Inside story of how Broncos wooed Anthony Seibold
ANTHONY Seibold was identified as a possible successor to Broncos coach Wayne Bennett as early as June, after South Sydneyʼs red hot form proved his promise as an NRL coach.
Brisbane is expected to announce by early next week that Seibold will return to his home state in 2020 to take over the coaching reins at the Broncos.
And while the rugby league world was stunned on Thursday when news broke of his straight swap with Bennett, the 44-year-old former Brisbane reserve grade player has actually been on the clubʼs radar since Melbourne mentor Craig Bellamy knocked back the top job in June.
While Bellamyʼs loyalty to the Storm was a setback for the Broncos, it is understood the clubʼs powerbrokers were also keeping a close eye on Seiboldʼs early success with the Rabbitohs.
By mid-June, Souths were seven matches into a nine-game winning streak and were in the top four.
Anthony Seibold was on the radar as early as June.
Broncos CEO Paul White also had a strong relationship with Seibold, their having both grown up in Rockhampton.
Brisbane continued to monitor Seiboldʼs progression throughout the season as he took the Rabbitohs one game away from the NRL grand final.
Then, on October 8, White, Broncos chairman Karl Morris and board member Darren Lockyer travelled to Sydney to meet Seibold.
They walked away thoroughly impressed after a three-hour interview. They had found their man.
While Brisbane had its eye on Seibold from June, it was in July when it became truly evident to Bennett he would not be at the Broncos beyond 2019.
After the Bellamy saga and constant questions about his future at his weekly press conferences, the super coach said on July 26 – hours after Brisbaneʼs 12- 10 victory over the Sharks – that he had spoken to Morris and no decision would be made on his future until after the NRL season.
The Rabbitohs got their man too, in Wayne Bennett.
By this point it is understood he had been told the Broncos could not give him an answer on his future, and he already had a letter offering him another position at the club for 2020 – an offer he would publicly reject in August.
For Bennett, the writing was already on the wall, and rumours had started to intensify around Seiboldʼs future.
On September 25, the Broncos confirmed Bennett would not be coach beyond 2019.
The final straw came after Seiboldʼs Broncos interview when it became clear to Souths he might not accept the offer they had made to him.
The proud club was not going to be left empty-handed, so it chased Bennett.
Now it has its man too.
Source CM