When Anthony Seibold was sacked by the Broncos many believed he would never be a head coach in the NRL again, but he now has Manly two games away from a Grand Final.
His tumultuous time at the Broncos has overshadowed an otherwise impressive NRL head coaching record that has yielded, three finals series, one preliminary final and one semi-final in four full seasons.
Seibold has bookended his five years as an NRL head coach with two finals appearances, but it is the years in between at the Broncos that have marred an otherwise successful coaching career.
Seibold burst onto the NRL head coaching scene with a finals appearance in his first season after taking the Rabbitohs to 17 wins and 10 losses on the way to a preliminary final in 2018.
or his efforts he beat out a hot field to Dally M Coach of the Year honours.
He then signed a monster five-year deal with the Broncos in an ugly swap that saw Wayne Bennett axed before linking up with the Rabbitohs.
Bennett took Souths to three preliminary finals and the 2021 Grand Final, but it was another story for his successor at Red Hill, as his so often the case with those following in the footsteps of the super coach.
Seibold won 11 of his 25 games in his first season at the Broncos to lead them to the finals before bowing out in the first round.
Then things got really ugly in his second year at the helm when a youth policy blew up in the Broncos’ face and saw Seibold lose 10 of his first 13 games in 2020, before he was sacked.
The payout from the rest of his five-year deal was of little consolation as his NRL career appeared in tatters after working for decades to get to the top of the NRL coaching game.
From mid-2020 to late 2022 Seibold made a code switch to work with then England rugby union coach Eddie Jones and had a short stint at the Knights as an assistant.
Then fate intervened as Manly’s Pride jersey saga saw them part ways with coach Des Hasler and open up a head coaching opportunity at the Sea Eagles.
Seibold had previously worked at Manly as an assistant and still had allies at the club, who were willing to take a chance on him and he signed a two-year deal, which was extended last year and expires at the end of the 2025 season.
The 49-year-old is hoping to extend his deal, but given he missed the finals in his first year at Manly, the club wanted to wait until the end of the current season to make a call on his future.
Seibold has won 25 and lost 22 of his 51 games as Manly head coach, with two draws and one finals series that continues against the Roosters on Saturday night for a shot at a preliminary final against the Storm.
Evans and the captain and Jake Trbojevic is so strong.
“He certainly has a lot of conversation with them throughout the week in terms of what the preparation looks like and also the style of play that we’re looking at week to week.
“He’s got a really good, calming way of communicating with his players and a real trusting mentality in his coaches as well, which I think allows everyone in the organisation to grow.”
Seibold’s coaching career has been a rollercoaster, but Ennis believes his ability to ride the highs and learn from the lows has shaped him into an excellent head coach.
LEARNING FROM BRONCOS DISASTER
Seibold’s impressive first two years as an NRL head coach saw him make the finals twice, but his third year saw him crash back down to earth as the Broncos won the wooden spoon.
It was hard to watch Seibold’s five year deal at Brisbane come to an end just 13 games into his second year at Red Hill, as the club imploded all around him.
At the time it appeared a return to the NRL head coaching ranks would be a long way off, but Ennis believes that tough period could be the making of Seibold as a head coach.
“It’s hard to comment on that period at Brisbane because I wasn’t there with Seibs, but just seeing how well-rounded he is now,” Ennis said.
“The coaching game has incredible highs and lows and I think speaking from a player’s perspective, you learn so much when things are going well about your footy side and your teammates.
“But you also learn so much when you go through those tough periods, particularly about yourself.
“Seibs had a South Sydney side that was filtered with so much experience and world-class players, and then to go to Brisbane, he had so much talent coming through and youth in that Brisbane side.
“And then to have those ups and downs as a head coach early on with the highs of South Sydney, and then those tough periods at Brisbane.
“To then step away and go and spend some time working in English rugby, and then he also spent some time with Adam O’Brien up at Newcastle Knights.
“It was a real chance to step back and look at his philosophies, look at his model and just have a real good look at what worked for him and what didn’t.
“It’s been really enjoyable working under him at Manly, and I think he’s done a fantastic job.”
Ennis believes the NRL is so close as a competition that making the finals is a great achievement for any team each year.
“It’s not easy to make the finals, and it’s not easy to get them there,” Ennis said.
“And to see the way that Manly played in that final against the Bulldogs was highly impressive. To be able to stay in the fight for so long, while it was really challenging and tough.
“The Bulldogs were at their absolute best and that shows that there’s a real good connection in the group.”
