New medical data provided by Manly Sea Eagles coach Anthony Seibold has painted a clear picture of the stressful nature of coaching in the NRL.
Everyone knows that coaching in rugby league is never easy or relaxing, just ask Craig Bellamy.
Yet very rarely are we really shown the cold hard medical facts behind the stressed out faces helplessly watching from the coaches box as their side battles for the two points.
Until now.
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A report from The Daily Telegraph’s Phil Rothfield has detailed the health impacts of rugby league coaching, courtesy Manly coach Anthony Seibold’s Garmin watch.
Worn throughout his side’s nail-biting golden point win over the Cowboys in Round 18, Seibold’s watch warned him of an abnormal heart rate, as well as a condition known as tachycardia.
Around 77 minutes into the contest Seibold’s heart rate rose to 109 beats per minute, extraordinary considering he was sitting and not under any physical strain.
More extraordinarily, his heart rate was at 108 beats per minute at around midday the same day when he was lifting weights and involved in a tough cardio session, which included running on the treadmill.
Speaking to Rothfield, Seibold said he doesn’t think he’s the only coach in this boat.
“I reckon it would be common for most coaches,” he said.
“After the game I probably found it amusing more than being worried about it.
“It was like an alarm clock going off and all you’re thinking about is the next play – and you can see the message ‘abnormal alert.’
“It shows the stress we’re under, that’s for sure.”
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Seibold is reportedly under immense pressure at Manly at the moment, with the club needing to qualify for this year’s finals in order for the coach to keep his job for next season and beyond.
“You’re riding a wave. Games get tight. I try to be calm in the box, at least on the exterior,” he said.
“This game was really important for us.
“Every game is and you can never really sit back and relax, no matter what the score is.”
Manly beat the Cowboys 21-20 courtesy of an 83rd minute Daly Cherry-Evans field goal, with the win keeping them well within the finals hunt with eight rounds of the regular season remaining.
Speaking on the data Seibold’s Garmin provided, cardiologist Dr Mark Pitney noted “the interesting thing is the stress from the game is the equivalent of of him working out in the gym.”
“When we get anxious we make adrenaline,” Pitney explained.
“To me, it’s saying that coaching an NRL side is incredibly stressful.
“This is a guy who is obviously fit and only gets his heart rate up to 108 bpm when he exercises, but when he’s sitting on his backside watching a golden point game his heart works harder than when he’s doing a workout in the gym.”
Source Agencies
