How New South Wales coach Brad Fittler built a budding Blues dynasty

Brad Fittler has had critics second-guessing him all series. He’s had selections questioned and his team written off. But the Blues coach stuck true and has now lead NSW to consecutive series wins.

• BUZZ: Highs and lows of Origin III

• RATINGS: “The best player in the world”

In his spare time, Brad Fittler rides the country side on his Harley Davidson helping lay turf for broke footy clubs.

He enjoys crosswords, has a life-size chess board in his backyard and owns a pet llama.

Freddy is slightly different to most of us - including Tommy Raudonikis, Ricky Stuart, Tim Sheens, Craig Bellamy and Laurie Daley.

Because this morning the 47-year-old wakes in a position few, if any, past NSW coaches have been in before.

Freddy has won two series from as many attempts. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

Wednesday’s come-from-behind victory over Queensland takes Fittler alongside Phil Gould as the only two NSW coaches in Origin history to win back-to-back series.

It’s a record Gould has held since 2004-2005.

Call him Mr.Lucky. Call him the captain of chaos or call him wacky old Freddy. It doesn’t matter, Fittler’s has two series wins from as many starts. A 100 per cent series record.

This was a series win that began with a leaked sex-tape that went to air as the Blues landed in Brisbane prior to Origin. It was a ploy, the NSW staffers claimed, to sabotage them.

With debutants Cody Walker, Cameron Murray, Nick Cotric and Jack Wighton, Freddy went to the cauldron Lang Park and ran out of steam.

In Perth, he wanted Mitchell Pearce but he wasn’t fit, so he turned to Jimmy Maloney. He added Wade Graham after just two matches back from a knee reconstruction, handed Blake Ferguson his Origin re-call and little-known prop Daniel Saifiti his start.

The Blues were so dominant in their 38-6 victory that NSW appeared magically from the Sydney Olympic tunnel at ANZ Stadium as the shortest-priced favourite ever in a decider.

The punters must not have known that not one of the 17 Blues players had ever won a decider.

The Queenslanders certainly reminded everyone of that. Because with eight minutes to go the Blues were rocking and rolling off the rails.

Leading 20-8, the Blues appeared in control. Note; appeared.

Typical of the Maroons they wouldn’t go away. Josh McGuire crashed over in the 72nd to make it 20-14 and then Josh Papalii’s try in the 77th minute allowed Etan Lowe to slot the conversion for 20-20 all.

Fittler’s overwhelming message throughout this series has been for his Blues side to “play football.”

Fittler stuck to his guns when it counted. AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts.

By that, Fittler meant promote the footy, keep pushing-up in support and follow each other.

“That’s what Queensland did when they were dominant,’’ Fittler told his team.

And so with the words of their coach in their ears, the Blues let it sing.

Shifting to the right, the Maroons left-side, Mitchell Pearce - the redemption story himself - tossed a floater to Tom Trbojevic, who found Blake Ferguson.

Remember, Ferguson was the winger few ever thought they’d see in a Blues jumper. But Freddy backed the Eels star.

Tip-toeing down the right touch line, Fergsuon found that man, who runs like he’s aided by a moving footway, James Tedesco.

With 32-seconds to go in the series, with the scores locked-up, Tedesco - the NSW vice-captain - touched down in front of Blatchys Blues.

Fittler had watched the entire match from the sideline - except when Tedesco scored.

“I was nervous because I was on the field when he scored. I thought to myself, ‘Can they take the try off us because I was actually in the middle of the field on my own?,” Fittler said. When Fittler interviewed for the job to replace Laurie Daley as NSW coach 19-months ago, he spoke about wanting to build an Origin dynasty.

Two series from two attempts. It’s a pretty good start.