Chaos at Brookvale: Sea Eagles Soar, Crash, and Rebuild Amid Turmoil..
In a season riddled with flashes of brilliance and gut-wrenching exits, the Manly Sea Eagles are a club teetering on the edge of reinvention. Finishing 9th in 2025, just one win shy of finals footy, Manly’s campaign was defined by inconsistency — and heartbreak.
At the heart of the storm was Tolu Koula, who blazed through defenders to notch 17 tries — fifth best in the league — before a devastating MCL rupture shattered his season, just weeks before international selection.
But the true earthquake came off the field.
Daly Cherry-Evans, the club’s iron-willed captain, confirmed what fans had feared: **2025 was his swan song**. After 15 seasons in maroon and white, his departure leaves a leadership chasm no one’s yet ready to fill. “It’s time,” he said simply, eyes clouded with emotion.
Meanwhile, rumours swirl around a $300k fallout with superstar **Tom Trbojevic**, who’s reportedly being lured overseas. Jazz Tevaga and Toa Sipley have already jumped ship to the UK.
Coach Anthony Seibold insists there’s “no panic.” But with a crumbling core and an uncertain future, Brookvale Oval feels less like fortress and more like fault line.
The Eagles aren’t just rebuilding. They’re reinventing — or collapsing.
