It was seen as the barb that sparked an extraordinary war of words between Brisbane and South Sydney ahead of Friday night’s NRL clash.
But Broncos coach Anthony Seibold insisted he was simply giving the Rabbitohs a compliment when he said their attack hadn’t changed since last year when he held the reins.
South Sydney assistant Jason Demetriou let loose on the Brisbane mentor on Thursday, claiming Seibold’s attacking gameplan couldn’t deliver in NRL finals based on his Rabbitohs record last year.
Title contenders South Sydney bowed out in the 2018 preliminary final in Seibold’s rookie year as NRL mentor, managing just one try in their final two playoff clashes before a messy coach swap with Brisbane’s Wayne Bennett.
Demetriou’s stunning diatribe was considered a response to Seibold claiming in the lead-up to Friday’s grudge match that “not a lot’s changed from an attacking point of view” at the Rabbitohs since 2018.
However, Seibold claimed it was just a misunderstanding on Thursday.
“With regard to the comment I think you are talking about, I was actually giving South Sydney a rap when I said they throw a lot at you and a lot hasn’t changed there,” Seibold said.
“I meant that (five-eighth) Cody Walker is in the top two or three attacking players in the competition, (hooker) Damien Cook is dynamic out of dummy half and (halfback) Adam Reynolds has the best kicking game in the competition.
“So I was actually giving their team a rap.”
Before Demetriou hit back, Rabbitohs players were clearly unimpressed with Seibold’s assessment of their attack ahead of their Suncorp Stadium clash.
Rabbitohs skipper Sam Burgess said Seibold’s claim was “bizarre” and accused the Broncos coach of a secret agenda before their round 23 clash.
Seibold slammed Demetriou on Thursday, suggesting the Rabbitohs assistant was “dirty” for missing out on the Broncos head coaching role but he refused to take aim at Burgess.
“I respect Sam so I have got no dramas with what Sam says,” Seibold said.
Seibold even tried to distance Bennett from Demetriou’s sensational claims.
Asked if Bennett was behind the Rabbitohs assistant’s spray, Seibold said: “I wouldn’t have a clue. I doubt it.”