Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles’ Shocking Six-Word Message to Parramatta Eels Stuns NRL Fans
In a moment that has sent shockwaves through the NRL community, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles have delivered a bold and unexpected message to archrivals, the Parramatta Eels — and it was only six words long.
We ended your finals hopes, again.”
The brutal message, displayed across the Sea Eagles’ official social media accounts following their emphatic 30-12 victory over the Eels last night at Brookvale Oval, quickly went viral. Fans of both clubs — as well as neutrals — erupted across online platforms in reaction to the succinct yet savage taunt.
The win not only cemented Manly’s spot in the top eight heading into the finals series, but officially eliminated the Eels from finals contention for the second consecutive season. It was a bitter blow for Parramatta, who had started the year as one of the premiership favourites but collapsed during the latter half of the season.
A Statement Victory — and a Statement Message
The Sea Eagles were clinical from the outset. Led by skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and rising star Tolutau Koula, Manly dominated the middle of the park, exploited the Eels’ defensive lapses, and scored five tries to Parramatta’s two.
But it wasn’t just the performance on the field that had people talking.
Shortly after full-time, Manly’s official X (formerly Twitter) account posted a simple graphic. It featured the scoreline, a photo of jubilant Sea Eagles players celebrating, and the now-infamous six words in bold:
We ended your finals hopes, again.”
The post received over 500,000 views within an hour, drawing praise from Manly fans and fury from Eels supporters.
Heated Rivalry Rekindled
The rivalry between Manly and Parramatta is one of the most storied in rugby league history, dating back to the 1970s when the two clubs clashed in multiple brutal finals series. The 2020s have seen a resurgence in that rivalry, fuelled by close matches, controversial refereeing calls, and passionate fanbases.
This latest jab from the Sea Eagles has reignited tensions.
Eels coach Brad Arthur refused to comment directly on the post during his post-match press conference but didn’t hide his frustration.
> “We’ve got to focus on what went wrong tonight, not what’s being said online,” Arthur said. “But obviously, emotions are high. We’re hurting.”
Meanwhile, Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold was more candid, albeit with a smirk.
> “It’s a rivalry — that’s what makes the game great. We played hard, we earned the win, and the social team had a bit of fun with it. That’s footy.”
Fans Divided
While Manly supporters reveled in the moment, praising the club’s boldness and competitive spirit, Eels fans took to social media to slam the post as “classless,” “immature,” and “unprofessional.”
Others pointed out that Parramatta had themselves poked fun at Manly in the past. One notable example came in 2023, when the Eels posted a meme mocking Manly’s late-season collapse.
“This is just karma,” wrote one user. “What goes around comes around.”
### Looking Ahead
For Manly, the focus now shifts to the finals, where they are set to face the Cronulla Sharks in the first elimination round. Confidence is high within the Sea Eagles camp, with several players noting that the win over Parramatta has injected new belief into the squad.
As for the Eels, it’s back to the drawing board. With internal reviews looming and pressure mounting on senior players and coaching staff, the offseason promises to be anything but quiet.
But one thing is certain — the six words delivered by the Sea Eagles will linger long after the final siren.
“We ended your finals hopes, again.”
Short. Sharp. Brutal. And unforgettable.