Anthony Seibold and Trent Barrett open up on the highs and lows of coaching in the NRL

SOUTH Sydney‘s Anthony Seibold and Manly’s Trent Barrett open up about the rollercoaster life of being an NRL coach. Trust them, it’s not always what it’s cracked up to be.

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THIS is the human side of the rollercoaster life of an NRL coach.

Right now Anthony Seibold is the man of the moment.

This time last year it was Brad Arthur.

Today the two go head-to-head when the joint competition leaders South Sydney tackle last placed Parramatta.

Less than 12 months after Arthur was a contender for Dally M Coach of the Year, the Eels coach is now fighting to save his job.

Meanwhile, Seibold has gone from an unknown to most people to the new Dally M Coach of the Year favourite.

Nick Campton and Tim Williams carry on about referees, try to make sense of the top eight madness and preview all the action for Round 20.

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Seibold is also the guy supposedly being head hunted to replace Wayne Bennett at Brisbane, the most successful coach in history.

So far, it’s been a pretty good start to Seibold’s head coaching career. But it wasn’t so long ago Phil Gould was also talking up Trent Barrett as the game’s next “supercoach”.

And Manly Immortal Bob Fulton predicted Barrett would become one the club’s “great coaches”.

But last Sunday night Barrett was so embarrassed after the hiding Manly copped off the Sydney Roosters, he didn’t know what reception he would get when walking in for a beer on Old Boys’ Day.

“It was hard,” Barrett told The Saturday Telegraph. “But they were really good.

“Ex-players probably understand more than anyone when you are on the end of a hiding like that.

“You have to front up. You front up when we win. You front up when you lose.”

Today Barrett also goes head-to-head with another under pressure coach when Manly plays Penrith.

The irony is, if Anthony Griffin’s head eventually rolls at the foot of the mountain, guess who they’re tipping as his replacement?

But asked if he was having any second thoughts about his career choice, Barrett laughed: “I was a pretty ordinary greenkeeper.

“I don’t know if Kembla Grange Racecourse would have me back.

“Listen, you know what to expect when you get into it. But it is a tough, tough gig. And it is not just you who goes through it. It’s your whole family. They hurt just as much as what I do after a loss.

“The rest of the staff are the same.

“It does consume your whole life. That is the rollercoaster of it. You go from highs to huge lows. That’s the job.

Barrett says the highs of the job are like nothing else. AAP Image/Dean Lewins.

“Sometimes it’s s***house. Sometimes there’s no feeling like it.”

Seibold admits learning to deal with off-field pressure is probably the most challenging aspect.

“Obviously, it comes with quite a few distractions,” Seibold said, when reminded he’s now being tipped as Bennett’s replacement.

“That is the biggest change from being an assistant coach, when it is all about the football. In some ways as head coach you are the spokesman of a club.

“You face the media and the sponsors and the corporates … I am not going to lie to you, there has been some interesting times.”

Like right now.

Seibold knew when he turned up for his pre-match media conference the first question he would be asked.

While he has denied any approach from Brisbane, he makes no secret of the fact he has put off negotiations for an extension at Souths until after the season.

Seibold’s first season has been nothing short of spectacular. Picture: Brett Costello

Seibold’s first priority is not to disrupt the Rabbitohs’ run towards the finals.

But the other factor is this: When he took over from Michael Maguire it was a take it or leave it offer. Now he’s a wanted man. And he doesn’t need reminding things can change pretty fast in this circus that is the life of an NRL coach.

Remember, Michael Maguire was promised “a job for life” after he took the club to its drought breaking premiership in 2014.

Then he was sent packing three years later.

Reminded of the current predicament of some rivals, Seibold said: “That is what I mean.

“You can’t get too carried away when you are winning and then you can’t get too low when you lose a couple of games.

“At the start of the season we lost three from our first five but I didn’t think I was a failure or not heading in the right direction.

“And I am certainly not getting carried away with myself in regards to where we are now.”

Originally published as Anthony Seibold and Trent Barrett open up on the highs and lows of coaching in the NRL