Wayne Bennett takes swipe at former Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has slammed a controversial decision from former Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold.

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has slammed a career-defining decision from former Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold.

Less than a month after Anthony Seibold stepped down from his position at the Brisbane Broncos, Wayne Bennett has taken a subtle swipe at the former NRL coach’s decision making.

After announcing his retirement earlier this year, Brisbane veteran Darius Boyd will play his final NRL match on Thursday evening when the Broncos take on the North Queensland Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium.

Boyd served as Brisbane’s captain for three seasons after Bennett gave him the role in 2017, but Seibold named teammate Alex Glenn skipper after the club’s horrific finals exit last year.

Watch the 2020 NRL Telstra Premiership Finals on Kayo. Every game before the Grand Final Live & On-Demand with no-ad breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

During the Broncos’ chaotic 2020 season, Boyd then stepped down from the club’s leadership group after an alleged communication breakdown with Seibold.

South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Bennett lauded the 2006 premiership player for his leadership qualities, claiming he should have never been sacked as the Broncos captain.

Anthony Seibold stepped down as coach of the Brisbane Broncos in August.

“You only have to watch the players now. When the s**t hits the fan, who do they go to? Darius. Who’s the number one spokesman in the club? Darius,” Bennett told The Courier-Mail.

“He is a leader of men and he has conducted himself with absolute class in what has been a very difficult season.

“He is the de facto captain still, believe me. He is the one the players still run to. He is the one they want to talk to because he has been in those places himself.

“I made him captain because he needed more responsibility. The older players get to a stage where they need something else and I saw his personal development.

“One thing you want from a captain is empathy and the ability to care about their teammates. It’s not all about the football, it’s about our lives away from football, about our lives with each other, we spend so much time with each other.

“Darius was always well liked by the playing group. While he has fought his own demons, he never had a respect problem with his peers. They have always respected his achievements and his attitude. I felt he had the basics to be a good captain.”

The 33-year-old Boyd represented the Broncos on 205 occasions after making his NRL debut in 2006.

Darius Boyd at his last training session at Red Hill.

READ MORE: Seibold reveals ‘final straw’ in Brisbane mess

Boyd and Bennett formed a healthy relationship at Red Hill, and the 70-year-old supercoach had nothing but praise for the “meticulous perfectionist”.

“I took a shine to him because I saw a lot of good qualities in him as a person. I knew about his family situation and I realised I had an athlete on my hands and a guy who could play football,” Bennett said.

“He was so meticulous, such a perfectionist. Part of the difficulty of his own mental health was that he had to be perfect in his life and if things weren’t perfect, it was difficult for him to handle.

“The eye teaches you the special ones. He will always be one of the great players I have coached in my mind. Nothing will ever change my mind.”

If the Broncos are defeated by their Queensland rivals on Thursday, they will receive their first wooden spoon in 32 years.