NRL star backs Leeds Rhinos’ Brad Arthur for vacant coaching role

One of the top playmakers in the NRL has backed Leeds Rhinos boss Brad Arthur to take on the vacant role at Manly Sea Eagles.

Manly have appointed the recently retired Kieran Foran as an interim coach and his time in charge got off to the best possible start with the previously winless Sea Eagles hammering the Dolphins 52-18 last Thursday.

Whilst Foran’s first foray into coaching went very well, it’s thought that the club will look for a more senior permanent appointment to replace the axed Anthony Seibold.

Brad Arthur has been linked but the Leeds Rhinos boss has made it clear that his current focus remains at Headingley, however, that’s not stopped a former player of Arthur’s going out to beat for the 51-year-old.

Parramatta Eels’ captain Mitchell Moses has played plenty under Arthur with the pair working together for over seven seasons before Arthur’s mid-season axing in 2024, after which he joined Leeds Rhinos.

“He’d be unreal,” Moses said on the prospect of Arthur taking charge of Manly, when speaking to the Sydney Morning Herald.

Leeds Rhinos boss backed as the man to turn Manly around

Under Arthur, Moses transformed from a good half to one who earned New South Wales call-ups with the 31-year-old being named Dally M half-back of the year in 2019 whilst playing under Arthur.

Super League saw similar leaps and bounds made by Jake Connor under Arthur’s tutelage and Moses spoke to what exactly makes the Australian coach so good.

He said: “I’ve had him first-hand here and seeing what he can do for a team, and especially a team not going so well.

“The brand of footy that he tries to play and implement and training wise, everything like that, he’d be perfect for them. He’d be able to get the best out of everyone in all the little aspects of the footy.”

As for what he can do for a half-back, Moses said: “He helped my game out massively. I feel like I was a kid coming here and I’d just do whatever, not worry about the consequences and things like that.

“He taught me how to really control myself in certain situations, game wise, things like that. Just being under him for so long, our relationship grew to be very good. He’s really good around the team and he’s a bit more than a coach. He’s really good.”

Arthur is contracted until the end of the season and has previously set the date of June 30th as when he will make a decision on his future.