NRL 2023: Michael Maguire must learn from mistakes of NSW Blues coaches to succeed in State of Origin | Paul Crawley

If Michael Maguire is to succeed as the new Blues coach, the first thing he should do is look back at where it all went wrong for Craig Bellamy, writes PAUL CRAWLEY.

The first thing Michael Maguire should do in his new gig as New South Wales coach is go back 15 years and familiarise himself with what went so wrong for Craig Bellamy when he was in charge of the Blues.

Everyone knows Bellamy is as great a coach as the modern game has had during his incredible 21-year reign at the Melbourne Storm.

Yet as Bellamy painfully learned all those years ago, coaching Origin is a very different beast to coaching at club level.

The knock on Bellamy during his three years in charge of the Blues between 2008-10 was that he tried too hard to turn the NSW Origin team into the Storm - and it backfired badly.

A candid Bellamy even admitted as much at a luncheon a few years back that if he had his time over he would have done it very differently.

Michael Maguire has agreed to take over from Brad Fittler as the new NSW Blues coach in 2024. Picture: NRL Images.

“It took me a series to understand what Origin was about,” Bellamy said back in 2018.

“It’s different. I probably coached Origin too much like a club side.

“If I did it again I would not be as technical and tactical as I was … Origin is not like rugby league. It is like another code.”

Bellamy went on to concede the fact he never played Origin also meant he did not understand what it was about.

And this is where Maguire needs to make sure he doesn’t make the same mistakes.

There are plenty of similarities in the intense coaching styles of Bellamy and Maguire that have led to their success as club coaches.

But as Bellamy explained, that proven method is not the style that works at Origin.

While Maguire is a premiership winner with South Sydney and also Wigan in the Super League, it is vitally important that he doesn’t fall into the same trap of trying to over-coach the players when he takes charge of the Blues.

Also with a non-Origin playing background like Bellamy, he has to surround himself with those who do have Origin experience that can help him understand the subtleties that can make the world of difference.

Maguire must learn from the lessons of Craig Bellamy, who admits State of Origin is a whole other beast to coaching in the NRL

The likelihood of John Cartwright being one of Maguire’s Blues assistants is a great start.

Maguire also has a strong bond with Ricky Stuart to call on.

Even though Stuart won’t be a part of his coaching team (given Stuart’s decision to make the Canberra Raiders his priority), there are few New South Welshmen who get what makes Origin different better than Stuart.

Maguire had a bird’s eye view of Stuart’s unique coaching style this past season where he worked as the Raiders’ defensive coach.

And given both Stuart and Bellamy had made themselves unavailable for the Blues job (I certainly believe Bellamy would have been a lot better if he had taken the job this time around), of the remaining options, the NSW board made the right choice appointing Maguire.

After realising Brad Fittler’s coaching shortcomings, it was wise not to gamble on inexperience again.

But instead go for a replacement with proven success as an NRL head coach.

Bringing on John Cartwright as a Blues assistant would be a great start for Maguire. Picture: Getty Images

You don’t have to think too hard to realise where Fittler got it so wrong these last few years.

While he had the Origin experience as a player, he really let himself down at the selection table with some bizarre choices (think Tevita Pangai this year).

That was only made worse by the constant swapping and changing.

Add to that some of his mind-boggling tactical decisions.

You don’t need to think back any further than the call to select Damien Cook as his back up dummy half only to send him out to play in the centres after an early injury to Tom Trbojevic in game two this year.

Maguire surely won’t make the same tactical blunders on that front.

And a big part of winning Origin is often determined at the selection table.

Maguire’s intricate knowledge of every NRL player’s strengths and weaknesses will certainly put him on the same level as Queensland coach Billy Slater when it comes to the battle of the minds.

Maguire is also smart enough to know he will need to pull back on his own intense coaching style, although that intensity could also turn into a huge strength if he uses it wisely.

The Bellamy experience will only help with that.

Maguire’s recent work with the New Zealand Test team will also be a benefit on that front.

Originally published as NRL 2023: Michael Maguire must learn from mistakes of NSW Blues coaches to succeed in State of Origin | Paul Crawley