New leader in race to take on the captaincy at Brisbane Broncos

Anthony Seibold looks likely to tear apart the Broncos leadership group, and it leaves one man at the head of the queue to take over the captaincy. Read the full story here.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold will put the broom through his entire leadership group and wipe the slate clean next season as Brisbane begin grooming prop Matt Lodge for a possible rise to the captaincy.

The Sunday Mail can reveal Seibold is presiding over a ‘Leadership Spill’ with Brisbane’s entire playing group to audition for position to form a new senior core during the upcoming 2020 pre-season.

Stream every match of the 2019 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand on KAYO SPORTS. Get your 14 day free trial and start streaming instantly >

It means Brisbane’s existing five-man leadership group – comprising skipper Darius Boyd, Andrew McCullough, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett and Lodge – has effectively been rescinded as Seibold leads a Red Hill revolution.

Brisbane Broncos forward Matt Lodge is leading the race for the Broncos captaincy. Picture: Adam Head

Seibold fronted the Broncos board on Friday where he told the executive that the entire full-time squad is on notice.

He told the board actions would dictate the composition of Brisbane’s starting team in 2020 and that mentality extends to the formation of a new leadership group charged with driving new standards of professionalism.

The safest player in the current leadership structure is Lodge, who is poised to complete a remarkable metamorphosis from New York jail bird to the top dog at Queensland’s flagship sporting team.

Brisbane’s leadership void could see Boyd retained for another 12 months but Broncos hierarchy are seriously considering Lodge as his successor, believing he has the skill-set to flourish in a captaincy role.

Brisbane Broncos player Darius Boyd (left) is seen speaking to Broncos coach Anthony Seibold during a team training session in Brisbane. Picture: AAP Image/Glenn Hunt

Seibold made his intentions clear in June when he promoted Lodge to his leadership group in June. It came less than four years after Lodge briefly spent time in Rikers Island prison following his infamous New York rampage in 2015.

Lodge has since displayed exemplary behaviour and in 47 games for the Broncos, the 24-year-old has shown on and off-field leadership qualities that have caught the eye of Seibold and Brisbane bosses.

But there is still an element of risk to Lodge’s prospective ascension to the top job. Naming Lodge as skipper would be a public-relations headache for the Broncos and his critics will question if the reformed bad boy should hold such an prestigious ambassadorial post.

Earlier this season, Seibold told The Sunday Mail he was highly impressed with Lodge’s evolution as a player and person.

“I first met Matt when he was 18 in the under-20s at Melbourne, I’ve known him a long time and coached him in the Junior Kangaroos, so I’ve seen his development,” he said.

“I made the decision (to add Lodge to the leadership group) based on his actions on and off the field.

“He is someone that our middle-forwards look up to. We have a lot of young players at the club and while Matt is only 24, he has a maturity beyond his years and the young guys really respect him.”