Three stats to fix: Sea Eagles

With a new coach and a reconditioned Turbo, the Sea Eagles are in good shape for 2023, but there's some key areas they'll need to tidy up if they are to return to finals footy.

NRL.com looks at three areas the Sea Eagles must improve if they're to turn around a disappointing end to last season.

Post-contact metres

The Sea Eagles had just one player in the top 50 when it came to post-contact metres in 2022... and that was a winger. Reuben Garrick averaged 55m per game post-contact and not one of Manly's forwards could make the list. 

Raider Joseph Tapine topped the list with a tick under 70m per game, followed by Eel Reagan Campbell-Gillard, Cowboy Jason Taumalolo and another Parra powerhouse in Isaiah Papali'i.

The message is clear: Manly's forwards need to get motoring and lay a platform for their playmakers to work from if they are to return to the finals in 2023.

The Sea Eagles' average of 506 post-contact metres per game ranked them 15th overall, ahead of only the Warriors. At the top end of the scale, the Panthers and Eels averaged 597m and faced off in a grand final.

Set restarts conceded

Manly gave up more set restarts (76) than any other team in 2022 and that's something new coach Anthony Seibold will be keen to address.

Since the six-again rule was introduced in 2020, momentum in matches has swung heavily on the back of a teams conceding a fresh set of six when already on the back foot and under fatigue.

Once opposition sides got on a roll against the Sea Eagles, the men from Brookvale had few answers, often forced to defend multiple sets of tackles and eventually cracking.

During their seven-game losing streak at the back end of the year they gave up 32 points per match on the back of missed tackles, repeat sets and fatigue.

They also head the least amount of kick pressures applied to opponents with a competition low 194 during the regular season. The Cowboys (385) and Panthers (370) were the top two, showing the need for improvement here. 

Protect the ball

Beware Cameron Munster, Josh Hodgson and anyone else looking to embarrass you by stripping the ball away.

The Sea Eagles had the most one-on-one steals recorded against them in 2022 with 11 so Seibold can add 'ball security' to his list of areas to work on.

Eleven may not seem like a huge number across a 24-game season but with more players mastering the art of the steal it will become even more of a tactic in 2023 and ball runners need to be on high alert.