Broncos coach Anthony Seibold turns to cybercrime unit

Brisbane Broncos coach Anthony Seibold will hold talks with police over scurrilous social media slurs and a fake Facebook account.

Broncos coach Anthony Seibold is speaking to Queensland Police

Anthony Seibold and his lawyer Dave Garratt will talk to members of the Queensland Police cybercrime unit on Wednesday morning as they step up attempts to halt a smear campaign designed to undermine the Brisbane Broncos coach.

The Broncos released a statement late on Tuesday confirming Seibold and the club had appointed lawyers to track down the people responsible for starting and perpetuating the outlandish claims which have spread like wildfire on social media.

The Australian can reveal talks with the police will be formally begin on Wednesday morning when Garratt and Seibold — who will be involved via zoom because he is in a Covid hold — outline their concerns. Those concerns have only been heightened after it emerged a fake Facebook account for Seibold had been set up in the past 24 hours.

Dave Garratt from Howden Saggers Lawyers in his Southport office. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“I have a meeting this morning with the Queensland Police cybercrime team to have a look and see how we stop some of the stuff that has been posted on line and then tracking to see where it has come from,” Garratt said.
“So that way Anthony can look at his avenues in regard to defamation and other proceedings as well. The police will decide whether criminal offences have been committed in regard to the different platforms that have been used and what has been said. In Queensland there was legislation enacted in regard to trolls.
“That is something he police will look at today. Even overnight a fake Facebook account in Anthony’s name was set up. it has so many followers and outlandish, slanderish stuff has been posted on that.
“That’s something we want to put to bed and put down as soon as possible. The allegations that I am sure you have seen are so far-fetched they couldn’t be believe.

“I have done a lot of work for the club. over he years and I have never seen so much crap. As a criminal lawyer I have seen a fair bit. but how ridiculous they are is astonishing.”

Seibold has been in Covid hold after staying in Sydney following his side’s loss to South Sydney last week to attend to a pressing family matter.

He will miss the club’s games against Canberra and St George Illawarra, although he remains heavily involved in their preparation from a distance.