NRL coaches under pressure to keep their jobs as rumours fly

Several NRL coaches are under pressure to keep their jobs with the rumour mill going into overdrive after a string of tough losses.

Pressure is mounting on a handful of NRL coaches, with disappointing defeats in round 13 leaving their finals hopes, and their jobs, hanging in the balance.

The make-up of the NRL’s top eight is still anyone’s guess but the finals race is beginning to take shape following a topsy-turvy start to the NRL season.

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The Dragons, Knights, Sea Eagles and Cowboys all suffered tough losses this weekend, leaving them on the outside of the top eight midway through the State of Origin period.

Cronulla defeated St George Illawarra 30-18 on Thursday, with the loss increasing pressure on coach Shane Flanagan to demote his son, halfback Kyle Flanagan.

Broncos legend Gorden Tallis told Triple M on Sunday: “What’s going to happen is it’s going to be his job or Kyle’s. You can keep giving him a go and it can be your job in the end.

“Unless you’re coaching Nathan Cleary, it’d be really tough coaching your sons.

“I’ve watched it with Brad Arthur. His son getting booed and he had to go. Like, it’d be really difficult at this level, sitting there coaching your son and he’s not getting the job done.”

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan (right) might have to drop his son Kyle. Photos: Getty.

James Graham said on Triple M after the Dragons’ loss: “They would know at the Dragons whether someone is banging down the door to take that halfback role.

“They have Lachie Ilias - he would be the obvious choice. But I guess the elephant in the room is that it’s the coach’s son.”

Shane Flanagan is in the second season of his three-year deal as he looks to improve results and roster at St George Illawarra, which saw Valentine Holmes, Damien Cook and Clint Gutherson join in the off-season.

Coaches on the hot seat

Newcastle let a first half lead slip against the Roosters on Saturday night, with a late try to Siu Wong enough to get the Tricolours the victory.

It was the ninth loss of the season for Newcastle as pressure on coach Adam O’Brien builds with each defeat.

O’Brien is contracted until the end of 2027 and would receive a massive payout of around $2 million if he is sacked by the Knights.

Elsewhere, Manly coach Anthony Seibold has escaped the scrutiny for much of his tenure but his position will come under question following the dire 28-8 loss to the Gold Coast Titans on Friday night.

The Sea Eagles looked hapless against the Titans as Des Hasler claimed a much-needed win against his former side.

The horror loss was compounded when Haumole Olakau’atu suffered a dislocated shoulder — the star forward is facing an extended stint on the sidelines.

Daly Cherry-Evans was well below his best in attack but according to Code Sports, of greater concern is Manly’s “attitude problem” in defence, with 34 tackles missed against the Titans.

Manly have a bye before a stretch of games against teams including the Rabbitohs, Storm Bulldogs and Raiders — meaning Seibold is staring down the barrel of missing finals twice in his three seasons in charge.

Greg Alexander said on Fox League post-game: “Manly have got some work to do now, they really do.”

Manly coach Anthony Seibold is on the hot seat. Photo: Jonathan Ng

Seibold is contracted until the end of 2027, but veteran NRL reporter Phil Rothfield believes rugby league’s coaching merry-go-round could be about to go into full swing.

Rothfield reported there is a rumour Sea Eagles assistant Michael Ennis “is being groomed to eventually take over from Seibold”, adding: “Seibold is no certainty to see out his deal unless he can quickly turn Manly’s form around.”

Manly will lose Cherry-Evans next season and there are calls for Seibold to move Tom Trbojevic into the centres and pick Lehi Hopoate to fullback when he returns from concussion.

Waiting in the wings for an NRL head coaching job is Maroons and Cronulla assistant Josh Hannay, while ex-Broncos boss Kevin Walters is keen on a return to the coaching caper.

Gold Coast’s win over Manly released the pressure valve on Des Hasler, 64, who is fighting to keep his job and fulfil a clause on his contract that states the Titans must play finals footy this season.

Anthony Seibold, Adam O’Brien, Todd Payten and Shane Flanagan are all under the pump.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten is also under the pump after a 58-4 loss to the Dolphins on Saturday, albeit without Jason Taumalolo and Origin players Tom Dearden, Reuben Cotter and Jeremiah Nanai.

Interestingly, all four of Flanagan, O’Brien, Seibold and Payten are managed by well-known rugby league agent Isaac Moses.

After North Queensland’s loss to the Dolphins: Cooper Cronk said on Fox League: “The thing about the Cowboys is their ‘good’ is great, but their ‘bad’ is really bad. They’ve been inconsistent since that good year in 2023.

“They’ve shown signs of ‘You’ve got to respect this team they can do something’, but other times they’re paper thing defensively and don’t get the job done consistently enough.

Cowboys coach Todd Payten wouldn’t have been happy with the loss to the Dolphins. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

“Todd Payten would be getting frustrated and the supporters would be too, because they’re a better team than what they’re showing.”

James Hooper added: “The type of coach Todd Payten looks like from an outside point of view, I think the Cowboys will feel the blowtorch this week given the magnitude of the loss.”

The Cowboys have a -106 points difference, which could prove pivotal in the race for finals.

Mal Meninga said: “Their season is on the line now. The way they lost puts them under enormous pressure. For and against is going to be crucial the way the competition is going.”

Originally published as NRL coaches under pressure to keep their jobs as rumours fly