By Michael Atkinson

Behind the usual motive of the right to claim premiership glory in the QLD Premier Rugby competition, Sunnybank have the added incentive this year of sending their coach out a winner.

Rod Seib played 118 games for the Dragons as a classy fullback and will this season wrap up a 91-game tenure (and counting) as a coach.

The Brisbane City assistant coach has endured six happy seasons at Oldmac Oval. Seib helped the Dragons to a premiership in 2011 as an assistant coach before guiding them to grand finals in 2012 and 2014 as head coach, all along knowing that his time in the job was limited.

“I’d like to stay for 10 years, the club has given me so much so I’d like to be able to continue to give back,” said Seib.

“But we treat coaching as a pathway as well, so I always knew it was only going to be for a few years and now it’s time to step away to allow the players to hear a fresh voice.”

With the future in mind, the decision to make 2016 his last was one that Seib made at the beginning of the year. His forward thinking is also something his players have benefitted from as individuals over the seasons.

“I really focus on helping guys develop and progress further in their careers – that’s the most rewarding aspect,” revealed the school teacher.

“I loved meeting and working with all the different players over the years and seeing so many players go on to professional contracts either with the Reds or elsewhere.”

There were surely times when Seib thought his last season would end without a fourth finals campaign in six years, especially when the Dragons had the bye in round 18, while GPS battled UQ hoping to sneak past Sunnybank into the top four.

The positive-minded coach opted not to watch that game, however, instead focussing his attention on potential semi-final opponents, Souths, in their last round against Norths.

“I took the confident angle and went to watch Souths, who I knew we’d be facing in week one of the finals, instead of watching GPS and UQ decide our season,” revealed Seib.

The decision paid off as UQ defeated GPS allowing Sunnybank to cling on to fourth spot. Seib’s power of positive thinking now has his charges well aware of what stands in front of them this weekend in the shape of the defending premiers.

“They’re a very big, very physical side and very strong. When we’ve played them this year, they’ve probably won the physical challenge, so we need to ensure we front up in that aspect.”

In six matches against fellow top four sides Souths, Brothers and University, the Dragons have only claimed one win, a record the coach is aware of.

“It’s not a great sign, but in saying that, my biggest focus is what’s in the players’ heads,” said Seib.

“I can tell you that the players certainly believe that we can knock over any team. As long as there is confidence and belief, I am not concerned about the history.”

The Dragons should have confidence given the quality of players they have running around in their squad. From their front row to their halves and on to the speedsters out wide, Sunnybank need only to look within to find reassurance that they’re not just making up the numbers in the finals.

“Our captain, Brendan Mitchell, is a really quality back-rower but he has played second-row for most of the season. He’s an excellent leader.”

“Feao Fotuaika and Tereina McLean have laid a really strong platform for us from the front row all season. Then we’ve had Isaak Fines-Leilewasa and Jake Strachan, a young halves combination, leading us around the park with a lot of attacking flair.”

Fines-Leilewasa has been one of the discoveries of the season for the Dragons and will no doubt be featuring at a higher level soon.

“It’s rare that he is not man of the match. He has uncoachable skills; raw, unstructured attacking ability,” said Seib.

The scrumhalf will be a major contributor if Sunnybank are to progress beyond this week’s minor semi-final match against Souths. In the four team finals series, teams three and four play off in an elimination final, meaning every week is sudden death football from here on out for Seib and the Dragons.

“The old cliché is really appropriate: we have to take it one week at a time because we can’t plan beyond that when each game is do or die.”

With a steely determination and a “yes we can” mentality, the Dragons are keen to thank Seib for his services with a premiership, despite their unconvincing limp into the finals.

“It would be nice wouldn’t it?” said Seib.

“It’s a long way to go, but this team certainly has it in them.”

In the major semi-final, minor premiers UQ will take on brothers with the winner going straight through to the grand final in a fortnight’s time. UQ are on a 15 game winning streak and have beaten Brothers in both of their encounters in 2016.

The Brethren will need to contain Uni in the early stages of the match to give themselves any hope of earning a week’s rest.

The loser of this match will meet the winner of Souths vs. Sunnybank in the preliminary final on July 31^st.