‘Honey and sh**’: Anthony Seibold’s swipe at Bennett, greats

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has hit back at club legends Gorden Tallis and Trevor Gillmeister and taken a veiled swipe at Brisbane’s playing record last year under Wayne Bennett.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has defended his side’s slow start to the season. (AAP Image/Darren England)

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BRISBANE coach Anthony Seibold has hit back at club legends Gorden Tallis and Trevor Gillmeister and defended the Broncos’ culture as he backed his youth policy to create a new legacy of success for Queensland’s flagship team.

On the eve of Thursday’s Broncos-Tigers clash at Suncorp Stadium, Seibold also took a veiled swipe at Brisbane’s playing record last year under Wayne Bennett, calling for critics of his new regime to “take a breath”.

The Broncos enter the Tigers showdown mired in the bottom four with a 1-3 record amid scathing criticism from Tallis, who suggested the current playing group were arrogant despite having “won nothing”.

Meanwhile, former Broncos forward Trevor Gillmeister, now Gold Coast’s defence coach, has called for fullback Darius Boyd to be sacked as Brisbane skipper.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has defended his side’s slow start to the season. (AAP Image/Darren England)

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Seibold insists he has not bothered to read every line of criticism from some of Brisbane’s most decorated players, but he rejected suggestions the Broncos’ culture is flawed on his watch.

“I’m not sure what cultural aspects the (past) football players are talking about,” Seibold said.

“Sometimes you swim in a pot of honey and sometimes you are swimming in a pool of shit. It’s a week-to-week thing in the NRL.

“Trevor has to understand he is working for the Gold Coast. I love ‘The Axe’, but he is with another team.

“Darius wasn’t at his best last week (against the Roosters), he is the first to tell you that, but two weeks earlier he was outstanding against the Cowboys.

“As far as our culture, it’s your actions. It’s not a fancy word on the building. You see every day how hard the players work. There’s no shortcuts on the field or in the gym or analysing the opposition.

“I don’t quite understand the line that the players don’t respect what has come before them.”

Brisbane’s poor start has placed pressure on Seibold. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Seibold is bemused by the savage dissection of Brisbane’s form just four weeks into the premiership. He called for calm as he referenced Brisbane’s patchy 3-4 start last year under Bennett, who did not attract brickbats from club legends despite the Broncos slumping to 10th after seven rounds.

The super coach ultimately steered Brisbane to the playoffs, only for the Broncos to be thumped 48-18 by the Dragons in what proved to be Bennett’s final game in charge at Red Hill.

“Everyone has to take a breath and take a step back,” Seibold said.

“The Broncos were three from seven last year and in their last game they got beaten by 40 points.

“I’m a realist. I was in a very similar position last year (at South Sydney). At my old club, we were two from five, so this isn’t the first time I’ve been in this position.

“If I get caught up in all the commentary and the media, then I’m not doing my job.

“My job is to prepare the players as best as possible. I’m not across exactly what is being said or has been said. What I have to do is prepare for the Tigers. We have had a sound preparation.”

The Broncos are clearly prepared to take some short-term pain with Seibold, having signed the NRL’s reigning coach of the year to a five-year deal.

Seibold said the blooding of another debutant in Pat Carrigan and the selection of 19-year-old prop Payne Haas, who returns from a club-imposed four-match suspension, underlined his investment in Brisbane’s future and his willingness to stay patient.

“This is the next generation of players of Broncos kids,” he said.

“This playing group has so much potential.

“The club has made a decision that they will back the young group and I’m here for the longer term.

“One of the reasons why the club has invested in me long-term is because of my background in developing players.

“(Tonight), we have nine guys who are 22 or younger playing and three of those guys are 19-year old kids.

“I think that’s a fantastic opportunity for us to create our own legacy. They are in the team because we know the young guys can do the job and we expect them to do the job.”