Former Leeds Rhinos coaching candidate regrets taking on big job

Anthony Seibold is back in the NRL as he takes the hot seat at Manly Sea Eagles in 2023.

Seibold has already had some of the biggest jobs in the sport as well as being in the running for others.

He made his name at South Sydney Rabbitohs prior to joining Brisbane Broncos where he struggled.

After this he joined the England Rugby Union coaching staff as Defence Coach, a role Leeds Rhinos legend Kevin Sinfield now holds.

Speaking of Sinfield, his exit in 2021 and the club’s desire to move then coach Richard Agar into the subsequently vacant Director of Rugby role saw Seibold push for the Leeds job but it didn’t happen.

However, this is not the job he regrets pursuing, admitting to St Helens legend James Graham that he regrets taking the Brisbane Broncos job:

“I made a business decision in the end. Ultimately, it proved to be the wrong decision,” Seibold said.

“I do regret it. It was a five-year deal with the sixth year in my favour. Very lucrative.”

“I said ‘no’ a couple of times but then another year kept getting added, and it got to the point where I felt as though if I didn’t take it, it’s probably negligent in some way.”

Things got bad when they suffered a record breaking play-off defeat against Parramatta in 2019:

“It was just the way we bowed out; we got beaten 58-0 in the finals. It was just horrible.”

“We beat that Parramatta side 17-16 two weeks earlier. So, do you lose your talent in two weeks? Do you lose your fitness or your contact ability in two weeks? You don’t.”

“I didn’t see it coming.”

Ultimately though he believes it made him a better coach:

“I regret it heaps, but then maybe I wouldn’t be the coach I am today if I didn’t go through that experience of so much media exposure (that came with) going to Brisbane.”

“Looking back now, it seems a little bit surreal. It seems like a lifetime ago, even though it was only a couple of years ago.”

“But I feel like I’m a better coach and even a better person. It was tough at the time, and I can see why people criticised me externally, but that’s life and you get on with it.”