Michael Ennis to join Manly coaching ranks

Former Premiership player Michael Ennis is set to join the Manly Sea Eagles coaching staff for the 2024 NRL season.

Following the news that assistant Shane Flanagan had agreed to become St George Illawarra’s new head coach, Manly were on the hunt for a replacement. Ennis has previously worked as a coach in some capacity with the Parramatta Eels, the Canberra Raiders and the Cronulla Sharks

The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio informed SEN 1170 that Ennis will have a specific role when he joins the team.

“There’s no doubt that he’s doing an apprenticeship to become a head coach,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.

“It’s not an official assistant coaching role. It’s a specialist spine coaching role.

“Ultimately, it will be Ennis’ job to work with the incoming Luke Brooks, Daly Cherry-Evans, Tom Trbojevic, Lachlan Croker and throw in Jake Arthur in that Manly spine as well.

“It’s a role that he is extremely passionate about and it will be a two-day per week job.

“This is certainly an uplifting development as far as coaching is concerned for Michael Ennis.

“He was the head of pathways at the Cronulla Sharks and ultimately really wants to get into that coaching capacity.

“I think it’s a good move from Anthony Seibold’s point of view as well as Michael Ennis'.”

Manly finished 12th in 2023 and have missed finals for the second season in a row.