State of Origin 2024: Michael Maguire explains his selection process, calls out Gorden Tallis
Blues coach Michael Maguire has stoked the flames of Origin rivalry by labelling NSW ‘the people’s team’ and calling out Maroons legend Gorden Tallis for slamming behaviour he once made famous.
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Michael Maguire has placed Gorden Tallis squarely in the glass house of hypocrisy after the Queensland legend accused NSW players of being too aggressive in an Origin II boilover in Melbourne.
Ahead of a fiery Origin decider at Suncorp Stadium on July 17, Maguire has stoked the flames of rivalry by labelling NSW “the people’s team” and calling out the Maroons for slamming behaviour they once made famous.
It was a jibe directed at Queensland coach Billy Slater ahead of game two, but this time he’s put Tallis under the torch for multiple incidents during his time in the Maroons jersey including being sent off for dissent, striking Blues winger Adam MacDougall after scoring a try and rag-dolling Brett Hodgson in a famous show of aggression.
“Gordy might be sitting inside that glass house,” Maguire said on Monday.
It follows comments Tallis made on NRL360 claiming Latrell Mitchell crossed the line by pushing Maroons No.1 Reece Walsh in the back and crunching Valentine Holmes in a brutal tackle.
“That’s where the glass house comes into play,” Maguire continued, also pointing to Nate Myles having words with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii as he was sent from the field in game one.
“If you’re talking to that, you look in game one where certain things were said off the field.
“Where you (media) want to take that, that’s up to you. But we’re very focused about what happens on the field. It was nice to see we had a dominant performance, but it won’t mean anything if we don’t do it again.”
When asked if NSW bullied Queensland in the 38-18 win as many claimed, he said: “I don’t know if you would call it bullying. We just played the style rugby league needs to be played.
“The first half we were very thorough, the second half we need to improve. I think that’s probably the biggest thing. As a coach I have taken away that it’s an 80-minute game and there are areas of our game where we can be better.”
Maguire’s comments ramp up the pressure on a Queensland side desperate to bounce back from a horror showing in game two in Melbourne.
Maroons have taken the drastic measure of cancelling their full squad media opportunity which has sparked speculation Slater is panicking.
When asked if Slater is feeling the pressure, Maguire took another swipe at the rival coach’s curious “we’re Queenslanders” line after the Origin II loss.
“Probably have to ask the Queenslander. I don’t know, I really don’t know. We know where we come from and they know where they come from,” Maguire said.
“I don’t know the reasons why they’re (cancelling media) but as I explained before, the enormity of what the Origin teams means to people, it’s the people’s team.
“Now, feeling it, getting an understanding of it and watching the fans, game one we walked over (to Accor Stadium) and it was going crazy. You ran out through the tunnel and the amount of fans who were here and you could feel them.
“You go down to Melbourne and the amount of fans down there supporting the Blues, when we started gaining momentum, you got the Blues chant, and you realise there’s plenty of New South Welshman out there who understand who they are (laughs) and get behind the team.”
NO MITCHELL, NO PROBLEM: PETER BADEL TALKS TO MICHAEL MAGUIRE
Michael Maguire has declared NSW can overcome the loss of superstar Latrell Mitchell as he backed Bradman Best to help the Blues smash a 19-year hoodoo at Suncorp Stadium in the Origin decider.
Maguire says the Suncorp cauldron on Wednesday week will not intimidate a Blues team brimming with confidence in the wake of their 38-18 drubbing of the Maroons at the MCG in Game Two.
The Blues were dealt a crushing blow on Sunday when it was confirmed Mitchell will be sidelined for at least a month after injuring his foot in Souths’ defeat of the Eels last Thursday night.
The scratching of Mitchell has opened the door for the return of Best, who produced a barnstorming two-try Origin debut last year to help deny Queensland an Origin clean sweep.
The rampaging centre was the Maroons’ bogeyman on Queensland soil in 2021, inspiring NSW’s series triumph, but Maguire is adamant the Blues can win their first decider at Suncorp since 2005 without the magic of Mitchell.
“It’s a shame to lose Latrell, he was great for us in camp, but we are spoiled for choice with players who have played in that centre spot,” Maguire said.
“It’s one of those things. It’s Origin. It happens week in and week out in the NRL where a team suddenly changes due to circumstances.
“Yes, it’s a blow, we know what he is capable of, but I actually thought it was a great team performance in Melbourne and that helped bring out the best in Latrell.
“That team performance is what we will be chasing again at Suncorp.
“Latrell definitely played his part in Game Two and we just need his replacement and the other guys to play their part in Origin III.”
That replacement is hulking Knights centre Best, who sealed his Blues selection by charging for 147 metres from 18 runs in Newcastle’s gutsy 16-12 away defeat of the Raiders in Canberra on Sunday night.
Other options included Tom Trbojevic and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, who was sensationally sent off on debut in Origin I, but Best is the man Maguire has backed to deliver for the Blues, buoyed by his sky blue baptism last year.
“Bradman is a quality player, he had a great first-up experience in Origin last year and he showed he can play at that level,” Maguire said.
“I have always talked about picking guys on form and Bradman is definitely in good form.”
Maguire’s Blues face one of the most daunting challenges in Origin’s 44-year history.
NSW have won just two of 13 deciders at Suncorp (1994 and 2005) and have lost six consecutive death-or-glory contests at the home of Queensland rugby league, but Maguire says the 2024 Blues have no fears.
“I think Suncorp is a great place to play,” he said.
“I’ve always enjoyed it as a coach going up there and being part of the atmosphere and we’ll have the players to handle the occasion.
“I’m confident in my group to do the job.
“A lot of guys have played big games up there. We have a fair few Panthers who played the grand final at Suncorp (in 2021) and they just played against the Broncos there (last Friday night) in front of a packed house.
“This is their opportunity to go out there and do something special for NSW.”
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