NRL 2023: Michael Maguire turns to Blues after losing New Zealand head coach

Michael Maguire was denied a graceful exit from the New Zealand coaching role and the biggest winners are poised to be NSW fans.

Michael Maguire says he is “shattered” at his demise as New Zealand coach but believes his success with the Kiwis is evidence of the winning culture he can bring to the NSW Origin side.

News Corp can reveal Maguire’s appointment as NSW coach is a fait accompli in the wake of the New Zealand Rugby League’s decision to part ways with the premiership coach.

Maguire has broken his silence on his departure from the Kiwis, admitting he “never wanted to go” in the wake of their epic 30-0 drubbing of Australia in the recent Pacific Championships final.

Maguire viewed that triumph as a preamble to leading the Kiwis to the 2026 World Cup, but the NZRL’s decision has opened the door for ‘Madge’ to take charge of the Blues.

That move is expected to be formalised next week, with Maguire set to ink a two or three-year deal to rebuild the embattled Blues in much the same way as he has revived the Kiwis as a footballing force.

Michael Maguire did not want to end his stint with the Kiwis like he has. Credit: NRL Images.

“It’s saddening I can’t go on. I’m shattered,” Maguire said, just three weeks after New Zealand’s thumping of the Kangaroos.

“I never wanted to go, but the NZRL want to go in a different path and I just want to wish them well.

“I want to go out gracefully. I always want to leave an organisation in a good place and I feel it’s something I’ve worked hard to do. To see where New Zealand rugby league now is, we have a very special group and I’m proud of the contribution I made there.

“I’m really disappointed. Coaching these Kiwi boys has been one of the highlights of my career and I felt we were beginning to build something special as a team.

“I have great gratitude to the Kiwi guys.

“You tour together, you go through so much together and what I’m really proud of over progress over the past six-year period.

“I was looking to continue our success towards the 2026 World Cup.

“It’s been great being part of such a special group of players and the most pleasing thing for me was the growth of the players, both personally and professionally, culminating in that 30-0 win against Australia.

“That was an unbelievable victory and it all had its roots in what I wanted to build when I started at New Zealand coach.

“I appreciate the opportunity I had with the Kiwis.”

Brandy blasts the NZRL for making Michael Maguire pick between NSW and the Kiwis#NRLpic.twitter.com/xCHp1ccUc4

— SEN 1170 (@1170sen) November 24, 2023

The next step is toppling another juggernaut - the Queensland Origin team.

The Maroons are shooting for a hat-trick of Origin titles next season, but Maguire is confident he can inject the type of self-belief to the Blues that has taken the Kiwi Test side to another level.

Maguire believed he was capable of juggling both Origin and Test roles, but the NZRL was concerned about a potential conflict of interest.

Speaking for the first time about the NSW job, Maguire confirmed his interest and is relishing the prospect of building a winning unit.

It is understood Broncos assistant coach John Cartwright will be part of his NSW set-up, with Nathan Cayless and Stacey Jones options to succeed Maguire as Kiwi coach.

“It’s common knowledge I have been working through a process with NSW Rugby League,” Maguire said.

“As soon as the matter is finalised, I’m sure the NSWRL will make an official announcement.

“Only in the past week has it ramped up because I respected the role I was doing with the Kiwis during our tournament.

“Moving forward, I’m about trying to build a culture of a group and that really shone through in our Pacific Championships campaign.

“I’m very grateful to have options. I started coaching in early 2000, so the opportunities the game has given me is incredible.

“I have always loved the international space, so to be able to work in it and be in the position I was, it’s great to see the international game thriving.

“I am now looking at the Origin space and I want to go after those sorts of opportunities.”

Maguire won 12 of 18 games as New Zealand coach since his appointment in 2018 and hasn’t ruled out one day returning to the Kiwi side to chase his final frontier - winning a World Cup.

“I spent a week just recently in New Zealand to learn more about the culture and the people to try and further that bond with the Kiwi players,” he said.

“At Test level, you work with the top echelon of rugby league players, but there wasn’t a lot of belief around what they thought they could do as a group.

“Over the journey, I have watched this New Zealand organisation reach a level of belief where we produced one of the country’s greatest ever wins in that defeat of the Aussies.

“I worked closely with guys like Shaun Johnson, Jared Wearea-Hargreaves and Jesse Bromwich and I spoke to them about the culture of the jersey and what it meant.

“It grew to what we saw in that last game against Australia where we truly started to believe we could beat the Kangaroos on a regular basis.

“There was a burning desire to win the World Cup and maybe one day I can do that, but it’s on hold at this stage.

“The circumstances at this present time have changed and I’ve got some opportunities, but I wish the guys well and I would love to see New Zealand building success moving forward.”