by Seagulls fans to lead Wynnum Manly to another title?
It’s extremely unlikely but it’s a situation we would love to see!
WALLY LEWIS
Do we need to say anything for this candidate?
Now there’s no indication ‘The King’ wants to coach or that he would ever be a possibility but what a fairytale it would be.
One of the greatest players in rugby league history coming back to the club as coach after donning the green, red and white during arguably the Seagulls’ most successful era ever.
Lewis won two BRL premierships with Wynnum Manly in 1984 and 1986 with the second coming as player/coach after he replaced Des Morris.
The man, who was the sixth immortal of the game, would probably never consider the position but if there was a fanbase who deserved something like this, it’s the Seagulls faithful.
LUKE DALZIEL-DON
A fan favourite still to this day and the most successful skipper in the history of the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, moving into the head coach role would be a smooth transition for Luke Dalziel-Don.
Although comfortable in his work in the finance industry, the man known as ‘Razzle’, has spent time as a coach at the club as an assistant but has a long history as a leader of a footy club.
The no-nonsense forward was the Seagulls captain during their back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012 and was a natural leader on the field.
Despite being seen more with a gold one in the Chook Pen in recent times, Dalziel-Don could be a coach waiting in the wings.
SHANE YEO
The self-proclaimed “most winningest team manager” in rugby league history, could Wynnum Manly Seagulls club legend Shane Yeo make the switch to coaching?
A key figure behind the scenes of the Seagulls success, Yeo is one of the most loved members of the Seagulls and we’re sure has learned a lot from being around the likes of Paul Green and Adam Brideson.
Yeo taking over is a cool idea but Wally Lewis could be more of a reality than this one.
MARK GLIDDON
The first of our candidates we believe could be a realistic option is bayside resident Mark Gliddon.
Gliddon has a mountain of experience in the game and in the competition, having previously led the Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup for five seasons before stepping down in 2017.
Since then, Gliddon has had success in other roles in rugby league, such as his football role with the Wynnum Manly Juniors where he helped build the club’s base to unprecedented levels.
He is currently the colts coach for local rivals, the Brisbane Tigers, but Gliddon lives in Wynnum and could be a real possibility to move back into a coaching role on the bayside.
SCOTT SIPPLE
Another realistic applicant could be former Easts Tigers (now Brisbane Tigers) player and coach Scott Sipple.
Making more than 200 appearances for the Tigers during his playing career, including the 1997 and 2004 grand finals, Sipple retired in 2008 before coaching junior grades at Easts and then winning three straight premierships as the clubs A Grade side from 2012-14.
The current Burleigh Bears assistant coach then took over from Craig Ingebrigtsen as the head coach of the Tigers from 2016-19, leading the club to several finals appearances.
Still a young coach, who is plying his trade with the powerful Bears program, Bulimba resident Sipple could look to make a switch back to Brisbane to lead the Seagulls.
SAM SCARLETT
The current leader of the Seagulls on the field, could Sam Scarlett replicate the feat of Wally Lewis in 1986 and be the club’s player/coach?
Scarlett has become a fan favourite since moving to the Seagulls from the Norths Devils, helping lead Wynnum Manly to the 2019 and 2021 grand finals and like a leader before him in Luke Dalziel-Don, is a natural leader.
The playmaker may not want to do it but we would love to see him try.
DAVID SEAGE
Continuing the list of fan favourites on our candidates list, David Seage could be the most likely to take over from Adam Brideson.
The former NRL player with the Newcastle Knights and Wynnum Manly’s all-time leading try scorer is currently an assistant for Brideson and has been for several seasons,
Seage has served his apprenticeship and if the Seagulls hierarchy are looking to promote from within, the former fullback and winger could be a good option.
RON TROUTMAN
Another in-house option for the Seagulls is current senior women’s coach, Ron Troutman.
Winning premierships are the usual for Troutman, who led the club’s BRL side to back-to-back premierships in 2018 and 2019, winning titles in two of his four years in the positions.
Troutman also coach the Wynnum Manly under-19s women in 2021 before leading the Seagulls’ inaugural senior women’s side this year, taking them to the semi-finals in their first season.
DES MORRIS
One of the godfathers of rugby league in Queensland, what a way to finish his involvement in the game this would be.
The 74-year-old’s resume is incredible, Morris had a long playing career with Booval and Easts and also represented Queensland before retiring and moving into coaching.
As a coach, Morris led the Seagulls to the 1982 and 1984 premierships as well as the 1985 grand final, which Wynnum Manly lost to Souths.
During that time, he also coached Queensland in the 1985 State of Origin series.
After his time as coach, Morris was also a selector for the Maroons, overseeing the state’s historic eight-year run from 2006-2013 and also served as CEO for the Easts Tigers.
Morris is happily enjoying his time away from the game but it’s another fairytale we’d love to see.
*These picks were made by NewsCorp journalist Brayden Heslehurst who has covered the Wynnum Manly Seagulls since 2011*
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