State of Origin 2023: All the news from NSW Blues camp ahead of Game 3
Brad Fittler has not given up on staying on as NSW Blues coach, insisting he is still the best man for the job and won’t be driven out, despite mounting pressure. See the latest news out of Blues camp.
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NSW coach Brad Fittler has given his strongest indication yet that he plans to fight for his State of Origin future, insisting that he is still the best man for the job and won’t be driven away by the pressure and scrutiny on his position.
Fittler’s tenure as Blues coach comes to an end after the final game of the series and the NSW Rugby league is set to sit down in coming months to determine whether his time in charge should be extended.
If recent results are the determining factor, Fittler will be in trouble. After making a flying start to his Origin coaching career, Fittler has presided over three losses from their past four series and five defeats from their past six games.
Asked whether he believed he was still the best man for the job, Fittler said: “At the moment, I don’t see anyone else who would invest as much as I do into the team.
“At the end of the day there will be a discussion about who is available. I will sit down at the end of it and see if I still have the energy for it.
“If I don’t think I am the best person, I will most probably step aside. People might become available – you don’t know what happens in footy, it is a crazy world.”
While results have been mixed on the field in recent years, Fittler’s impact off it has been as strong as ever. Few NSW coaches have done as much to galvanise support throughout the state, although he concedes that shouldn’t be a factor in whether he remains as Blues coach.
“At the end of the day the other stuff is a passion and what I like to do for NSW,” he said.
“I have the ability as NSW coach to be able to do it. Maybe that changes if I am not NSW coach. That is something I am passionate about.
“At the end of the day we need to win State of Origins. If there is a better coach there, that is up to the board and Troddo (chief executive David Trodden) and whoever to decide that.”
Fittler’s desire to show he is still the man for the job played a part in his selections for the final game. He has picked a side with an eye on the present rather than the future, including the contentious call to name South Sydney’s Cody Walker at five-eighth ahead of Cronulla half Nicho Hynes.
He bristled on Monday when asked about the selection of Walker over Hynes, suggesting the focus on the Sharks superstar was part of an agenda to drive a wedge between coach and player.
He claimed the same thing had happened last year after Josh Addo-Carr and Reagan Campbell-Gillard were left out of the NSW side – they are both in the team for Origin III.
“The criticism of me, I can handle anything you write because I don’t read it,” Fittler said.
“I just think speaking to the players coming in, giving me feedback, a lot of the players in game one spoke about how the media is becoming draining.
“It has changed. It has become a lot more aggressive and it is starting to drain the players. That is coming directly from the players.
“The narrative around Fox and RCG going to last year’s World Cup, it was all about them being dropped by NSW. It was (written) 25 times – I looked up that their name was quoted next to being dropped by NSW.
“That is an agenda being driven. I think it is something similar that is happening now between Nicho and I.”
As for the speculation around the future of captain James Tedesco, who was had a poor series by his lofty standards, Fittler said he gave little thought to axing the NSW captain.
He pointed to the poor form of the Sydney clubs and Newcastle as evidence of the shortage of options for the Blues.
“I think it is just important we leave it with positivity,” Fittler said.
“Whether I coach again or not in the future hasn’t been spoken about yet, and won’t be until months away. But obviously Teddy needs a big game and there is a few players who could really relish a big game here and kick start their season – and kick start the Blues again.
“We have been dominated the past three or four years. This game is all about winning. It is surely to win the game – there is no other thought.”
TRBOJEVIC’S INJURY BLOW
NSW coach Brad Fittler has revealed that injured Blues star Tom Trbojevic is back in hospital after suffering a setback in his recovery from a chest injury.
Trbojevic’s season came to an end when he tore his pectoral muscle in the opening minutes of the second Origin game in Brisbane, a bitter blow for the Blues and Manly.
He recently underwent season-ending surgery but Fittler revealed on Tuesday morning that he had suffered a setback which forced him back into hospital.
“Turbo is now back with an infection in the hospital,” Fittler said.
Manly confirmed Trbojevic had returned to hospital as a precautionary measure.
2.32PM: ‘I HATED QUEENSLAND AND I STILL DO’
– Martin Gabor
Bradman Best grew up wanting to fight the kids at school who supported Queensland and got to celebrate State of Origin series wins every year, but he gets to inspire the next generation of kids after he was picked to make his NSW debut.
The 21-year-old hasn’t seen too many Blues victories after he had to watch the Maroons win eight series in a row, which is why he rates the 2014 triumph as his favourite Origin moment,
It’s also why he can’t stand anyone north of the border.
“I hate them,” he said.
“You go to school and you want to have a punch on with the boys who go for Queensland.
“I hated Queensland and I still do.”
The Knights centre said it was a “dream come true” to make his Blues debut, but he already has fond memories of representing his state after he scored one of the most famous tries that still gets replayed these days.
1.48PM: WHY FITTLER PICKED WALKER OVER LUAI
– Martin Gabor
Cody Walker says he thought the State of Origin ship had sailed and has vowed to keep his head now that he’s earnt a recall as the Blues look to salvage some pride with the series already over.
The South Sydney five-eighth is one of seven fresh faces in the squad for game 3, with Walker replacing Penrith’s Jarome Luai in one of the biggest selection shocks.
There were calls for Walker to be picked earlier in the series, but he was kept out by Luai for the first game and wasn’t considered for the trip to Brisbane due to a quad strain.
Walker’s ability to create something out of nothing is why Fittler has turned to him to try to win in Sydney after the Blues scored just 24 points in the first two matches despite dominating territory and possession.
That’s where Walker shines, with the veteran playmaker setting up 20 tries in 14 games this season.
“We haven’t scored tries,” Fittler lamented.
“The execution hasn’t been that fantastic and if you look at the way that Cody has been playing, he’s been thought about the whole time before he got injured. His execution has been as good as anyone’s in the game.
“We just need to score more tries.
“He was a strong consideration for game 1. He’s been in great form – he’s been in great form for years.”
130PM: SHEENS BACKS AXED BLUE
Wests Tigers coach Tim Sheens says he hopes NSW bosses have reached out to dumped rookie prop Stefano Utoikamanu.
Utoikamanu was axed for game three after playing just 12 minutes off the interchange bench in Origin II.
Sheens refused to buy into Utoikamanu’s axing but hoped there was some clarity for his young charger.
“Deep down he would be disappointed but he is excited about what he got,” Sheens said. “It was a step in the right direction. How he responds is up to him. I’m not going to get into NSW politics. From ‘Stef’s’ point of view, he was happy. Hopefully they’ve come to him, had a chat and let him know why.”
12.12PM: SHOCK TICKET FIGURES FOR SYDNEY
Despite being a dead-rubber, State of Origin III in Sydney is surging toward a crowd of 75,000 to 80,000.
A late walk-up on Wednesday week could see the match officially sold out.
It would be a remarkable achievement for the NRL given Queensland has dominated both games this series.
This masthead understands a predicted crowd at present would be 75,000 but that figure will increase given Origin III at the 82,000-seat Accor Stadium is still a week away.
Tickets are continuing to sell strongly.
And there has been a surge in sales since NSW and Queensland named their playing squads earlier this week.
Corporate boxes at Accor Stadium for the game are virtually sold out.
It is understood more than 50,000 seats had been sold before Origin II was played.
The crowd may inflate further given Souths strong representation – Cody Walker, Damien Cook, Keaon Koloamatangi and Cam Murray – at their NRL home ground.
And fans know that NSW, based on history, can prevent a clean sweep.
Of the 30 State of Origin games played at Accor Stadium since 1999, NSW has won 20 with one draw.
Queensland has only won nine games at Sydney Olympic Park, a remarkably low success rate given the Maroons’ continued success over the past 17 years.
11.10AM: NINE NEW BLUES ARRIVE IN CAMP
Brad Fittler’s nine fresh new faces have started arriving at Coogee on Tuesday morning as the NSW coach attempts to restore pride in the Blues jersey ahead of Origin III in Sydney.
Shock selection Bradman Best was one of the first to arrive.
The Newcastle centre wasted no time getting to know his new teammates and was spotted having a coffee with hooker Reece Robson and 18th man Scott Drinkwater.
Parramatta skipper and new Blues utility Clint Gutherson lobbed at the team hotel just before 8.30am along with Jake Trbojevic after the close friends carpooled into Sydney’s east from the northern beaches.
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