Dally M Awards 2018: South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold named coach of the year
WE often look at the superstar players in our game and say this guy is going to make a great coach one day. Well, the Dally M coach of the year might be the catalyst to rethink that theory.
Rabbitohs
Don't miss out on the headlines from Rabbitohs. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Live coverage of the Dally Ms
- Cronk has to put it all on the line
- Slater verdict won’t change the rules
WE often look at the superstar players in our game and say this guy is going to make a great coach one day.
Well, it might be time to rethink that theory.
Because when Anthony Seibold was first announced as the man who would take over from Michael Maguire at South Sydney, most in the rugby league world privately asked: “Anthony Who?”
It’s fair to say Seibold only ever had a very modest reputation as a player.
But just 12 months after getting his big break, Seibold will now forever own a place on one of the game’s most illustrious honour rolls after taking out the 2018 Dally M Coach of the Year.
After what has been widely recognised as the closest competition in years, Seibold beat off a hot field of contenders that included grand final coaches Craig Bellamy and Trent Robinson, themselves hardly ranking in the star category as players.
And it was well-deserved recognition for a first-year head coach who has spent basically 25 years working towards becoming an overnight success.
As meteoric as Seibold’s rise may seem, he was first spotted by the Broncos’ legendary talent scout Cyril Connell as a teenager after growing up in Rockhampton and attending St Brendan’s Yeppoon, which has produced a long line of NRL players.
Seibold spent many years playing and coaching his way around the rugby league world but still credits Connell for encouraging him to study for a teaching degree — that has ultimately played a huge part in his development as a coach.
By the time he was 21, Seibold had completed his first degree while playing lower grades in Brisbane. And after a stint playing at Canberra, he did his master’s degree while playing and coaching throughout Australia and the United Kingdom.
Seibold also tributes his time in Melbourne working under Bellamy for giving him the confidence to follow his dream to become a head coach.
After a season at Manly under Trent Barrett, Seibold took on a job as an assistant at Souths before getting offered the top position following Maguire’s exit.
For such a high-profile club as Souths, it was seen by many as a massive gamble.
But not only did Seibold handle it, he thrived.
What Seibold did was totally transform a team that finished the previous two seasons in 12th spot, and returned them to being a premiership force.
And it was done on the back of a breathtaking brand of attack.
Souths finished the regular season in third spot but on equal competition points with minor premiers the Sydney Roosters and Melbourne, while also ranking first in points scored (582) and most tries (98).
While Seibold started the season as a bit of an unknown, at least among those outside the players he had previously coached, the Rabbitohs players consistently made a point of crediting their turnaround on his ability to put faith back in the playing group.
It was no coincidence the Burgess twins Tom and George rediscovered their form after a pre-season spent working closely with Seibold, and the rise and rise of Damien Cook was another of the season’s most spectacular stories.
Seibold is now justifiably recognised not only as an elite coach but a man with the personality and self-belief to handle the high-pressure responsibility that is often the undoing of many in this position.
Although Seibold still has a year to run on his existing contract, South Sydney are now in the process of upgrading his deal to shut off interest coming from outside.
In particular, Brisbane is on the lookout for the right man to replace Wayne Bennett at the end of next year.
It’s an extraordinary acknowledgment for a man who never had a profile as a player but has made his name on the back of hard work and persistence.
And just being a good bloke.
Dane Gagai commented recently that Seibold’s understanding of players was similar to the influence of coaches such as Wayne Bennett and Mal Meninga.
“When you have a genuine person like that, you don’t want to let them down and you know he is always going to have your back,’ Gagai said.
For any coach, that is the ultimate accolade.
Get ready for cricket like never before. FREE Sport HD + Entertainment until the first 4K cricket ball as part of 3 months free on a 12 month plan. SIGN UP TODAY. T&Cs apply.