NRL 2020: Brisbane Broncos to stand by under-fire coach Anthony Seibold
The Brisbane Broncos board have decided to back under-fire coach Anthony Seibold, after a three-hour meeting discussing how he will turn the team around in the next four weeks
Broncos
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The Broncos board has given its unqualified support to besieged coach Anthony Seibold ahead of their crucial Queensland derby against the Titans at Suncorp Stadium.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Seibold fronted a board meeting on Friday where the club’s most powerful executives vowed to back their five-year investment in the man who succeeded Wayne Bennett.
Despite calls for Seibold to be sacked if Brisbane miss the finals this year, the Broncos board is not hitting the panic button as the coach comes under pressure to snap the team’s four-match losing streak against the Titans.
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Seibold addressed chairman Karl Morris and the board at the three-hour hearing also attended by Broncos chief executive Paul White.
It is understood the board spoke about Brisbane’s salary-cap position and some of the big-money contracts, including deals for Anthony Milford and Jack Bird, that have had repercussions for their recruitment and retention.
Seibold detailed some of the issues behind the club’s form crisis over the past month, what he plans to do to improve the squad over the next four weeks and how he will haul Brisbane out of 14th place.
Seibold is contracted until the end of 2022 – with an option in the club’s favour for 2023 – and Brisbane forward Tevita Pangai Jr has issued his support amid speculation the Broncos coach has lost the dressing room.
Seibold yesterday hit back at reports he asked for the players’ backing in the wake of their loss to Manly a fortnight ago, but Pangai Jr has become the first Bronco to speak out in defence of his coach.
Brisbane’s five-year deal for Seibold was designed to give him time to build a dynasty and Pangai Jr remains confident the 2018 Dally M coach of the year can break the Broncos’ 14-year premiership drought.
“’Seibs’ is our man and we are backing him,” Pangai Jr said.
“Obviously the results in the last few weeks haven’t been great but I still believe Seibs is our man and he’s the coach to take us to where we want to go and make the Broncos what the club was in the 1990s and 2000s.
“We’re only a young group and if we stay together, I believe we can go a long way.
“A lot of the young guys here enjoy being coached by him so we’ll back him and stick by him.”
The appraisal from Pangai Jr is compelling because the Tongan international has worked with some of the code’s finest mentors, including Canberra’s Ricky Stuart and former Broncos super coach Wayne Bennett.
Pangai Jr, who plays his 75th NRL game tonight, says Seibold is meticulous in his preparation.
“Seibs is as well prepared as any coach,” he said.
“Our training sessions are on time and everything is well co-ordinated with what the players are required to do.
“Seibs is a student of the game and he has the right assistants around him like Corey Parker, who has won a premiership, and Peter Ryan, who was one of the club’s great players and a brilliant defender.
“The one thing Seibs does well is he is always there for the players. He gives us good feedback on our game and he is similar to Wayne Bennett in the way he treats his players.
“Seibs is pretty straight up with the group — if you have a bad game, he is direct and lets you know where you went wrong and what to improve on.”