NRL 2023: NSW Blues eye Ricky Stuart, Craig Bellamy as potential replacements after Brad Fittler quits
Several NRL coaches have been shortlisted as potential candidates to replace Brad Fittler as NSW State of Origin coach, while Laurie Daley has had his say. See all the leading contenders.
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Ricky Stuart leads a short-list of influential NSW Origin figureheads the NSWRL board will consider as candidates to replace Blues coach Brad Fittler.
Craig Bellamy, Michael Ennis, Paul Gallen and Jason Ryles have also emerged as passionate mentors that will become the focus of a national search to decide who leads NSW into the 2024 State of Origin series against Queensland.
The decision by the NSWRL is of monumental significance with the Blues attempting to overcome a Maroons juggernaut led by Billy Slater.
It lends reason as to why in announcing Fittler’s exit on Thursday after six-years in charge of the Blues, the NSWRL board wasted no time in confirming in the same press release that they would invite “expressions of interest from coaches to be involved in the State of Origin program in 2024.”
Trent Barrett, John Cartwright, Ivan Cleary, Matt King and Michael Maguire will also be viewed as potential coaching options.
However, within hours of Fittler dropping a bombshell on the state, a NSW Origin super team was being floated by several key figures within the Blues set-up.
A team that could be led by Stuart with Bellamy, Ennis and Gallen on the coaching staff.
One of the sticking points of Fittler’s decision to reject an offer to coach for 2024 is believed to be the NSWRL desire to scale back the employment of the NSW coach from a full-time role, as was the case for Fittler, to a part-time role.
That opens the door to the possibility of the NSWRL board scrapping their stand-alone coach policy and returning to a current NRL coach, who would be willing to fulfil both responsibilities.
Stuart is in the fortunate position that he has Maguire, a premiership-winning coach, as his assistant coach at Canberra, who could lead the Raiders, should a role with the NSW Origin team eventuate.
Stuart’s passion and intensity to deliver for NSW is also viewed as a highly-valued commodity for a state desperate to avenge for the past two series losses to Queensland.
Stuart not only played 14 Origins for the Blues, he led NSW to victory in the 2005 series before losing 2-1 in both the 2011 and 2012 series, the latter by a field-goal in a game three decider.
His bond with Bellamy has also been widely-reported.
The duo coached Australia together, with his close friend Bellamy, an assistant coach, at the 2008 World Cup.
Bellamy is also a former coach of the Blues - in charge of the 2008, 2009 and 2010 series - while Ennis and Gallen are both former NSW Blues players and passionate mentors for the game’s current stars.
Unlike Fittler, who had progressed through the Blues pathways system as a head coach, before replacing former NSW coach Laurie Daley in 2018, the NSWRL board aren’t in a position of promoting from within.
The search for the next coach of NSW is already underway.
DALEY WEIGHS IN ON BLUES ORIGIN COACHING CALL
Laurie Daley has ruled himself out of coaching NSW.
Daley, who coached the Blues between 2013 and 2017, was touted as a possible replacement for Brad Fittler, who stood down from the top job on Thursday afternoon.
There were immediate suggestions Daley could be recalled but the former Test captain was quick to end the speculation.
“No, no,” Daley told the Big Sports Breakfast.
“I’m always happy to help if asked, always happy to help.
“But that (fulltime role) is for someone else.”
Daley said selecting a club coach to lead NSW – Ricky Stuart, Craig Bellamy and Ivan Cleary have already been mentioned - would present its challenges.
“A club coach can do it but you put yourself at risk,” Daley said.
“If you go into an Origin series and your club team isn’t travelling well, and for that period when you’re away your team struggles, it can put a lot of pressure on the coach.
“Throw into the mix, you might lose State of Origin, and you know the impact it has on coaches, you could be copping from NSW and your club.
“It’s big risk. That would be the worry I have – paying a coach a $1m a year and they will be spending a quarter of the season, six weeks, out of your system in State of Origin.””
Daley was shocked that Fittler stood down.
“I was a little bit surprised because I know how passionate Freddie is about NSW,” Daley said.
Fittler won three from six series as Blues coach.
INSIDE STORY: HOW NSW-FITTLER LOVE AFFAIR TURNED SOUR
Departing Blues coach Brad Fittler believed Phil Gould could help him save the state of NSW. In hindsight, it was a call that may have contributed to his demise.
Yes, Gould gets State of Origin like few others. But he is also a divisive figure and there were some within the NSW hierarchy who were wary about him bringing him back into the fold.
They were of the belief that if things went well, Gould would accept the glory and the pats on the back. If things went south, blame would be apportioned elsewhere.
Gould had given a hint of what was to come through the media earlier this week. On Monday, he was on the Nine Network confirming his interest in helping Fittler and revealing that the coach had only been offered a one-year extension but wanted two years.
He addressed the issue again on his podcast the next day. As Fittler’s future hung in the balance, Gould was providing regular updates to the world.
So while the NSW Rugby League were willing to entertain the Fittler-Gould tandem and even go so far as offering the coach a one-year extension, they were reluctant to go beyond that.
As they should have been given the Blues recent record under Fittler.
The Blues legend was a breath of fresh air when he first walked into the NSW job six years ago but the air had become stale in recent years, matching Fittler’s mood.
He started his Origin coaching career with an open-door policy and finished it at loggerheads with sections of the media, setting off alarm bells as his paranoia grew.
His cheerleaders suggested he was a boon for the state and while no-one could dispute the work he did raising the profile of the sport, his record as a coach left him vulnerable.
Cracks started appearing when he was out-coached by Wayne Bennett, losing the unlosable series in 2020 to a squad branded by some media as the worst in Origin history.
He rebounded the next year but was outwitted again by Maroons coach Billy Slater over the past two series. Successive defeats suggested he had lost his way and Blues powerbrokers were justifiably concerned, asking him to reapply for his job.
Fittler was forced to present his plans for the future but even the NSW board were caught off guard last week when he revealed plans to dramatically overhaul his staff following a slew of departures.
Fittler’s close ally and friend Greg Alexander stepped away after six years as his chief advisor. Assistant coach Paul McGregor was closing on a job with North Queensland that meant he could no longer be part of the Blues’ set-up.
NSW legend Danny Buderus had also removed himself from the equation and while all had valid reasons for their departures, it felt like they were leaving a sinking ship.
Fittler’s answer was Gould, although when he first presented to the NSW Rugby League last week there wasn’t a lot of clarity around the respective roles.
They asked Fittler to come back with more information and he did that this week. At that point, the Blues board was expected to give Fittler at least another year but he wanted more, a request Gould confirmed this week.
The parties went back and forth but as they struggled to find an agreement – there was also talk that the role was set to be reduced in terms of commitment and financial reward – Fittler came to the realisation that he was fighting a losing battle.
So he informed NSWRL chief executive David Trodden just before midday on Thursday that he was walking away.
He came into the job as an agent of change, seeking to restore some pride in the Blues jersey. He did just that but as he leaves, the jersey is again in dire need of restoration.
Ironically, only hours before the Blues and Fittler parted ways, the Queensland Rugby League confirmed Slater had been appointed for a further three years.
The Blues are once again in turmoil and the search has already begun for a coach capable to unifying the state and restoring pride in the jersey. It won’t be easy. The Maroons are purring under Slater.
Fittler couldn’t find a way to beat him. Now it is someone else’s turn.
“The board understands and respects his decision,” Conlon said of Fittler.
“Freddy was a legend as a player and returned to coach the team at a time when his state needed him.
“He enjoyed immediate success and his series win in 2021, which included record scorelines in Townsville and Brisbane, will go down in NSW Blues history.
“He also contributed through other programs including his Hogs motorcycle rides in regional NSW which played a big part in uniting the state.
“He holds a special place in NSW Rugby League history.”
Fittler said he thoroughly enjoyed his time at the helm of the Blues but there is a sense that as he departs, the state is back to square one.
“I loved doing the job and NSW and I will always love NSW,” Fittler said.
It is a love affair was put to the test on Thursday.
ORIGIN SHOCK: BRAD FITTLER QUITS AS NSW COACH
Brad Fittler has dropped a bombshell on the state of NSW by resigning as head coach of the Blues.
In a shock decision, Fittler has informed the NSWRL board and CEO David Trodden that he is walking away just six days after pitching to continue in the role.
Fittler’s boardroom bid to remain coach for the 2024 State of Origin series included an overhaul of his coaching staff and the inclusion of Phil Gould to replace Greg Alexander as his new senior advisor.
As first revealed by this masthead, the NSWRL board were aiming to make a call on Fittler’s future on Wednesday, but decided to press pause on the matter in order to dissect the incumbent coach’s plan in more detail.
The board were content to consider Fittler’s plan.
However, the coach phoned Trodden on Thursday to declare he was standing down.
It’s understood the NSWRL board offered Fittler the position for the 2024 series, but it was under revised conditions, which the Blues legend was unwilling to accept.
Via a press statement, the NSWRL confirmed the end of Fittler’s tenure.
“The board understands and respects his decision,” NSWRL chairman Paul Conlon said.
“Freddy was a legend as a player and returned to coach the team at a time when his state needed him.
“He enjoyed immediate success and his series win in 2021, which included record scorelines in Townsville and Brisbane, will go down in NSW Blues history.
“He also contributed through other programs including his Hogs motorcycle rides in regional NSW which played a big part in uniting the state.
“He holds a special place in NSW Rugby League history.”
Fittler said: “I loved doing the job and NSW and I will always love NSW”.
The press release also confirmed that “the NSWRL Board will now invite expressions of interest from coaches to be involved in the State of Origin program in 2024.”
Ricky Stuart and Craig Bellamy will become instant targets of discussion for the NSWRL board.
Fittler’s decision is the end of an era for the Blues.
Fittler took over NSW from Laurie Daley for the 2018 State of Origin series and finished with three series wins from six attempts.
After coaching his 18th Origin in Origin III this year, he finishes as the second most capped NSW coach of all-time behind Gould (24).
Fittler’s call comes just hours after Queensland announced an extension to the coaching tenure of Billy Slater for a further three years.
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Originally published as NRL 2023: NSW Blues eye Ricky Stuart, Craig Bellamy as potential replacements after Brad Fittler quits
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