Seibold's Broncos bench strategy a boost for Staggs

Anthony Seibold has unveiled his selection philosophy on the make-up of the Broncos' four-man bench where he is set to include one player who can cover the outside back positions due to the HIA protocol. That means Emerging Blues squad member Kotoni Staggs, who impressed in his rookie season for the Broncos last year, will be one of the favourites to claim the role, that is if he does not force his way in the starting side. Staggs is a centre who can cover most positions in the backs, as he proved for Brisbane's under 20s several seasons back, and was even used last year by the Redcliffe Dolphins in the back row. "Last year we did some stats when I was at the Rabbitohs and there were 15 out of 24 games where we had to make a change to an outside back," Seibold told

Broncos need to give Oates some help

Plenty went right for Brisbane in 2018 with some brilliant young forwards unearthed and their halves making big strides but after an unceremonious exit in week one of the finals and a new coach heading into 2019, on obvious area of improvement is their outside backs. The Telstra Premiership season just gone could best be described as 'fair' for the men from Red Hill; they were widely tipped to find a place somewhere in the bottom half of the eight and they duly managed that but got no further.Winger Corey Oates had a wonderful year;
desperately unlucky not to be picked for the first two Origins (but victorious in his only outing in Game Three) he piled on the metres for the Broncos at 152 per game and racked up 18 tries including one of the most incredible put-downs of the year.His opposite man Jamayne Isaako had an excellent rookie season with 88 goals and 217 points and a couple of match-winning players.Unfortunately for Brisbane, Isaako's 100 metres per game made him the only other Broncos backline regular to average 100 metres per match with NRL.com Stats finding every other NRL club had at least two, and in many cases four or five, backline regulars who averaged over 100 metres (for this analysis a 'regular' is a player who played at least five NRL matches in the 2018 regular season).

Seibold reveals how he will use Pangai jnr

Anthony Seibold will resist the temptation to use Broncos powerhouse Tevita Pangai jnr as an edge back-rower this year, instead continuing to deploy him as a middle forward. "I coached the Junior Kangaroos side where I played Tevita on the edge but I have got four edge back-rowers there," Seibold told NRL.com
"Tevita is a middle [forward] in my eyes. It is about getting our best 17 out on the park and for me, Tevita is a middle player. "Tevita, along with Joe Ofahengaue and Matt Lodge, are probably at the front of the queue at the moment, but underpinning that we have got Payne Haas, Pat Carrigan and Tommy Flegler coming through and some great experience in Shaun Fensom and Sam Tagataese there

Seibold training initiative kicking the Broncos into gear

It won’t be difficult to spot the hard workers at Brisbane this NRL season as new coach Anthony Seibold continues to shake things up at Red Hill. The Broncos’ coach has made his mark since arriving late last year, with the sound of high-octane dance tunes during the squad’s fitness sessions a stark contrast to life under Wayne Bennett. Another initiative has struck a chord, though, with those who notch the highest work rate on the training paddock donning the Broncos’ playing kit at the next session. Young pair Sean O’Sullivan and Cory Paix are yet to play NRL for Brisbane but know what it’s
like to wear the kit after strutting their stuff in it on Monday. Impressive young forward Payne Haas had the honours last week and it wasn’t going unnoticed by more senior squad members. “I haven’t worn the jersey yet but, hopefully before the pre-season ends, you see me in it,” Kodi Nikorima said. “Seibs has brought that in and it is rewarding those players who have trained really hard. To be one out of 30 or 40 players is a good achievement.” Wanting to know just where he stood this year, Nikorima thought it best to seek Seibold out before he returned late last year from holidays. But less than two weeks into his pre-season, the halfback is on board with the former South Sydney mentor’s methods.

Seibold’s familiar coaching style exciting Broncos key man

A heart to heart with new Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold was enough to convince Kodi Nikorima he can flourish at the Broncos this year. The pint-sized playmaker revealed on Monday that he sought out Wayne Bennett’s replacement once returning from New Zealand Test duties, following reports the club was looking to offload him.
That chat went well and a week into preseason training, Nikorima is already enjoying the Seibold influence at Red Hill and what it may mean to his game in 2019. Seibold worked closely with halves Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker at South Sydney and early indications are that Nikorima and Anthony Milford will earn the same treatment.

Broncos drop like flies in intense torture session with Seibold

Brisbane players have dropped like flies during a steamy training session, but tough newcomer Shaun Fensom was left standing. Darius Boyd, Joe Ofahengaue and rugby union recruit Izaia Perese all limped off with niggles during Monday morning’s two-hour stint at Red Hill, while a head knock also forced rookie forward Tom Flegler to the sidelines.
Hard-nosed forward Fensom has been impressed with the club’s work ethic under new coach Anthony Seibold since arriving from North Queensland. Fensom has tried to play through a lacerated kidney and dislocated elbow as an NRL player, while he gave the thumbs up and later apologised after being taken from the field in the 2017 NRL grand final with a broken leg. Back to full fitness, the 30-year-old has been picked up by Brisbane to add experience since the departure of Sam Thaiday. But he wants to be more than just a mentor to the young forwards who have impressed him so far.

NRL 2019 - Kodi Nikorima and Anthony Seibold at Broncos training

A heart to heart with new Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold was enough to convince Kodi Nikorima he can flourish at the Broncos this year. The pint-sized playmaker revealed on Monday that he sought out Wayne Bennett’s replacement once returning from New Zealand Test duties, following reports the club was looking to offload him.That chat went well and a week into preseason training, Nikorima is already enjoying the Seibold influence at Red Hill and what it may mean to his game in 2019.“I came in last year just to meet Seibs in person,
with all that stuff that come out I felt the need to,” he said.“And likewise he got in contact with me too... it was good to get that out of the way and knowing where I stood in the team.“He was all positive and said to enjoy my break and to be ready to go come January.”Seibold worked closely with halves Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker at South Sydney and early indications are that Nikorima and Anthony Milford will earn the same treatment.“I really like Seibs. I like what he brings. It is obviously different to Wayne but he seems as though he spends a lot of time with the halves and that can only benefit my game going forward,” he said.

Anthony Seibold’s challenges with young gun roster

Anthony Seibold has walked into Brisbane with the club’s roster in terrific shape. With a team boasting a host of youth and experience, the new Broncos coach now faces the task of taking over from Wayne Bennett and guiding the side into a new era. The club have done well to retain their young talent, especially after losing three experienced forwards in Josh McGuire, Sam Thaiday and Korbin Sims. Many of those youngsters got a taste of NRL in 2018, including Payne Haas, David Fifita and Kotoni Staggs,
and we can expect them to feature more prominently in 2019. But with youth comes inexperience, and it’s something Bennett lamented after the side was ambushed by St George Illawarra to go tumbling out of last year’s finals in week one. In a boost to their title hopes, the club will also welcome back Matt Gillett (neck) and Jack Bird (sternum) from long-term injuries in what will only create more competition for spots in both the forward pack and backline respectively. Plenty of attention will be on the club’s halves in Anthony Milford and Kodi Nikorima, with a question mark remaining over whether they’re the right combination to take the team all the way.

Jack Bird's position locked in ahead of huge 2019 season

A fully fit Jack Bird is set to vent his frustrations and form a devastating centre combination with NSW strike weapon James Roberts for Brisbane in the 2019 NRL season. Hooker Andrew McCullough says the early signs are good that ex-Cronulla premiership winner Bird is finally ready to deliver on his huge
price tag this season after a horror Broncos debut year. Reportedly on $800,000 a season, Bird hardly delivered bang for Brisbane's buck in 2018, restricted to just eight games due to injuries. But after losing 5kg in the off-season, Bird is set to fly high in 2019 according to McCullough.

Brisbane Broncos sign veteran forward Shaun Fensom on one-year deal

The Brisbane Broncos have signed veteran forward Shaun Fensom to a one-year contract.The Broncos announced the signing on Monday, as they returned to training. Fensom, 30, has become something of a cult hero across 174 NRL games with the Raiders
and Cowboys, thanks to his enormous appetite for work and tough, unassuming nature.Fensom played in the 2017 grand final with North Queensland, but broke his leg in two places during the match. He will add experience and starch to a Brisbane side that lost Test forward Josh McGuire to the Cowboys after last season.

Broncos: 2019 Round 1 predicted team

Brisbane Broncos: 2019 Round 1 predicted team: Darius Boyd, Corey Oates, Jack Bird, James Roberts, Jamayne Isaako, Anthony Milford, Kodi Nikorima, Matt Lodge, Andrew McCullough, Joseph Ofahengaue, Alex Glenn, Matt Gillett, Tevita Pangai jnr, Jaydn Su'A, David Fifita, Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs

Quote of the year

"I was happy to be sacked. I’ll just leave it at that, I was happy." Wayne Bennett after finally being let go by Brisbane to join South Sydney. Newcastle coach Nathan Brown on Bennett, a comment which he later regretted: "The reality is when Wayne came to town, if he thought with his big head rather than his little head, I wouldn’t have had to rebuild the joint." We’ve contacted your family members because they have been targeted as well. Don’t leave the hotel. We’ve picked up hundreds and hundreds of messages and they are death threats." Referee Matt Cecchin tells Herald colleague Andrew Webster about the phone call he got from police  after the controversial World Cup semi-final between Tonga and England.

Broncos hold a minute's silence for Terry Mackenroth

A former Queensland deputy premier and treasurer and long-time independent director of the Queensland Rugby League. Mackenroth was appointed to the QRL board in 2006 and among many accomplishments, played a key role in the establishment of the ARL
Commission in 2012. Mackenroth spent 30 years in Queensland parliamentary life before lending his experience to the QRL from 2006 until he stood down in late 2017. He died on April 30, aged 68.

Bennett and the Broncos

Wayne Bennett: 1988 - 2008 (six premierships)

Ivan Henjak: 2009-2010

Anthony Griffin: 2011-2014

Wayne Bennett: 2015-2018

Anthony Seibold: 2019-?

Bennett: 625 games, W: 401 L: 212 D: 12

All others: 152 games, W: 81 L: 70 D: 1

Key points:

Wayne Bennett coached the Broncos for all but six seasons of the club's 31-year history.

He won six premierships with them, but his popularity has waned recently.

He also fell out with chief executive Paul White, ultimately leading to his sacking.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett in Brisbane on Sunday as it was revealed he had been sacked by the club

The Brisbane Broncos reportedly sacked Wayne Bennett for a breach of his contract after it was revealed the master coach had been in contact with Souths players and was even organising a pre-season camp.The move is believed to have cost Bennett the million-dollar payout he was holding out for.Bennett was sensationally sacked over voicemail on Sunday with Broncos CEO Paul White unable to make contact with the 68-year-old to inform him of the club’s decision.Although it was widely speculated that sacking the coach would involve making a rich payout, The Courier Mail is reporting Bennett will be paid around $300,000 for
image rights, but will see none of his football department contract money.It’s believed he will not take legal action against his former club.“I know News Corp didn’t want to pay him out because he’s such a legendary figure in Queensland and they obviously didn’t want to pay him out $1 million either,” Phil Rothfield told Macquarie Sports Radio’s Mark Riddell and Mark Levy at Breakfast.“That’s why it didn’t come to a head earlier. They just didn’t want to sack him. But once they saw Anthony Seibold’s email and they saw that he’d been ringing the players, cancelling. Anthony Seibold’s pre-season camp. It’s basically a sackable offence.”It ended a month-long stand-off, with Bennett now set to head to South Sydney to replace Seibold.

Seibold hopes to win over Broncos greats

New Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold won't seek to smoke the peace pipe with Broncos greats who protested his appointment, saying he hoped to win them over with results.Chris Johns and Glenn Lazarus led a chorus of disapproval from former Brisbane players over ex-South Sydney mentor Seibold replacing Wayne Bennett, saying the job should have gone to Broncos favourite son Kevin Walters.Johns even questioned Seibold's coaching credentials, saying the Rabbitohs "choked" in 2018 despite losing the NRL preliminary final to the eventual premiers Sydney Roosters.Seibold admitted he was not aware of the criticism but hoped to make Broncos greats proud with his 2019 results."I can't control the other
commentary outside this group," said Seibold, who has signed a five-year Broncos deal."What I do know is that there is a great legacy left behind by the old boys at the Broncos."What excited me is that there is an opportunity by this group to create their own history."I haven't really listened to the commentary. Of course I want the old boys to be proud of this club and our performance but my priority is the staff and players, they are the ones who control the result."Seibold finally took over the Broncos reins on Monday after a month-long coach swap saga ended when South Sydney-bound Bennett was sensationally sacked via phone message on the weekend.Seibold - a former Brisbane reserve grade player - said he would follow the example set by greats such as Johns and Lazarus in his maiden Broncos campaign in 2019.

Wayne Bennett says he'll be at the Broncos in 2019

Brisbane coach Wayne Bennett admitted he felt for South Sydney but typically made no apologies after dropping the bombshell that he would refuse to step down from the Broncos. But the wily Bennett had other ideas, calling a snap press conference of his own at Red Hill after Friday's meeting. Bennett admitted he had no idea about the mooted Seibold press conference and almost offered an apology to the Rabbitohs for digging his heels in - almost.

"I am disappointed for them but at the same time they understand my position and I will be there in 2020 for them," Bennett said. "I have been terribly consistent with it (staying at Brisbane) and nothing has changed today. "I will honour my 2019 contract which was always my plan." The only way South Sydney can now get their man in 2019 is if Brisbane sack Bennett - a fate the 68-year-old did not rule out. If Bennett is shown the door, it is believed the call will come from Broncos owners News Corp, and not the Brisbane club's hierarchy.

Brisbane Broncos NRL 2019 Draw

Teams they play twice: Storm, Cowboys, Roosters, Sharks, Rabbitohs, Warriors, Titans, Eels, Bulldogs.

Teams they play once: Dragons, Wests Tigers, Raiders, Sea Eagles, Knights, Panthers.

Day-by-day breakdown: Thursday - seven, Friday - seven, Saturday - seven, Sunday - three.

Five-day turnarounds: 2 (Rd 8, Rd 18)

Kick-off: The Broncos take on three teams that made the 2018 finals in their opening four matches, including both grand final teams - a tough road trip to Melbourne to kick off the Telstra Premiership and an SCG blockbuster in the fourth round against the premiers, the Sydney Roosters.

Milford named Broncos player of the year

On the back of a season where his kicking game improved out of sight, Broncos five-eighth Anthony Milford has won the prestigious Paul Morgan Medal for Brisbane's player of the year. Milford was presented with the medal for the first time at the Broncos presentation night on Saturday after accumulating 40 points in a voting system judged after each match by players and the club's coaching staff. Milford edged out prop Matt Lodge (39 points) and forwards Joe Ofahengaue (37), Josh McGuire (37) and Tevita Pangai jnr (36).

The Paul Morgan Medal was instituted in 1988 when it was first won by Allan Langer, who went on to receive the gong for a record five times. The 24-year-old Milford left no stone unturned in his quest to improve his kicking and game management in 2018 and came into Brisbane HQ on his days off to work on all aspects of his game. That also included sessions at the Brisbane Lions indoor facility where he fine-tuned his kicking skills. Milford underwent shoulder surgery last month after subluxing his shoulder early in the 48-16 win over Manly in round 25, and then bravely playing on to set up victory and secure a home final. He backed up in the semi-final loss to the Dragons the following week under duress. Milford will undergo a five-month rehabilitation process but is expected to line up in round one in 2019.