Sport Confidential: Twist in Anthony Seibold’s Manly crisis meetings, Liam Martin reveals shocking social media abuse
Manly’s season has been on tilt amid reports of crisis meetings between Anthony Seibold and his players. However, it has been revealed that these talks were planned well before the club’s current form slump. SPORT CONFIDENTIAL.
Manly’s season has been on tilt in recent days amid talk of crisis meetings between coach Anthony Seibold and a number of his players.
Sport Confidential can reveal the talks were in fact scheduled before the season began as part of the regular mid-season reviews that Seibold has traditionally held with his players, providing them with feedback on their performances through the opening half of the season.
The meetings are scheduled in seven-minute blocks with some interviews lasting longer and others taking less time. Rather than being a reaction to the team’s recent performance, they were already locked in.
The timing was, however, fortuitous given the Sea Eagles had some issues to address after a second successive defeat left them out of the top eight.
Sport Confidential understands that Seibold was forthright in the meetings with his players. Lachlan Croker and Jason Saab have been sent back to NSW Cup and there is no question a number of other players are on their last warning.
The Sea Eagles have been in the crosshairs after a couple of dismal performances, the latest a poor outing against an undermanned Gold Coast last weekend.
With Manly having the bye this week, the players conducted their interviews with the coach and were then given a mandated four days off, as is required under the agreement with the players union.
They face crucial home games against the Wests Tigers and South Sydney when they return from the bye.
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Penrith may be on the verge of losing another grand final hero.
Sport Confidential understands that the management of Luke Garner – who has another year remaining on his deal with the Panthers – were given permission to have a quiet look around in recent weeks.
It is understood Parramatta were among the clubs interested in the versatile backrower but Garner looks set to move to a rival after they tabled a three-year deal for his services.
Garner has played 39 games for the Panthers over the past three seasons and was a member of the sides that won 2023 and 2024 premierships.
The 29-year-old shapes as a handy pick-up for another NRL club given his versatility – he has played second row, lock and centre in his NRL career.
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NSW forward Liam Martin has become the latest NRL star to call out online abuse in an ugly aftermath to the Blues’ loss in the second game of the State of Origin series.
Martin, part of the NSW side that was beaten by Queensland in a cliffhanger at Optus Stadium, used his social media to post a private message he received immediately after the Blues’ 26-24 loss to the Maroons.
In the message, posted by someone name Beau, Martin is accused of being “the biggest grub to ever hit New South Wales”.
The person adds: “You look like you don’t wash your hair. You you [sic] are disgrace to rugby league And should never ever touch the football again.”
The post continues with comments that are so vile that CODE Sports have chosen not to publish them.
Martin posted in response: “Don’t be like Beau.”
The abuse comes less than a week after a man was charged by NSW Police over abusive messages and death threats aimed at Newcastle winger James Schiller.
A 20-year-old was charged with use carriage service to menace/harass/offend and granted conditional bail to appear at the Belmont Local Court on July 30.
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Queensland’s series-saving victory over NSW was a blow for the Blues but a big win for the NRL and the Nine Network after the blockbuster clash attracted the biggest audience for game two of the State of Origin series in a decade.
Hot on the heels of a rating bonanza for the series opener, the average audience for Origin II was 3.75 million viewers, up 17 per cent on the corresponding match last year.
It was the highest rating game two since 2015.
Streaming numbers were also through the roof, up 28 per cent year on year.
The game, which was played at Optus Stadium in Perth, was also a hit with local viewers as the NRL prepares to expand west with the introduction of the Bears in 2027.
The game attracted record viewership in Perth of 190,000. All told, game two of the series reached more than 5.47 million Australians, up six per cent year on year.
It continued the barnstorming ratings for Origin this year – average audience is 14 per cent higher than 2024 and shapes as the best performing series through two games since 2016.
State of Origin occupies the top two rounds when it comes to the most-watched shows on free-to-air television in 2025. Queensland’s win in Origin II has set the scene for a cracking decider at Accor Stadium in three weeks.
The soaring ratings in Perth come despite a campaign in the local media to seemingly ignore Origin and the imminent arrival of the Bears.
The West Australian newspaper, which is owned by Kerry Stokes’ Seven West Media, buried coverage of Origin in the lead-up to the game.
Rather than turn West Australians off the game, the broadcast ratings would appear to suggest the Seven West boycott has had the opposite effect and increased the profile of rugby league and the Bears in town.
“State of Origin is a massive international sporting event and the audience growth across different markets continues rugby league’s momentum as the number one sport in Australia and the Pacific,” said NRL chief executive Andrew Abdo.
“Whether it’s State of Origin or the premiership, the players continue to perform brilliantly and rugby league is winning new fans as a result.”
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Wests Tigers supporters may think they are seeing double next season as the club weighs up a move for one of the hottest properties in Papua New Guinea rugby league – a 23-year-old who has been described as a Jarome Luai lookalike.
Gairo Voro has been on the radar of NRL clubs in recent seasons, but it is understood that Tigers recruitment boss Shannon Gallant went on a recent trip to PNG where he cast his eye over Voro.
Voro has been singled out by Hunters coach Paul Aiton as a rising star for PNG. He is likely to be one of the players that PNG build their club around when they join the NRL in 2028.
He may get the chance to taste some premiership action before then as the Tigers join the queue of clubs keeping an eye on his progress in the Queensland Cup.
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Fresh from interviewing candidates to be the inaugural chair of the Perth Bears, ARL Commission chair Peter V’landys is expected to head to Papua New Guinea next week to cast his eye over potential destinations for the NRL village.
V’landys, who was in Perth to attend the second game of the State of Origin series, it expected to also speak to PNG Prime Minister James Marape while he is in the country as the countdown begins in earnest to the nation’s NRL arrival.
The NRL and the PNG government have agreed to build a state-of-the-art $150 million village in Port Moresby to provide secure living and training headquarters for players, family and staff of the new side.
The proposed village will house about 200 people with a cutting-edge Centre of Excellence to be built alongside the living quarters.
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FLASHBACK
There were signings aplenty on this day 10 years ago. James Maloney knocked back a rich offer from the Titans with the Sydney Roosters five-eighth joining Cronulla. Trent Barrett was facing the sack as Penrith assistant coach after he enticed forward Lewis Brown to join him at Manly the following season.
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Penrith assistant Ben Gardiner has become the firm favourite to eventually succeed Mal Meninga at the Perth Bears after the NRL confirmed he would join the club in their inaugural season.
Gardiner, an assistant to Ivan Cleary in the Panthers 2023 and 2024 premierships, has signed a five-year deal with the Bears.
Welcome back Ben Gardiner!
— North Sydney Bears (@NthSydneyBears) June 19, 2025
Gardiner has signed on as the Assistant Coach for the Perth Bears. He was most recently the assistant coach at the Penrith Panthers where he was part of the team that won the 2023 and 2024 premierships.
Read more: https://t.co/WvhMfnw3xlpic.twitter.com/aMytoSCzRI
It reignites a longstanding relationship between Gardiner and the Bears – he previously head coached North Sydney in the NSW Cup.
His extensive coaching experience also included stints with the Sydney Roosters, Cronulla, South Sydney and the Wests Tigers, as well as the Samoan national side.
“I can’t wait to work closely with new people in Western Australia and build a hugely successful team over the next five years as we promote rugby league and grow the game,” he said.
“I have had a close relationship with the North Sydney Bears for a number of years where I was able to coach the NSW Cup team and work in coaching and recruitment, as well as with the women’s team.
“These experiences allowed me to understand what makes that great club tick. These foundations need to be synergised into the Perth Bears to grow a collaboration of new and old.”
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South Sydney Juniors have taken the extraordinary step of writing to all parents following an incident in an under-10 game at Heffron Park last Sunday. The email also reminds parents that matches in the under-5 to under-11 age groups are non-competitive.
It comes after a game between South Eastern Seagulls and Redfern All Blacks was marred by a fight which left a parent knocked to the grass.
The South Sydney Junior email obtained by this masthead confirmed the matter was “currently with our conduct panel for determination”.
“Please advise all of your team officials and parents that any breaches of the code of conduct will be dealt with harshly, including long suspensions, club fines, teams being stood down, players being deregistered due to the behaviour of their parents/family/team officials when attending matches run by the league.
“The ramifications of incidents like the one from Sunday where a minority of people ruin the experience for the vast majority, result in players and volunteers questioning whether they want to remain in the game of rugby league are widespread and affect the participation of junior rugby league matches across the board.
“We will not stand for it ….Remember under-5-11s is non-competitive. No scores. No winners. No ladder ….if you can’t comply with the rules and enjoy a day at the footy, do not come.”
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The Bulldogs’ premiership tilt could be further boosted with young star Finau Latu set to join the club before June 30.
Latu already decided to sign a three-year contract from St George Illawarra to join Canterbury from next season. However, the talented forward is now expected to be on the move before the mid-year transfer ends as the Dragons look to clear cap space.
Latu knocked back an approach from the Knights and rejected St George Illawarra’s offer to join Canterbury which left Dragons officials fuming.
The high flying Bulldogs have already landed ex-Tiger Lachie Galvin as they march towards a likely top four regular season finish.
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The NRL are planning to tap into the US armed forces to help with its push to infiltrate the American market ahead of another Las Vegas match next year.
The Bulldogs in conjunction with the NRL hosted about 40 US navy sailors and marines at Belmore Oval on Monday.
US Charge d’Affaires Erika Olson also attended the clinic where the navy men and women took part in a range of skill sessions.
Following the clinic, the group walked the streets of Belmore to the Bulldog shop where they lined up to purchase thousands of dollars’ worth of merchandise.
In return, the US Consulate invited Bulldogs head coach Cameron Ciraldo and key players Viliame Kikau and Jacob Kiraz aboard the USS America for an exclusive tour.
The USS America, USS San Diego, and USS Rushmore are in Sydney together for the first time as part of the America Amphibious Ready Group.
Ticket sales remain strong as the Bulldogs take to Las Vegas for the first time alongside St George Illawarra, Newcastle and North Queensland.
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North Queensland and Super League club Hull KR are in talks to join forces in a historic partnership deal.
It would see the clubs share ideas, potential staffing and even look at roster movements.
The Cowboys aren’t alone. Other clubs are in the process of trying to formally align themselves with their Super League counterparts.
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Taylan May joins the Jungle on a train and trial deal âœï¸
— Wests Tigers (@WestsTigers) June 10, 2025
Read more 🔗 https://t.co/NXwIMlzCPl#OneJungle 🯠pic.twitter.com/4EOnJwXkU6
Wests Tigers co-captain Jarome Luai has backed his club’s controversial signing of Taylan May.
May has joined the Tigers on a trial deal for the rest of the season. Luai played alongside the outside back at Penrith and said he had an opportunity to turn his life around.
“I am stoked for Tiny,” Luai said of May. “I had a lot do with him coming through. Footy wise he is so talented.
“Everyone makes mistakes and everyone was big on criticising him. I don’t want mistakes to let it define him. I am in his corner. I am not too sure how far off he is. He will be ready.”
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