Anthony Seibold is set to be officially confirmed as Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett’s replacement this week after the Broncos board reportedly gave the move the green light.
News Corp reports the Broncos board voted unanimously at Tuesday night’s meeting for South Sydney mentor Seibold to take over the reins from the foundation coach in 2020.
Seibold will swap with seven-time premiership winner Bennett who has signed a two-year Rabbitohs deal from 2020.
The Broncos are expected to make an official announcement in the coming days about Seibold, who will reportedly be offered a multi-year, $3 million contract.
Seibold got the nod over former Broncos premiership-winning skipper Kevin Walters, a move that has incensed Brisbane greats.
Two-time Broncos premiership winner Chris Johns said Seibold was an “unproven coach” despite steering the Rabbitohs to the 2018 preliminary final and earning Dally M Coach of the Year honours in his rookie year.
Johns accused the Broncos of deciding on Seibold as their next coach months ago before interviewing other candidates such as Walters and Brisbane assistant Jason Demetriou.
“I think it is so clumsy the way they have gone about it from day one,” Johns told AAP when asked about the Broncos coaching transition.
The Broncos board reportedly shut down speculation that Bennett and Seibold would swap jobs a year early and take up their new reins in 2019.
Bennett had not ruled out the Brisbane board asking him to leave 12 months early after falling out with Broncos boss Paul White this year.
The pair clashed after the foundation Broncos mentor publicly slammed the NRL club’s handling of the coaching transition following months of speculation about his future.
Their relationship wasn’t helped when the Broncos board knocked back Bennett’s request to coach for one more season in 2020.
Emcie
Roar Guru
Pity, you have to know these things when you're king
DP Schaefer
Roar Rookie
I think he missed that reference Emcie.... ;)
JOHN ALLAN
Guest
What about Alfie Langer's thoughts? He spends most time on the field for the Drongos & doesn't have a number on his back.
Pedro the Saint
Roar Rookie
I think you mean Jason Demetriou, and i agree. He seems to be in the wings of waiting with every club that he goes to. His success as a coach at different levels is well documented and it looks like he will get a start one day, just when that day comes in a bit uncertain.
db
Guest
Steve Walters never played for the Broncos.
Worlds Biggest
Roar Pro
Lets hope common sense prevails and both coaches swap now, I want Siebold out of there. He white anted Madge to get the Souths job and then is off to Broncos.
Gray-Hand
Roar Rookie
I wouldn’t place too much weight on Seibold’s season at Souths as an indicator of his talent as a coach. It’s not uncommon for a team to pick up following a change in coach, and Maguire had clearly gotten stale in the role. Inglis also came back fully fit, so the team was always going to improve on their 2017 performance.
Emcie
Roar Guru
yeah, I can only imagine that the Henjak and Hook experience put them off first year coaches
Matt H
Roar Guru
Andrew Demetrio is the one I feel sorry for. He has ticked every box as he has come up through the coaching ranks. Who's to say he wouldn't have been just as successful a rookie coach as Seibold, Robinson, etc?
Matt H
Roar Guru
Why wait until then? they'll probably have to fill copy next week.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Only time will tell? Seibold might have gotten us some sort of successes but, whatever he's done is all ruined by this decision to got o the Broncs! Next year will be a nothing year for the Bunnies as the players and officials at the Bunnies will be half pie as they know that whatever Seibold does, Bennett will do the opposite and that is not good for us, especially that the players had so much faith in Seibold! Seibold should go now and Bennett should coach us in 2019!
steveng
Roar Rookie
He can go now, for all we care at the Bunnies, we don't want him and being with us for 2019 will be waisted without any benefit for the club and/or players. Seibold 'just go away' you never were a true and loyal Rabbitoh and used us as a spring board for your ambitions!
Emcie
Roar Guru
African or European swallow?
Knight Vision
Guest
Got to feel for Walters
Knight Vision
Guest
One swallow doesnt make a summer. Of course he's unproven.
Emcie
Roar Guru
I'm just waiting for the story on which club bought a lemmon after the round one results next year
Andrew Henry
Guest
Die hard Brisbane fan is Papua New Guinea. I should Steve Walters should be next coach after Wayne Benneth. Because is he a former Brisbane Broncos player and has been with Brisbane Broncso management for so long.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Scott Minto is the only Broncos legend worthy of giving his two cents on the issue. A true immortal in every sense of the word.
BA Sports
Roar Guru
You guys should be looking forward to the middle of 2021 when they start publishing stories about Bennett's return.... Presuming Badel still has a job somehow...
BA Sports
Roar Guru
Dowling is in that Benny Elias camp where they used to go to him for a ridiculous quote... Now I think he is so far off the reservoir out there in the Tablelands of FNQ making his cheeseburgers they don't bother...