Anthony Seibold. Craig Bellamy prodigy, Queensland Assistant coach and eventual Dally M Coach of the Year all at the age of 44. His debut season at South Sydney in 2018 had fans of the game enthralled, taking a Rabbitohs side who had finished 12th in 2017 to the preliminary final where they were knocked out by the eventual champions.
It’s this “success” that has everyone on his back. Leading into the 2019 season, generally the Brisbane fans were much happier to lose head coach Wayne Bennett than Souths fans were to gain him. Brisbane fans looked to usher in a new age of free-flowing footie that’d take the club to their first premiership since 2006.
But perhaps the success of 2018 was somewhat misleading to the fans. After all, this was a Souths side with Greg Inglis, Adam Reynolds and the Burgess brothers. Would another lowly finish have been acceptable anyway?
Despite this, Souths only won two of their first five in 2018, leaving them in 10th position on the ladder...
Then they went and won 11 in 12, with their only loss falling 24-20 at Suncorp Stadium. They found themselves outright first by the end of this period.
Everyone was riding the Souths' wave. Damien Cook had shot from obscurity to stardom, as had Cody Walker. Young guns Campbell Graham and Cameron Murray were firing, and people were finally able to distinguish between George and Tom Burgess.
Then it all seemingly came crashing down. They won three of their last seven, and their only win in their finals series was a field-goal against the heavily unfavoured Dragons. They didn’t manage a try in the 12-4 loss against the Roosters, who had a halfback with one arm.
And yet, walking into the Broncos a few months later, Seibold was there purely to win a premiership. That was the expectation. Nothing less, the likes of which hadn’t been seen since Cooper Cronk’s arrival at the Roosters a year earlier.
Seibold inherited a side that on paper was firmly one of the best in the NRL. The forward pack containing the likes of Tevita Pangai Jr, David Fifita, Joe Ofahengaue and Payne Haas was earning the title of ‘the best young forward pack of all time’.
Their backs weren’t too bad either. Proven Maroons finisher Corey Oates and the electric Jamayne Isaako lined up on the wings, with NSW speedster Jimmy the Jet and premiership winner Jack Bird lining up inside them. They happened to have a handy fullback too, a Darius Boyd who was reportedly running faster than he ever had before.
And yet, Brisbane currently sits equal-last with two wins in eight games. This means of his last 18 competitive games, Seibold has only won six, despite the strong sides he’s had at his disposal.
Looking at it from that perspective, Seibold doesn’t have anything outside that run of good form over 12 games, which only makes up half a season. The game last Thursday saw his Broncos get put in their place by none other than the man who replaced him at Souths, Wayne Bennett.
Now it looks like Seibold is set to drop Isaako and Roberts to reserve grade leading up to their game against Manly. It’s worrying signs for Brisbane fans, who’ve been shown through Seibold's actions that their strongest 17 cannot play his style.
Like I said, he’s only 44 and into his second year, and I do fully believe he’s a victim of his own hype in the media. But he’s still got a lot to prove as an NRL head coach, as we’ve seen this year.
His Broncos side are very far away from winning their next premiership. His job is safe in Brisbane, and he’ll be around for a long time yet. Just be patient Broncos fans…
When talking about Souths finishing 12th in 2017 and 3rd in 2018 can be attributed to the coach but not Seibold. In 2017 they were still playing the one and only game plan Maguire had and used his entire time at the bunnies. 5 hit ups by the forwards and kick the ball . This plan works when you have the most dominant pack in the league , a pack he never had after Ben Teo left . Souths were not able to dominate and get on top of opposition packs without him . Maguire’s game plan was without any imagination and easily coached again. His player purchases and juniors retention was deplorable. He thought he was Bellamy and get ex Origin players in reserves or coming back from injury and grow another leg , as they do at the Storm.
Seibold did give Cook a crack finally, something Souths fans who knew the game had been screaming for but the improved performance was due to not adhering to a mundane game plan . Souths were a more happier bunch able to play a Maguireless brand of footy . Seibold assisted but a massive call by the broncos. I’m not a Bennett fan but didn’t care when Seibold went as he wanted to go and still had a lot to prove . The old 2nd year syndrome
First of all the best young pack in the modern era is not Brisbane but was Harry Baths Babes with St George in 1977 with an average age of 21 and they went onto to win the premiership. This Brisbane outfit may yet win the Spoon. (6 tackle rule introduced in 1972 marks the beginning of the modern game)
Secondly Success of last season obviously has given Siebold a massive head, He was unknown last season and the tactics of moving the ball around and becoming the highest point scores in attack had coaches baffled. But near the end of the season the new kid on the block was worked out by the really good thinking coaches and souffffffs won only 2 of their last 7 games not 3 as this story states.
Siebold for some unknown reason was given the Coach of the year award and this success has obviously has gone to his melon. His good mate White wanted to be reunited with the rookie bloke and Siebold thought he had what it takes to be a career coach dumping souffffffffffs like a hot potato. Problem is this year his style, strategies and game day tactics have already been worked out and exposed in the finals last year, by the Roosters and the Storm and even by Mary of Saints only for the last minutes of that game from some silly play.
Every coach knows how to play Siebold’s Broncos and now he has no new answers. I believe he is severely overrated he now has no halfback besides three inexperienced rookies. The Bottom line is this time next year he will be sacked. 💪🐔👍
Lol@donkeysceo paul white well you wanted your old school pal to coach the donkeys what now?? Paul white should be sacked immediately and siebold must be feeling like a goose…but gee the moment bennett was signed i was smiling ear to ear for 1 month…
We have seen this all before
The media builds them up, and up, and up and then when they inevitably stumble, they are equally as quick to knock em down again. Happened to the Cowboys in 2017 and Green has’t recovered since. Now its Seibold’s turn but unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to be able to handle the pressure either.
Two years from now and Seibold will be long forgotton.
I agree with the above comments, Seibold is very over rated, how he got coach of the year last year is beyond me, if McGregor from the Dragons who is clueless himself can work out how Seibold operates there is not much hope for the Broncos in this competition. Look how quickly Seibold dumped Souths and in his last press conference after Souths thumped Brisbane Seibold came out and said that we played very well. What alot of hogwash !! Seibold and McGregor should knock their heads together, neither of them have half a brain.
Dufty should had been #1 from game 1…and widdop #6 when uninjured mcgregor is clueless..
What stands out about the Broncos woes is the fact they didn’t want Wayne Bennett any more and he has well and truly landed on his feet at the Rabbitohs. How ironic for a coach who many were saying was out of touch with the modern game.
If the Broncos are expecting immediate success under Anthony Seibold they are going to be very disappointed. I can understand them wanting to move on from Bennett, but they didn’t get the coach they really wanted (Craig Bellamy) and took a calculated risk by appointing Seibold, who hadn’t carved a reputation for himself after only one season with Souths.
In my humble opinion the Broncos should give their new coach a proper chance and time to turn his talented team into a formidable outfit. At the moment things aren’t going there way, and I think if they are able to sign an experienced hard head or two up front and an experienced specialist half-back, things will eventually change for the better.
To michaelb113 and shadow, your low opinion of Paul McGregor is ok, but who would you appoint to replace him? Who’s available? It’s all very well to bag the man, but until there is someone better available the Dragons should stick with him.
Don’t forget Bennett inherited a team full of stars like Burg, Rey, Walker etc etc.
As for Seibold he inherited a club not just the team that is in a real mess. People in the now are ware that there is a certain man pulling the string above Paul White many decisions are coming from him. Now as for the team itself they look like a team that’s not happy as a group they looked stressed and many are like spoiled brats.
Roberts will be at Souths before June 30th.
Still it’s a good opportunity for the younger Broncos to get a chance this will only improve their depth in coming seasons. With A McC out for a long period the team will struggle.
To budgielegs the person that comes to mind straight away to replace McGregor is Jason Demetriou he won a premiership in reserve grade with the Dragons in 2016 and he was let go and has since followed Wayne Bennett to Brisbane, now he is with South Sydney as Bennett’s understudy, I am sure if Demetriou had an offer to coach the Dragons NRL club Souths would not stand in his way. Another candidate that comes to mind is Geoff Toovey. Does anyone really think that the Dragons can win a Premiership under McGregor ?? I have more chance of flying to the moon.