The Cairns Post

No winners in Great Coach Swap saga

- ROBERT CRADDOCK COMMENT

COMMON sense has prevailed but all parties involved in the Great Coach Swap leave with severe damage to their reputation­s.

Anthony Seibold has the keys to the Broncos kingdom but the question lingers – is he the right man for the job?

The shamelessl­y ambitious Seibold got to where he wanted to in the end but people have been less than impressed with the way he has handled himself.

They saw the way he cracked badly under pressure over the last few days and have lingering doubts whether he has the temperamen­t suited to the acutely stressful job of coaching the Broncos.

Deciding who is going to play left centre or how to run a decoy play have never been the issues that have decided the longevity of Broncos coaches.

It’s how they handle the offfield pressures that often counts most, which is where Seibold has been exposed in this issue.

For all of his foibles, many of which have been exposed in this saga, this was one of Bennett’s great strengths.

Everyone played the victim in this story. The truth is everyone was at fault.

It’s hard to have much sympathy for Seibold, Bennett or either club.

Because of its obsession with planning one or two years ahead, rugby league has been heading for a debacle like this for some time.

Bennett confused everyone by being too smart for his own good.

Bennett had my sympathy for a long way in this debate.

He had a contract at the Broncos for next season and he should not have had to apologise for keeping his word and staying at Red Hill.

But yesterday’s exceptiona­l interview between Phil Rothfield and Seibold shifted the landscape and cast a damning spotlight on some of Bennett’s public statements.

 ??  ?? UGLY SCENES: Anthony Seibold
UGLY SCENES: Anthony Seibold

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from Australia