Anthony Seibold labels Brisbane Broncos owner a coward after ‘cancer’ sledge
Anthony Seibold was labelled “a cancer” by the club’s part-owner Phil Murphy before quitting the club. The departing Broncos coach has fired back at Murphy saying “this is how much of a coward he really is”.
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Departing Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has slammed the club’s part-owner Phil Murphy, labelling him a coward.
Reacting to Murphy’s claim that he was a cancer on the club, Seibold told News Corp on Tuesday: “It’ disgusting – he’s a disgrace.”
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“This is how much of coward he is …
“I rung him and he didn’t take my call. Then I texted him and he didn’t reply.
“Then I rung him back and he answered and then hung up on me.
“The players complained about him last year and we wouldn’t let him into the change rooms.”
Seibold signed off on his termination agreement with the club late on Tuesday.
He will address the team on Wednesday morning.
“I’ll get to the players early so they can get on with their day and prepare for the weekend,” he said.
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“There’s a little bit of relief and a little bit of sadness how it’s finished up.”
Murphy launched the shocking attack on Seibold on Monday, likening the now former coach to a cancer on the club.
The scathing comment comes as Seibold finalised his departure from the Broncos, ending a tumultuous two years at the helm.
The parties agreed on a severance package for Seibold, who has also been subjected to horrible rumours about his personal life.
“It’s like having a cancer and it has not been cut out,” Murphy told Channel 9 of Seibold remaining as Broncos coach.
“If you don’t treat the cancer you die and … unfortunately and sadly, I don’t want to see the Broncos die.”
"It's like having a cancer and it hasn't been cut out, if you don't treat the cancer, you die... I don't want to see the Broncos die,"
— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) August 24, 2020
Brisbane Broncos part owner Phil Murphy has launched a scathing attack at coach Anthony Seibold. #9News pic.twitter.com/5ZuMId0Ytx
Fans took to social media to support Seibold and vent their anger at Murphy’s over-the-top comments, which will not go down well as the Broncos are locked in delicate negotiations to broker the coach’s immediate departure.
“What a putrid thing to say,” one person said on Twitter, while another added that “Seibold should wait it out to get paid in full after that. Grubby comment.”
Fans were also disgusted that Murphy had trivialised cancer with his comment.
“Don’t compare football to cancer, those of us who have recovered from it know the difference very much. One is very serious the other is a hobby,” one user tweeted.
The Courier-Mail’s NRL reporter Travis Meyn labelled it a “disgusting comment”, while The Daily Telegraph’s Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield said “What a horrible thing to say about a person who has been doing it tough”.
A week ago Seibold told Rothfield that, despite being on the receiving end of some vicious and vile attacks from social media trolls, he had not heard from a single person at the NRL.
“I feel angry,” Seibold said at the time.
“I thought someone could have reached out.
“Even just a phone call to check in. It’s been bloody hard.
“As a game, are we going to just accept it?”
It will be interesting to see the NRL’s response to Murphy’s comments.
Originally published as Anthony Seibold labels Brisbane Broncos owner a coward after ‘cancer’ sledge