As losses piled on losses, the language of Seibold, a former high school teacher and lecturer at the University of Southern Queensland, was perceived to be too technical for a young group. “I didn’t cop the school teacher tag at Souths, mainly because I was successful,” he said. “But in the early part of my time in Brisbane, a lot of made of me being a university lecturer. It was frustrating. I actually think being a school teacher is one of my strengths. Teaching is the ability to simplify things from the complex. It helped my coaching, not hindered it. It helped with feedback, performance reviews, planning.” But none of his education had taught him rugby league’s core lesson: as much as you love the game, it often doesn’t love you back. After the precocious success at Souths, came the premature responsibility of the Brisbane juggernaut. “It was tough going,” the Rockhampton-born Seibold said of a dream that did not come true. “The opportunity to go back home to Queensland and coach the club where I had played four years in the lower grades and a great money deal was too much, despite the fact I was enjoying South Sydney.” As Oscar Wilde said, “When the gods wish to punish us, they answer our prayers.” So, Seibold had to live his life backward, go back to the bush after the big time. Rather than move to, say, the Clydesdales, “I changed codes,” he said. “It was the best thing I ever did. I became Eddie Jones assistant with the England rugby team. I got away from the spotlight. Eddie was the first to give me an opportunity and I coached 15 Tests with him, including against the Springboks. It re-ignited my passion for coaching.” He is now back at the club where he was an assistant in 2016. Only three players remain at Manly from that time but they are the most influential: Jake and Tom Trbojevic and Cherry-Evans. Asked if they lobbied for his appointment as head coach, Seibold says, “I don’t know.”