In a press conference at Redfern Oval today (Thursday), new Rabbitohs Head Coach Anthony Seibold has expressed his priority to gain the trust of the Rabbitohs Members while taking the Club forward.
Joined by Chairman Nick Pappas, General Manager of Football Shane Richardson and CEO Blake Solly, Seibold says he is ready for the Head Coaching role and points to his 11 years of full time coaching as ample preparation to take the reins at the most famous Club in Sydney.
The new Head Coach primarily identifies the importance of Members and wants to work hard to gain their trust and faith ahead of the 2018 season.
"I understand that we're a Member based Club so I have to work really hard to gain their trust and I'll do my best to do that," said Seibold.
"I wouldn't have said 'yes' to the opportunity presented if I didn't think I could take the Club forward. The biggest thing for me is relationships, coaching is about relationships, that's my main focus going forward, making sure we have strong relationships here. I'm confident and comfortable with what I can bring.
"I'm ready to do this role. I've been a full time coach now for 11 years so some people might not know who I am or think it's an overnight success story or whatever else but as Blake knows in the Super League I started full time coaching in 2006.
“Before that I was in the academic world, I was a lecturer at University, so I'm really confident about how to coach and all the processes I'm really comfortable and confident with.”
Seibold’s background in player development will be put into good use with the Rabbitohs young playing group, Seibold himself is confident he, along with assistant coach Dave Furner, will be able to develop performances that will bring results in 2018.
"Historically, one of my strengths has been developing young players. If you look at our roster we've got a number of young players, I think we had nine players 21 or younger play NRL for us this year, I suppose part of my role going forward is to help develop them into established NRL players. I'm really confident in my ability to do that,” said Seibold.
"I've got a really good assistant coach in David Furner and we'll appoint someone else to come in to replace my role, so I'll certainly lean on Dave and his experience having been a head coach down at the Raiders previously.”
