State of Origin 2021: Maroons coach Paul Green undecided on his future as Game Three looms

Queensland coach Paul Green has defended his coaching staff from claims they have a partying culture, as he revealed he is undecided on his own future.

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 14: (L-R) Neil Henry and Kevin Walters during a Queensland Maroons State of Origin training session with their Brisbane and Gold Coast players, at Pizzey Park on October 14, 2020 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Matt Roberts/Getty Images)

Besieged Maroons coach Paul Green has revealed he is undecided about his Origin coaching future as he blasted suggestions a culture of boozing has derailed Queensland’s campaign this season.

Green returned to Camp Maroon on Monday night under mounting pressure to stop a NSW clean sweep in Game Three and avoid this Queensland side becoming the worst team, statistically, in State of Origin’s 41-year history.

The Maroons have lost the first two games by an aggregate scoreline of 76-6 – the biggest losing margin since Queensland were thumped by a total of 62 points in NSW’s last ‘Blue Rinse’ 21 years ago.

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Paul Green is facing the heat after a disastrous opening two Origin games. Picture: Matt Roberts/Getty Images

Queensland’s dismal 50-6 and 26-0 losses have turned up the heat on Green, who is technically off-contract, with the Queensland Rugby League to discuss a mutual 12-month option at the conclusion of this series.

QRL chairman Bruce Hatcher says an independent review will be conducted later this year and Green remains unsure if he wants to coach the Maroons beyond his third game as Origin coach on Wednesday week.

Asked if Green wants to lead Queensland in 2022, he said: “I am just worried about Game Three at this stage.

“It (the criticism of the Maroons) is not surprising given the way the series has panned out.

“It’s been challenging, but I’m definitely enjoying the job.

“There is an option there, but I’m not worried about my future here. I am worried about Game Three, we need to have a good performance.

“My focus is on (next) Wednesday night.”

Following their heavy loss in Origin I, the Queensland side was rocked by a Sydney media report claiming that Green and his Maroons assistants stayed up until 1.40am in the bar of Townsville casino on game day.

There are no suggestions Queensland players were on the booze, but the sight of the Maroons’ coaching staff being up late on game eve has raised questions about the professionalism of the brains-trust tasked with beating the Blues.

Green, however, came out swinging, launching a passionate defence of Queensland’s culture and his Maroons assistants Johnathan Thurston, Neil Henry and Allan Langer.

Asked if there was a problem with the culture in Camp Maroon, Green said: “No.

“There was an article and I haven’t even read it, but there’s a few inaccuracies from what I’ve been told.

“Our staff ... if anyone wants to question their integrity or their professionalism, I will back them 100 per cent.

“Despite the challenges we’ve had (with injuries and the Ronaldo Mulitalo eligibility drama), as a group we have managed it as well as we can.

“The players have bought into what we are trying to do and we just have to perform better at the end of the day.

“I’m not going to sit here and talk about all our challenges, because then I would be accused of trying to deflect.

Green speaks to assistant coaches Neil Henry and Johnathan Thurston in Townsville. Picture: Shae Beplate

“I am backing my staff, we have managed what has been thrown at us really well, so we have to get it right next Wednesday and perform well.”

Hatcher told News Corp the Queensland Rugby League will launch a wide-ranging probe into what is looming as the Maroons’ worst-ever Origin campaign.

“I don’t look for blame – I look for what went wrong. That’s why a full assessment with independent people will determine how we go next year,” he said.

“Paul Green is an outstanding coach and a very decent human. He has had significant success as a coach.

“He is not lacking in any of the skills of coaching. You can’t say it was the coach’s fault.

“We are in a rebuilding phase and we’ve got to make sure we produce much more available talent.”

Originally published as State of Origin 2021: Maroons coach Paul Green undecided on his future as Game Three looms