Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold appears set to make wholesale changes to his line-up after their latest inept NRL performance, this time to the Wests Tigers.
Seibold hit out at his team’s lack of resilience in Friday night’s 48-0 no-show at Leichhardt Oval – their heaviest defeat against the Tigers in their history.
“Just a lack of resilience; we lacked toughness; nothing else to say about that,” Seibold said post-game.
Their capitulation was compounded by what was initially feared to be a season-ending leg fracture to winger-turned-forward Corey Oates.
However the State of Origin player was cleared on Saturday of a compound fracture, and is likely to be out for three weeks with a large haematoma.
Hooker Issac Luke is also facing a one-game ban after being hit with a grade-one dangerous throw charge from the match.
But Seibold still has far bigger worries on his plate with his side slumping to their seventh defeat in their past eight games.
Their disastrous effort again prompted calls for halves Anthony Milford and Brodie Croft, the latter of whom had a horror defensive night, to be axed.
“Anthony Seibold has been more than accommodating with the team he’s stuck with over the last seven weeks,” former captain Corey Parker said on Fox Sports.
“There comes a time where you just can’t do that anymore.
“There’s some individuals in that side that just aren’t up to the standard that they are required to be and it’s unacceptable.”
Seibold agreed the team’s performance was inexcusable, but also said changes would be difficult with the amount of talent in the injury ward.
Oates joins a lengthy list including Matt Lodge, Kotoni Staggs, Jake Turpin, David Fifita, Jordan Kahu, Jack Bird and skipper Alex Glenn.
Lodge, Staggs and Turpin might be back next week.
“With Corey going down tonight, that’s 15 unavailable,” Seibold said.
“We’re hoping to get some guys back, and then I’ll be able to make some changes, and some appropriate change where I think is necessary.
“The players have to take responsibility for their performance. I take responsibility for the coaching staff and the entire group.
“There’s no excuse – we’re out of excuses. I’m sick of talking about it, to be fair.”
Pressed on whether he still considered himself the man to coach the club, Seibold said: “It’s pretty raw after a performance like that.
“I’ve got nothing else to say to that. It just happened 10 minutes ago. I just walked out there to Corey. I haven’t put any thought around that.”