Seibold gone as Walters backed to take over at Broncos
Anthony Seibold’s tenure as Brisbane Broncos coach is over and calls have intensified for Queensland legend Kevin Walters to take the reins at Red Hill.
Anthony Seibold’s tenure as Brisbane Broncos coach is over and calls have intensified for Queensland legend Kevin Walters to take the reins at Red Hill.
Seibold will depart Broncos headquarters for the final time today after he addresses the club’s playing group about his premature exit.
Seibold, 45, is the shortest serving coach in Brisbane’s 32-year history, lasting only 20 months into a five-year contract and finishing with a winning record of 37 per cent.
The Broncos are sitting in 15th spot on the NRL ladder with three wins from 15 games and fighting to avoid the wooden spoon ahead of a daunting showdown with the Sydney Roosters on Friday night.
Seibold’s position became untenable, with the Broncos brokering a severance package to farewell Wayne Bennett’s successor immediately.
Seibold ended a 14-day home quarantine on Tuesday after attending to a family matter in
Sydney and made a short appearance at the Broncos’ office, departing at 7.30am.
He will return this morning and speak to the players about his exit before facing the media and leaving the club for the last time.
Assistant coach Peter Gentle will continue as interim coach for the remaining five rounds of the NRL season.
But the race is now on to become the fifth coach of the Broncos, with club favourite Walters and North Queensland premiership-winner Paul Green heading the list of candidates.
The Broncos’ largest private shareholder, Phil Murphy, said Walters had earned the right to have a crack at coaching his beloved club.
“Anthony Seibold has been too scientific for the players, it has all been too much for them,” he said. “They just want to enjoy their football, not get hammered with stuff that is irrelevant.
“We have become the biggest rabble in Australian sport. It’s beyond belief. I fully support a change of coach. Kevvie is a good bloke and a Broncos legend and he understands the club.
“Kevvie’s manner is what the club needs. He is happy-go-lucky. He can bring some harmony and culture back to the Broncos. If Kevvie got the job, it would be wonderful for the club.
“There are some great coaches in the game at the moment that could also be available.
“There are coaches out there who would love to come and raise the Broncos up to where they were.”
Seibold returned serve at Murphy, who described the departing coach as a “cancer”.
“I have only met him three times in my life and two of those were in the change rooms after games when the players complained about him,” Seibold said.
“He is not a decision-maker at our club. I think it is a pretty insensitive comment in regards to people who have to go through that ordeal. I find it disgusting from a person who has no understanding or knowledge of our inner sanctum.”
While the axe has fallen on Seibold, he is unlikely to be the only head to roll at Red Hill.
Chief executive Paul White, chairman Karl Morris and board member Darren Lockyer have been criticised for granting Seibold a five-year deal after one season coaching South Sydney.
Broncos head of football Peter Nolan is also facing scrutiny for overseeing Brisbane’s failing roster and Maroons legend Billy Moore said the club needed to look further than Seibold to determine the problem.
“The coach (Anthony Seibold) and the CEO (White, leaving October 31) are going so they are the major figureheads in any organisation,’’ Moore said.
“But there are more fingerprints on this disaster than the CEO and the coach.”
Additional reporting: Robert Craddock
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