Anthony Seibold online abuse: NSWRL says its staff is not to blame for trolling

NSW Rugby League CEO David Trodden is confident none his full-time employees were behind a vicious social media campaign against Anthony Seibold.

Trodden was shocked when a 60 Minutes report on Sunday night claimed the NRL integrity unit had been told a NSWRL employee was allegedly involved in the spreading of vile rumours.

It came after Seibold hired lawyers and cyber investigators to look into scurrilous rumours spread about him and his family online in August, just before he quit as Brisbane coach.

Sunday night’s program was the first he had heard of the link between his organisation and the scandal, having not previously been contacted by the NRL, police or Seibold himself.

Trodden was desperate to investigate the matter himself, calling the NRL on Monday morning before speaking with Seibold’s representatives.

“While the various parties are unable to provide the identity of the person involved because of ongoing police investigations, I am confident that the person is not a full-time employee of NSWRL,” Trodden said.

“Trolling is appalling ... and action should be taken if it is properly proven.

It should never be tolerated and we feel for Anthony Seibold and his family for what he has been put through.

“Equally, it is really important for me, as CEO of NSWRL, to make it clear that none of our employees are involved in the alleged behaviour.”

The NSWRL employs 93 people, and Trodden feared at this stage all had been implicated by the public claims and tarred with the same brush.

“I was totally surprised to hear what was said and disappointed that serious allegations like that would appear when we knew nothing of them,” Trodden told AAP.

“They are really serious issues that need to be taken seriously ad investigated and dealt with properly.

Seibold detailed how the rumours had hurt him most given comments made about his family, but said he could not publicly out anyone behind them.

“It’s someone who makes a living from our game who is part of the conversation and added to the rumours and forwarded them on,” Seibold told 60 Minutes. “That’s what so ironic about all of this. I can’t sit here and tell you these names because essentially 60 Minutes could be charged. It’s crazy”