Blues legend Brad Fittler refuses to rule out coaching NSW if Laurie Daley quits

FORMER NSW captain Brad Fittler has refused to rule out coaching the Blues if the job became available.

Brad Fittler has been linked to the Blues coaching job. Picture: Toby Zerna

FORMER NSW captain Brad Fittler has refused to rule out coaching the Blues if the job became available.

Fittler and former representative teammate Andrew Johns have been linked as potential replacements for Laurie Daley after the Blues’ defeat in the decider.

NSW have lost 11 of the past 12 Origin series to the all-conquering Maroons, prompting calls for Daley’s five-year reign to end which includes the only series win since 2005.

Fittler refused to make a concrete comment on the Blues’ coaching position because Daley is still in charge.

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Brad Fittler has been linked to the Blues coaching job. Picture: Toby Zerna

It is understood Daley will wait at least a few weeks before making a formal decision whether he’ll back up for 2018.

“There isn’t a job available at the moment and we should give everyone the due respect that the position deserves,” Fittler said.

“It’s one of those things — Laurie is still the State of Origin coach.

“Until the job was offered to anyone, you’d have to speak to other people. So there would be no decision until I spoke to an awful lot of people and that’s if the job became available.”

Laurie Daley will wait a few weeks before deciding on his future as Blues coach.

Following NSW’s demoralising 22-6 loss to Queensland on Wednesday night, many experts believe it’s time for change.

This talk was sparked after ex-Maroons player and coach Paul Vautin asked Johns if he’d coach the Blues during Channel 9’s post-match coverage.

Johns didn’t rule out the role, saying: “I don’t know. I can’t answer that at the moment. I don’t know if I need that pressure in my life, if I’m going to be honest.”

Fittler also isn’t sure if Johns wants to take on the Blues gig.

“No idea — I’m not sure if he is into coaching,” he said.

“I think it was an off the cuff comment from Paul Vautin more than anything.”

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Either way, Fittler knows something must be done to stop Queensland’s dominance on the Origin stage.

“You could see they (the NSW players) were very disappointed,” he said.

“They saved their worst half of footy for the most important half.

“I think everyone is disappointed. Now we’ve got to wait another 12 months to get another crack.”