NSW coach Michael Maguire says belief and brotherhood behind stunning Origin success

NSW coach Michael Maguire was told the one thing he couldn’t do was lose the opening game, but there was a key reason that didn’t matter.

The NSW Blues celebrate after winning game 3 of the State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Luke Marsden

An “historic” series win in enemy territory is just the start for a group of NSW players coach Michael Maguire says is determined to build a dynasty around the “glue” that is captain Jake Trbojevic.

After a night of “special” celebrations with not just the players but the extended squad and their families, an element of his new reign that Maguire said had been crucial to success, the Blues coach said an unwavering belief drove the squad after losing the opening match that everyone had told him would make winning almost impossible.

The 14-4 victory at Suncorp Stadium ended a run of two-straight Queensland series wins as Maguire, in charge for the first time, put a premium on player-driven desire.

“We didn’t talk about the enormity of what’s happened in the game because it’s a new group,” Maguire said in the aftermath of the two-tries-to-nil win.

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“It’s something there this group wants to build themselves, and that’ll go down in history.

“The belief of what this group is capable of; something there is really special. They really believe in each other.”

Trbojevic, a surprise pick as captain to many, only played 23 minutes in the decider, all in the opening half, and didn’t play more than 80 minutes in total across the entire series.

But Maguire said the skipper was a man of character, and that’s what this Blues group was being built on, a trait that came to the fore at Suncorp Stadium.

“It’s the glue, it’s the special parts of what goes on around the team that others don’t get to see but I do,” he said.

“You’re picking certain characters for what you want.

The NSW Blues celebrate after winning game 3 of the State of Origin at Suncorp Stadium. Picture: Luke Marsden

“I felt that Jake was the person that was a fair bit of the glue that I’ve seen over the years around the Origin team and he showed that by the passion the players showed him last night.

“I didn’t do a whole lot of coaching towards the back end of this campaign because the players take over … that’s what I believe you need to do at this level.

“It just became a game where you just had to fight for one moment in time and then sure enough, we had to do that right to the end of the game to be able to achieve that.”

Originally published as NSW coach Michael Maguire says belief and brotherhood behind stunning Origin success