Broncos coach Anthony Seibold's time in the top job is officially over.

Brisbane confirmed this morning that Seibold would depart the club after one and a half seasons, releasing him from the final three years of his deal.

It is believed Seibold's contract had a performance-based termination clause inserted into his deal with an agreed pay-out.

It comes after the Broncos' disastrous 2020 campaign, currently sitting 15th on the ladder at 3-12.

Seibold addressed the media this morning, thanking the club for giving him the opportunity to lead them.

โ€œLast week, I made the decision to finish my tenure as coach of the Brisbane Broncos. Today, I am announcing that I will be stepping down from the role immediately," he told reporters.

โ€œI was honoured to be appointed Brisbane Broncos coach at the end of 2018. This was the club where I started my Rugby League journey as a young man and itโ€™s a club that I have always admired.

โ€œFor many reasons, my time at the Broncos did not work out as we had all hoped. But thatโ€™s sport. We love sport because itโ€™s full of uncertainty. And rugby league seems to throw up uncertainty better than any sport I know.

โ€œPeople ask me if there are things Iโ€™d change about the last two seasons. None of that matters right now.

โ€œI gave it my best at the Broncos and I am responsible for where we currently are. Head coaches know that there is no finger-pointing and no deflection of blame when a club struggles.

โ€œThese events havenโ€™t dampened my enthusiasm for coaching or wanting to help others achieve. In fact, they have made me more determined. Head coaching in the NRL isnโ€™t for the faint of heart. I know that. And I know that Iโ€™ll be a better coach, a better leader and a better person for all that I have learnt over these last three seasons at South Sydney and Brisbane.

โ€œI have very much appreciated the messages of support from many people over the last two weeks. I want to thank them, and I want to let them know that Iโ€™m doing ok.

โ€œI have appreciated the opportunity to coach the Broncos. I thank Karl Morris and Paul White for their work and their advice throughout my time here. They run a very successful club and they should be proud of what the Broncos achieve in shaping so many lives for the better across Queensland. This club is more than what happens on the football field and Iโ€™ve been privileged to see that up close.

โ€œI thank the Broncos fans. Iโ€™ve had plenty of well-wishers and Iโ€™ve had plenty who havenโ€™t been as impressed. Sport only succeeds because of the passion of the fans. Without them, we have nothing.

โ€œMost of all, Iโ€™m appreciative of the opportunity to be a football coach, working with young men towards a common goal. I thank my players over these last two seasons for their effort, for their camaraderie and for their passion for playing football. Our game is a brutal game physically.

โ€œI take pride in the fact I have given NRL debuts to twelve young men over the past thirty-eight games that I have been Head Coach of the Broncos. There were also another eight players with less than twelve games when I arrived and to see many of them develop over this period into NRL players and in some cases representative players has made the many personal challenges very worthwhile.โ€

Broncos CEO Paul White added: โ€œAs you are aware, Anthony spent the last two weeks in home isolation after having to step out of the Project Apollo bubble for a serious family matter.

โ€œDuring that time, Anthony has reflected on his role at the Broncos and the impact it is having on his life away from rugby league.

โ€œAs a result, Anthony approached Chairman Karl Morris late last week to indicate he did not wish to continue as Coach of the Brisbane Broncos.

โ€œThe Board understands Anthonyโ€™s situation and has accepted his wishes to step down from the position.

โ€œThe role as coach of the Broncos is one of the most high-profile and high-pressure in Australian sport, and Anthony has performed admirably since starting in late 2018.

โ€œBut the levels of scrutiny โ€“ some of it bordering on hysterical, if not slanderous in recent times โ€“ have placed a heavy burden on Anthony and his family.

โ€œAs a club, we have endeavoured to support Anthony and his loved ones through all of this.

โ€œBut at the end of the day only Anthony can understand what it is like to walk in the shoes of a Broncos Coach, and live with he highs and lows of the role.

โ€œOn a personal note, I would like to thank Anthony for the tremendous amount of effort and diligence he has poured into the job during his time at the Broncos.

โ€œHe can certainly coach, he will coach again, and he is also a very good man.

โ€œHe has always acted with the utmost professionalism and ushered in a new generation of stars who will become household names for our club in the future.

โ€œAs a club, we wish Anthony and his family all the best in the future.

โ€œFor the remainder of the season, Peter Gentle will continue to coach the team, as he has done for the past fortnight.

โ€œThe board will begin the search for a new coach immediately but we will not place a timeline on that process.โ€