NRL 2020: Investigators reveal NRL links to Anthony Seibold rumours

A report over the ugly rumours targeted at Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has come out, painting an ugly image for the NRL.

Anthony Seibold at RedHill.Pic Annette Dew

A probe into the ugly campaign against Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold has reportedly revealed a damning link to the NRL.

The investigation has uncovered Seibold as the victim of an orchestrated campaign to have him sacked as the Broncos coach with suspects involved having links to the NRL, according to the Courier Mail.

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Seibold hired cybercriminal experts to trace the origins of the rumours and on late Tuesday afternoon the report indicated investigators had tied the source of the allegations to several suspects with links to NRL coaches and former stars.

Channel 7’s Chris Garry reported a key figure is well known to NRL fans with NSW police also investigating the matter.

“Investigators tracking vile rumours about Anthony Seibold are looking at current and ex players. A key figure is well known to NRL fans. NSW police have also looked into the matter. The source is a group of people based in Aus and overseas,” Garry tweeted.

The Courier Mail’s Pete Badel who broke the story appeared on Fox’s NRL 360 and said the ball will be in Seibold’s court when it comes to potential charges after the investigation.

“He can either go down the criminal path where he seeks criminal defamation or he can go down the civil path where he seeks to personally sue those who have perpetrated against him on social media,” Badel said.

Seibold was the target of an ugly smear campaign.

Seibold’s lawyer Dave Garratt earlier this week revealed the investigation identified a “prominent name” may be linked to the investigation.

“It’s quite unexpected. It’s not just random trolls,” Garratt told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Garratt later told The Australian that they were closing in on a “person of prominence” who had “blacked out” their social media accounts in the wake of the investigation.

“The minute it came out that there was cyber-people involved, someone shut down their account straight away — all their social media went pretty much black,” he said.

“They won’t tell me their name, but it went black. A prominent name.”

“The report will say who generated the messages, who made the allegations and where they forwarded them on to.

“I can see some nervous people in the next 24 hours.”

Channel 9’s Danny Weidler was reluctant to buy into further rumours but said there are whispers someone in rugby league was behind the Seibold scandal.

“The rumour is that somebody who has a role in rugby league is supposed to be involved in all of this messy business,” Weidler told Triple M’s Moonman in the Morning.

“I don’t know who’s got the time to bother doing this if they’ve got a significant role in the game or the motivation to try and upset the Seibold family in the way that it has done, obviously.”

In a column for The Courier Mail yesterday, Robert Craddock reported Seibold will decide this week whether to quit or stay on until at least the end of the season.

Less than two years into a five-year deal which includes a sixth season option in Seibold’s favour, the 34-year-old still has a reported $3.2 million remaining on this $4.8 million deal.

Foxsports.com.au’s James Hooper reported Seibold has a dilemma of walking away on his own accord with a smaller pay-out — or fighting the Broncos for every cent he is owed by refusing to jump before he is pushed.

Speaking on NRL 360 Monday night, Craddock said: “This is a huge week for Anthony. I’m not saying he’s stepping down this week, but I reckon it’s less than 50 per cent chance

“But it is being talked about and it is being thought about, and how could it not be?

“To me, all roads lead to the same point. Whether he steps down now or whether he goes to the end of the season, I just can’t see how he survives given what’s happened to the Broncos this season.

“Since Anthony went into isolation mode last week it was a time for reflection for him and let’s face it, it’s just so palpably obvious that a team with a coach whose senior players aren’t playing for him, has a limited future at that club.”