Origin 2020: Brad Fittler opens up about Blues job and joining Phil Gould as a coaching great

Brad Fittler is one win away from joining Phil Gould as the Blues’ greatest coach – but it might never have happened if not for a bad job interview in 2012.

Gus Gould Brad Fittler...Pic Brett Faulkner

Brad Fittler says he walked into the only job interview of his life with a piece of paper.

“A few notes and a big dream” is how Fittler remembers.

It was August 2012 when the then City Origin coach took a seat inside the NSWRL boardroom at League Central, Moore Park.

Fittler was going for the NSW State of Origin head coaching job, made vacant by the departure of Ricky Stuart.

Also in the running for one of the most-prized jobs in the state were former Warriors and Eels coach Daniel Anderson, then Blues assistant coach Trent Barrett and Country Origin coach Laurie Daley.

Jim Dymock had withdrawn his name from consideration the day before the interview process began to focus on an NRL position at Canterbury.

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Brad Fittler pictured at home with his dog Evie in 2018. Picture: David Swift.

Of course, Daley got the gig and Fittler says he never considered himself a hope.

“It was the only job interview I ever sat for and I failed,” the typically candid Fittler said.

“I never thought I was getting it and nor did I deserve it, really.

“It was with the NSW rugby league board that I had the interview. But I don’t think I interviewed well in hindsight.

“I wouldn’t have given me the job, either. I took in some notes and my big dream.

“The next time around (in 2017), I actually spoke to some people about what you do at a job interview.

“But then again, that second time I went for it, Madge (Michael Maguire) pulled out beforehand, so it didn’t end up being an interview anyway – it was just mine.’’

Fittler now is doing what some of NSW greatest coaches, including Craig Bellamy, Jack Gibson, Tim Sheens and Tommy Raudonikis, weren’t able to achieve for one reason or another.

Fittler looks on before Origin II in Sydney. Picture: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images

On Wednesday night Fittler can join Phil Gould as the most successful NSW Origin coach in Blues history. Only Gould has won three consecutive series with NSW, which beckons for 48-year-old Fittler and his Blues in Brisbane.

Just how this rye-grass-loving, yoga-supple, Harley Davidson-riding outspoken campaigner against social media is now on the verge of joining Gould as the most successful NSW coach in history has to be rugby league’s greatest paradox.

If the Blues go and win a fourth-straight series next year, the coach who keeps llamas for pets and a life-sized chess board in his backyard will be one of the two greatest NSW Origin coaches in history.

Fittler, a modern-day champion footballer and the most capped NSW player in Blues history, laughs now at his initial pitch for the head coaching job eight years ago.

A young Brad Fittler in 1995.

Fittler in action in 1995.

He realises that missing out was the making of him as a person and a coach.

“It was an absolute blessing (not to get the job) — I wasn’t ready for it,’’ Fittler said.

“So I was the assistant to Loz (Daley) for the next two years. I ran the water bottle.

“Then I coached the NSW under-16s and under-18s during that time.

“Loz did a great job. That was a tough time for the Blues and I know the records don’t show it, but most of those series went down to the last game and they were all pretty close.’’

Fittler will tell anyone that will listen that coaching the Blues is the best job in the world.

It annoys him deeply that the Maroons are widely perceived as more passionate about Origin than the Blues. Which is part of the reason why, even when he’s not coaching Tedesco, Cleary or Cook, he’s riding across the state on his Hog with his NSWRL mates, delivering footballs to junior league clubs or laying new grass on their dusty brown ovals.

Brad Fittler rides his motorbike outside NRL headquarters in Moore Park in 2012.

“I’ve had a blessed life,’’ Fittler said.

“I’m in a really good position at the moment from the point of view of, my boss supports what I do.

“We use funds and we get around and buy stuff and give stuff to people and all that comes at a price.

“But I have a boss and a board that’s supportive of me being able to do that.’’

The irony of Fittler joining Gould as the greatest NSW coach is easily identified for those that know and love the game.

Gould has been more than a coach to Fittler.

The former Penrith whiz-kid has spent longer playing and learning under Gould than any other coach in his 31-year involvement in rugby league.

In the early days together at Penrith and later at the Roosters, Gould was more like a father-figure to Fittler.

Phil Gould speaks to the media as Blues captain Brad Fittler looks on in 1996.

“(Gould) coached me for nearly my whole life, other than the last couple of years with Sticky (Ricky Stuart at the Roosters),’’ Fittler said.

“You’d think the majority of stuff I believe (about coaching) would come through being coached by Gus.

“The one thing Gus was good at was, he knew the value of getting a team together. I think Wayne (Bennett) is good at doing something similar.

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“It’s like that saying ‘Happy Wife, Happy Life’. Well, this Blues side is a ‘Happy Team’.

“Still, I’ve got a long way to go. I think (Gould) coached 24 games — he had done it for a long time.

“But this is a good time to be a NSW coach. It’s got nothing to do with Queensland, it’s just all to do with the players coming through for NSW at the moment and they’re all into it.

“They like each other’s company and they compete hard against each other at training.

“I love the job and there’s good and bad.

“You cop a pizzling sometimes, but we’ve won two series and we’ve put ourselves in an opportunity to play at Suncorp Stadium in the decider, which hasn’t happened much for us.

“It’s quite a challenge. If the boys win, they’ll deserve it.’’

So will Fittler.