Arthars earns his stripes in Seibold's department of youth

The Broncos celebrated their season launch on Thursday with Jesse Arthars the latest in a string of young guns to have the faith of coach Anthony Seibold bestowed upon him.

The 21-year-old will make his club debut against the Cowboys next Friday night as a member of one of the youngest teams the Broncos have ever fielded.

David Fifita, Payne Haas, Tom Flegler and Pat Carrigan were mainstays of the forward pack in 2019 and rewarded Seibold's faith.

Carrigan, Flegler, Herbie Farnworth and Xavier Coates all made their NRL debuts last season and Arthars, who played 12 games for the Titans in 2019, has earned his position after a stellar pre-season.

Arthars has a long history with Seibold who said he had been deservedly rewarded after taking his own "leap of faith".

"I have always been supportive of Jesse having watched him play at Melbourne under 20s and then we had him at Souths," Seibold said.

"Then he became available last year and we were really keen to get him to the club because I just know he is a really good professional.

"He is a very skilful and elusive player with a great work ethic and great work habits. He took a bit of a leap of faith going from the Titans to come here.

“He’d worked his way into the team down there and knew one of the areas we were particularly strong here was the outside backs. It just shows that hard work and belief can give you an opportunity."

Seibold said it was “a fantastic opportunity for Jesse” after he had been through some tough times.

"I had him at South Sydney in 2018. His mum passed away during the season and I thought it was important he go back and spend some time with his mum prior to her passing, and go back and spend some time with his family after that," Seibold said.

"Football is important but it is nowhere near as important as family.”

Arthars is just still young but Seibold said he carried himself like a person way beyond his years.

"One thing that stood out to me at Souths was when we were on a pre-season camp and he asked a couple of the leaders to go for a coffee during the week, with a notepad and pen," Seibold said.

"He just wanted to pick their brains about what they would have told their younger self. Not a lot of young guys do that. There is just something about Jesse, so I am really pleased he will get an opportunity against the Cowboys.

"I am a big believer in giving people an opportunity when they deserve it. I haven’t given anyone a debut that hasn’t deserved it. Jesse has earned that opportunity through his work ethic and work habits.”

The Broncos finished eighth last year and lost the first final 58-nil to the Eels in a humbling end to their season.

Club legend and board member Darren Lockyer said this week that he expected improvement in the side now that half Brodie Croft had been added to the squad, but did not believe that a top-four finish was a pre-requisite.

Seibold said all the work had been done to make that improvement occur.  

"We’ve had a really well-planned and well executed pre-season and the playing group and staff have been really committed and have been well prepared," he said.

"That’s what we can control. We can’t control external stuff. We can control what we do and I am really confident that the pre-season work we’ve done will transfer to the games in the season."