Phil Gould calls for one of NRL’s ‘Big Three’ coaches for NSW Blues State of Origin job: Ivan Cleary, Craig Bellamy or Ricky Stuart

Phil Gould says there are only three people currently equipped for the role of NSW coach in State of Origin, but in order for any of them to take on the job, the NSWRL will need to change its coach selection criteria.

Canterbury football boss Phil Gould has ruled out a return to NSW as he called for Origin hierarchy to hire one of the NRL’s Big Three coaches to lead the Blues next season.

Gould is the most successful NSW coach in history but the Canterbury football chief says he is finished with Origin commitments – instead pushing for Ivan Cleary, Craig Bellamy or Ricky Stuart to take charge of the Blues in 2025.

The New South Wales Rugby League is on the hunt for a new coach next season after Michael Maguire resigned in the aftermath of his immediate success this year to take up the Broncos job.

Gould’s name has been floated given his remarkable record of six series wins from eight campaigns between 1992-2004, but ‘Gus’ insists he has no desire to lock horns with Queensland rival Billy Slater next year.

Other names linked to the NSW Origin post have included Matt King, Michael Ennis, Paul McGregor, Trent Barrett, Danny Buderus, Laurie Daley and Matthew Johns.

But Gould says the NSWRL should review its stance on NRL coaches holding a dual role at State of Origin level, insisting Cleary, Bellamy and Stuart should be on the Blues shortlist for 2025.

Phil Gould has ruled out a return to coaching in the Origin arena. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“Being brutally honest, it needs to be done by a club coach,” Gould said on the Footy Talk podcast as the NSWRL continues its search for Maguire’s successor.

“The only people truly equipped to do that (the NSW job) are the successful coaches in the NRL.

“The successful club coaches in Ivan Cleary, Ricky Stuart and Craig Bellamy are the people that should do it.

“We have good ones there to use – so use them.”

Gould said Craig Bellamy, Ivan Cleary and Ricky Stuart are the three most qualified for the NSW job.

There is a view from many in the code, including NSWRL and Queensland Rugby League chiefs, that the Origin posts are too demanding for NRL coaches already burdened by the pressures of club duties.

But Gould is adamant big guns Penrith and Melbourne have the systems to allow their respective coaches, Cleary and Bellamy, to give six weeks to the NSW Origin cause.

Bellamy lost three consecutive series with NSW from 2008-10, while Cleary made a cameo appearance in the Blues’ coaching box alongside former coach Brad Fittler in the 2023 dead rubber at Homebush.

Canberra veteran Stuart coached the Blues in three series, famously orchestrating NSW’s rare decider win at Suncorp Stadium in 2005.

Craig Bellamy coached NSW nine times from 2008-10. Picture: Phil Hillyard

Ricky Stuart coached NSW nine times, spaced out between 2005 and 2012. Picture: Adam Head

Gould, who engineered the Blues’ greatest dynasty from 1992-96, says the Origin job is too difficult for a coaching novice such as Ennis or King.

“I believe they do have the time,” Gould said of Cleary, Bellamy and Stuart.

“Their clubs (Penrith, Melbourne and Canberra) are set up well enough to do it.

“Clubs are set up now where their head coach would have the time to do it.

“I have never thought the Origin job was a full-time job for anyone and probably the coaches took on too much outside of the preparation of the football team than they should have.

“That’s just my personal opinion.

“NSW is different to Queensland. I think they (NSWRL) would be well advised to revise their opinion that it can’t be done by a club coach and one of those three (Bellamy, Cleary or Stuart) should do it (coach NSW) at the moment.

Phil Gould believes the NSW coaching job needs to be taken by someone in their stride as a coach in the NRL. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard

“Then you can get guys like Matt King, Michael Ennis and Laurie Daley and those other fellows (as assistant coaches).

“But, right now, unless you are a coach and into your stride of coaching and into man management on a weekly basis, it’s too much for someone to come in off the street and think because I was an ex-footballer and ex-Origin player that I can do this (coach the Blues).”

Gould, who turns 67 in January, confirmed he has no desire to ever return to the NSW coaching box.

He also set the record straight on speculation he was set to return this season to help Brad Fittler if ‘Freddy’ retained the Blues job, which ultimately went to Maguire.

“No, my Origin days are over,” he said.

“I wasn’t close at all last year (to coming back).

“Brad rang me, he was looking to hold onto his job and looking for what he thought NSW had to do in the future and he rang and asked me if I would lend a hand.

“If Brad asked me to do something, I would never say no, just as if I asked Brad to do something, all his life, he never says no to me.

“I said to Brad, ‘I won’t say no, if you need me to do it I will, but let’s have a think about what you need and where you are going’.

“It became pretty obvious to me pretty early that Brad wasn’t going to retain the job anyway.

“It wasn’t at my instigation that I was ever going to get back involved. If I was asked, I would have helped him, but that didn’t happen.”

Asked if he ever thinks about coaching in the NRL again, Gould said tongue in cheek: “Yeah every day … every day, then I bang my head against a wall until it goes away and I move on.

“I don’t think I can coach in this era.”

Originally published as Phil Gould calls for one of NRL’s ‘Big Three’ coaches for NSW Blues State of Origin job: Ivan Cleary, Craig Bellamy or Ricky Stuart