After securing the position, they either transfer to another club, or are sacked. Those who are dismissed find a job as an assistant at another club, or are employed by the NRL - for example as an advisor to referees. Given the average three-quarter-of-a-million dollar salaries they earn, together with the pay-outs to the sacked coaches, they can afford to sit out a year, waiting for the inevitable opportunity to arise. The five coaches involved in the carousel which is nearing a halt have failed to exercise their most basic responsibility, which is to set an example to players. Seibold’s behaviour is the most disappointing. He has demonstrated minimum loyalty and maximum ambition in his time in the NRL.

Seibold left the Storm when he could not gain a promotion from development coach to assistant; exited Manly after one season, and then switched to the same assistant’s role at Souths. Loading Twenty-four hours after head coach Michael Maguire was sacked with a year left on his contract, Seibold was appointed to the position. He now leaves Souths, deserting the club which gave him his first top job, after only one year in the position. Bennett has now broken contracts at three clubs – Canberra (to move to Brisbane); the Roosters (to remain in Brisbane) and Newcastle (to return to Brisbane). He has also reneged on an agreement to return to the Dragons and caused Souths embarrassment when he last negotiated with them, before deciding on the Knights. Money has always been his main motivator.

Bennett knows he has the Broncos in an invidious position, given the potential instability he could cause in 2019. However, because the Broncos triggered his departure by refusing his request for an extension past 2019, his latest bale out is not as treacherous as Ivan Cleary’s exit from West Tigers to Penrith. It’s been widely reported that Cleary left the Tigers with two years left on his contract because he wanted to coach his son, Nathan, Penrith’s No.7. If Nathan is not as brilliant as the world seems to think and Ivan has to drop him, what then? Cleary has also revealed he wants to return to Penrith - the club which sacked him - because he has "unfinished business". So his time at Wests Tigers was "finished business?"

If it doesn’t work out, he can console himself working in the NRL’s best Centre of Excellence, with a huge salary and his mate as club chair. Loading Trent Barrett did not breach any contract when he exercised his right to advise Manly in July that he would not be taking up his option for 2019. However, he broke the golden rule of the game which is to hang in there when times are tough. Why did he do this? Well, he knows he can climb back on the coaching carousel. His replacement, Des Hasler, returns to the club which was forced to release him with a year left on his contract, after he signed with Canterbury.

Given Manly owners, the Penns, have a fear of penury, they won’t like paying two coaches. If Barrett is being paid not to coach, they will probably have Hasler on an incentive based contract. Still, he will have his contract pay out from Canterbury to console himself. The term "lifer" is usually associated with those sentenced to jail for long terms, hardly a comparison with a coach and his million dollar salary. No, it’s politicians with whom coaches can most relevantly compared. Today’s politicians join the trade union movement, or occupy administrative positions in state or federal branches of parties and then win pre-selection and finally a seat in parliament.