In the wake of NSW’s Origin series loss, predictable questions will be asked about the future of coach Laurie Daley and several key players.
Given the performance of the Blues, these questions are justified. Daley’s Origin record of five series losses and one victory does not look good.
But broader questions need to be asked about whether the Blues got their coaching set-up right from the start of this series.
To begin with, consider the role of Craig Bellamy. Regularly touted as one of the NRL’s best coaches, nobody outside Blues camp had much of an idea how much influence he did or didn’t have in his role as an “advisor” to Daley.
Daley and Bellamy preside over Blues training. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Leaving aside the fact that Bellamy himself has a less than stellar record as Origin head coach, losing every series between 2008-2010, the optics of appointing Bellamy must have created a bit of uncertainty among the playing group.
Did the NSWRL have full confidence in Daley to begin with, or not?
Origin coaches shouldn’t need mentors, regardless of how well qualified individuals such as Bellamy are. If you want to get in the arena, volunteer to take the top job.
Then there are the assistants to Daley: Matt King and Brett White. Both these coaches were there last year under Michael Maguire but should receive scrutiny.
White joined the Gold Coast Titans as an assistant in 2023 primarily as a defensive coach. They currently sit last on the NRL ladder and given NSW’s woeful defensive displays in the first halves of games two and three, when they were respectively down 26-6 and 20-0, his time might be close to being up.
King has been an assistant at the Roosters since 2017, clearly having chosen a better club to develop his career. But some of the things he said in the press leading up to games this year look somewhat embarrassing in hindsight.
In the lead-up to game two, King was asked about the weather in Perth potentially upsetting NSW’s attack. He responded by saying that NSW have game plans and attacking plays that could hold up under any conditions.
Not so.
Game three especially was a disaster as the Blues seemed unable to adapt to Queensland’s rushing defence.
What makes this series particularly disturbing for Blues fans is that NSW had one of the strongest teams in years – Nathan Cleary was there for all three games, as was Latrell Mitchell. After game one, Payne Hass was lauded as the best front rower in the game.
Put simply, this was not 2009, the midway point of Queensland’s golden run when they had a team stacked with future immortals.
Daley’s press conference after the game was truly dispiriting for NSW fans. Claiming that it is tough to win back-to-back series, that NSW had only done it five times in their history, Blues fans were entitled to grimace when hearing this.
I assume that was not something he said at his job interview.
After all, Queensland seem to manage it quite well, having won 11 out of 12 between 2006 and 2017.
I actually don’t fault Daley. He was a champion player whose service to his state has run its course. But he should never have been appointed head coach.
His presence recalls the darkest period in NSW rugby league history.
