The Manly Sea Eagles have promoted veteran coach Wayne Lambkin to the NRL coaching staff ahead of the 2024 season.
Brought in from the Wests Tigers, Lambkin was originally meant to coach the club's Jersey Flegg team but has now been promoted following the departure of Blacktown Sea Eagles Workers coach Brock Sheppard to Canberra.
Lambkin is remembered on the Northern Beaches for helping guide the Manly Sea Eagles to the U20s title in 2017, in which they defeated the Parramatta Eels in the Grand Final.
Manly enforcer Haumole Olakau'atu was one of the 17 Sea Eagles players featured in the game.
One of the most experienced coaches in rugby league, Lambkin's last job saw him join the Wests Tigers in 2019, taking over as the club's Jersey Flegg coach. He would then be promoted as the head coach of the Tigers' NSW Cup side, the Western Suburbs Magpies, in 2022.
His arrival to the Tigers came after he carved a successful coaching path at Westfield Sports High School for two decades. The school is continually recognised as one of the best sporting schools in New South Wales and has produced multiple talents over the years.
The list of talents includes former and current NRL players Pat Richards, Israel Folau, Bryce Gibbs, Dene Halatau, Stefano Utoikamanu, Tommy Talau and David Klemmer, to name a few.
His coaching career also includes being the head coach of the North Sydney Bears NSW Cup team from 2006 to 2015.
“We made the tough decision to let Brock go to the Canberra Raiders,'' Anthony Seibold said.
“There was an opportunity for us to improve our full-time coaching staff, so we promoted Wayne Lambkin.
“Wayne knows what the Manly mentality is all about. He is a very trustworthy guy and you want good trustworthy people on staff.
“He comes with really good teaching experience and coaching experience.
"Wayne is a very well-connected coach, having spent plenty of time at Westfields Sports High School.
“There have been a number of NRL players who have come out of that school over a long period of time that ‘Chops' was associated with."
Lambkin's promotion means Scott Kenna has been appointed as the club's new Jersey Flegg coach. Kenna, the nephew of former player Charlie Haggett, has previously worked under Lambkin.
"Scott is another guy who has the Manly DNA running through his veins,'' Seibold said.
“He is the nephew of former Manly first grade player Charlie Haggett and was assistant coach to Wayne Lambkin in 2017."
Other members of the Manly Sea Eagles Jersey Flegg coaching staff include Adam Schofield (trainer), Harrison Nicholson (physio), Scott Moran (strength and conditioning coach) and Jason Williams (trainer).