Origin 2021: New Maroons coach Paul Green opens up on Broncos, Cowboys, player relationships

After six months out of the game, Paul Green can’t wait to get his Queensland Origin journey started - but that doesn’t mean Kevin Walters shouldn’t be looking over his shoulder.

Maroons coach Paul Green is hoping to continue the good work of Wayne Bennett in 2021.

Paul Green has broken his silence on losing out to Kevin Walters for the Brisbane job, declaring he still dreams of coaching the Broncos as he prepares to relaunch his career with the Queensland Origin side.

In his most extensive interview since being axed as Cowboys six months ago, a candid Green outlined his vision to return to the NRL and addressed claims his intense style puts him offside with his players.

A fortnight ago, Green was appointed as Wayne Bennett’s Queensland successor for this year’s State of Origin series, sweet reward to ease the pain of being snubbed by the Broncos in a two-man showdown with Walters.

It’s been 208 days since Green was shown the door by North Queensland after seven largely successful years in the tropics and the break has given the 48-year-old time to ponder his future moves … and his quest for self-improvement.

Watch Live & On-Demand coverage of NRL pre-season trial matches on Kayo. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial now & start streaming instantly >

Maroons coach Paul Green is hoping to continue the good work of Wayne Bennett in 2021.

THE BRONCOS

There is a view Green was never truly in the running for the Broncos post following the departure of Anthony Seibold last August.

Brisbane bosses were under enormous pressure to install Kevin Walters, a club legend with the Broncos DNA to harmonise a fractured club.

Only Walters and Green were interviewed for the post. The articulate Green was said to be outstanding in his interview, as he was when he clinched the Cowboys post in 2014, but Broncos hierarchy opted for Walters.

Speaking for the first time about his pursuit of the Broncos job, Green says there is no bad blood with Brisbane management.

“Look, I was disappointed to miss out on the Broncos,” he said.

“But I knew the situation I was walking into. I knew what ‘Kevvie’ brought to the job and I knew what I brought to the job.

“We had different strengths, so it was always going to come down to what the Broncos were looking for at the time.

“There’s no ill-feeling at all towards the Broncos at all.

“I am really glad to have gone through an interview process because it’s something that can make you better as a person.”

Kevin Walters get the nod for the Broncos role.

RED HILL RETURN

Walters is contracted to the Broncos for the next two years. Green recently moved back to Brisbane with his wife and two children and he wishes Walters every success in his quest to deliver a seventh premiership to the Broncos.

But Green, who had a two-year coaching stint as an assistant at the Broncos in 2008-09, says he still aspires to clinching one of the most prestigious jobs in Australian sport.

“I’m Brisbane born and bred, so to coach the Broncos would be a great ambition,” he said.

“Hopefully it happens down the track.

“I don’t want to walk away from coaching. I do see myself coaching in the NRL again. I’m a coach and I enjoy it.

“There are plenty of challenges that come with coaching in the NRL, but it’s important to remember why you did it in the first place, and that’s to help people get better.”

In seven seasons at Townsville, Green won a premiership and reached a grand final.

THE COWBOYS

Green’s legacy will be forever enshrined in Townsville. He was the Cowboys’ greatest coach. He delivered the club’s fairytale maiden premiership in 2015. He steered North Queensland to another grand final two years later during his 167-game stint.

But Green’s seven-season tenure came to a painful end, his contract torn up as the Cowboys hurtled towards a third consecutive bottom-four finish. Some club insiders feared Green was burning out. The sabbatical has given Green time to recharge the batteries.

“It was good to have a chance to freshen up and reflect on the experience of my time at the Cowboys,” he said.

“I learnt a lot from it. To be honest, I was going pretty hard there, not just for seven years at the Cowboys, but also at Wynnum before I went down to the Roosters. I have put a lot into coaching. It can be a stressful job, so this has given me a chance to refresh, spend time with my family, think about my coaching and learn from those experiences so this time with the Maroons, I’ll be a better coach.

“We didn’t have great results (in his final three seasons) so looking back, I probably should have handled it better.

“Things like the transition of leadership, some of our recruitment decisions. If we had our time again, we probably would have done some things different. But I did win a premiership there and we made another grand final and had some great successes, so overall as a club we had a great journey.

“It was the greatest thrill to win that premiership. For so long, the people of North Queensland craved a premiership, so to do that leaves some great memories.”

Green was embroiled in a pub argument with Michael Morgan during his Cowboys stint.

THE PLAYERS

Upon his departure, there were whispers Green had lost the playing group.

There was speculation NRL superstar Kalyn Ponga quit the Cowboys at the end of 2017 because he didn’t feel comfortable with Green’s coaching. In 2019, Fox Sports cameras captured Green giving Coen Hess a savage spray at half-time during a game against the Wests Tigers. The same season, he was embroiled in a pub argument with club captain Michael Morgan in front of Cowboys sponsors.

Asked if he was too hard on players, Green was as philosophical as he was forthright.

“It’s just bulls**t,” he says.

“It’s a very generalised statement (to suggest he fell out with Cowboys players). Until people get more specific about that, I don’t know what they are talking about.

“The fact is in the NRL, you have to win, as players and as a coach. The truth is we weren’t winning games and no-one enjoys that. It’s not a great environment when you aren’t winning.

“The challenge is to get your team out of that and I didn’t really do that at the end. But there was a time when we were winning and we did have a happy club.

“As I said, it’s a general comment to say that. If I have a direct conversation with a player, does that mean I don’t get on with blokes? But one thing I have learnt is the approach - some guys you can be more direct with, other guys don’t respond to criticism.

“That’s the man management part of coaching.

Paul Green has big shoes to fill.

ORIGIN PLANS

Green is determined to build on the success of Wayne Bennett’s magical series win last season. He will consider using Maroons legends Johnathan Thurston, Billy Slater and Cameron Smith as part of his coaching arsenal.

“Guys like Billy and Thurston had great Origin careers, so if there’s an opportunity for them to contribute, of course I am going to look to them,” he said.

“It’s not just Billy either, Cameron Smith’s name has been mentioned, so he’s another guy to consider. I worked with Jonno at the Cowboys so I know what he brings as a competitor.

“This is a huge honour for me to coach the Queensland team. It’s not like I have to reinvent the wheel. I’m walking into a successful team with a great culture.

“To win the series last year was enormous and it will give the young blokes confidence. Not many debutants can step into Origin and kill it straight away, it takes a while to get the confidence to feel like you belong there, but the experience from last year’s series will be enormous.

“I can’t wait to work with the young guys. I like seeing players improve. The most rewarding thing for me is seeing players get better and that’s why I want to keep coaching.”

Originally published as Origin 2021: New Maroons coach Paul Green opens up on Broncos, Cowboys, player relationships