‘Annoys me’: Laurie Daley coaching theory torn to shreds

Blues coach Laurie Daley had many fans all saying the same thing after his return to coach NSW. Those claims have been rubbished.

Laurie Daley’s return to coach NSW had many fans all saying the same thing after his seven years out of the game.

The Raiders icon was famously sacked by the Blues after the 2017 series, where his tenure finished with one series win from five against the greatest Queensland side ever assembled.

NSWRL officials turned to Daley after former coach Michael Maguire left while still under contract following the Blues’ series win this year.

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Maguire famously brought a hard edge to the NSW playing group and Daley’s reputation as one of the nicest figures in the game was one of the main concerns that fans raised after his appointment on Monday.

Those close to Daley have since hit out to rubbish claims the 55-year-old isn’t up for the fight needed to topple Billy Slater’s team.

Former Australian Test captain Michael Clarke, who works with Daley on the Sky Sports breakfast radio show, said on Tuesday he has no doubt Daley will bring “that passion and hardness” the role demands.

“There’s a lot of people probably on a daily basis that mistake Loz’s kindness for weakness,” Clarke said on Tuesday’s show.

“It’s certainly not weakness. He’s just a great guy, ultra-polite. He’s a gentleman, but that doesn’t mean he hasn’t got that toughness inside him.

“We saw that as a player and I can tell you sitting beside him all these years, that passion, that hardness, that’s there and I think we’ll continue to see that.”

Former NSW playmaker Josh Reynolds, who played under Daley during the Blues’ drought-breaking 2014 series win, also dismissed concerns about Daley’s track record.

Daley was pushed from his job with a record of six wins and nine defeats in the Origin arena.

Laurie Daley and Craig Bellamy are going to get to know each other very well.

He has had no senior coaching experience since the 2022 All Stars game. He also has been banned by the NRL from taking up assistant coach roles within the league because of his connections to the TAB. The Wests Tigers and Manly have both previously attempted to add Daley to their coaching staff.

“It does annoy me,” Reynolds told Sky Sports.

“It’s because people are already coming out saying, ‘He’s already had his crack, this and that’.

“Coming up against this Queensland side, I’ll be brutally honest, it was daunting. But Loz put the faith in our team to say, ‘Enough is enough, I know these guys are big names. I know these guys are going to have a game plan to tear us apart’. But it wasn’t about that.

“Loz gave us all jobs. He knew how to get me going. He knew how to get Greg Bird going. He knew how to get Jarryd Hayne going in that series. I just know this core group of players are going to get a guy that cares about ‘em. That’s all you need.”

Daley on Tuesday also said he was going to learn from his previous mistakes.

“I think you learn when time goes by and you think about decisions you made, you think the about preparation,” Daley said.

“I finished coaching back in 2022 when I coached the Indigenous All Stars so it’s only been about two years (out of coaching). The All Stars game is similar to Origin, although not the same, it’s preparing a group of men to go out and play rugby league.

“Origin’s a different environment to the NRL. Emotionally you must be heavily attached.

“There are a lot of leanings out of it though. If you know the mistakes you made, you wouldn’t do it again, you correct those mistakes, you steel yourself to go again and you just know you are just better for making those mistakes.

NSW Blues Origin coach Laurie Daley. Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images.

“Sometimes, the harshest lessons are made in the heat of the battle and unfortunately if you get it wrong, you’re exposed. But this time around, I’m confident I’ll get the majority right.”

Queensland Origin great Corey Parker, however, questioned NSW official’s decision to go back to Daley rather than inject new blood.

According to reports Matt King, Brett White and Michael Ennis were the other top candidates for the job.

According to News Corp journalist Michael Carayannis, King and White will remain in their roles as assistant coaches during the 2025 series.

Football manager Frank Ponissi will also return.

Parker said he was surprised to learn about Daley’s selection.

“He’s a terrific guy and I know him well (but) he’s left-field for me,” Parker told SEN Queensland.

“He’s been there and done that and I guess it suits the powers above.

“I thought there was a real opportunity to go with someone like Matt King, Michael Ennis or Brett White. One of these younger guys who have been inside systems week in and week out of NRL sides.

“If I’m being honest, I was really surprised by Laurie’s appointment.”

The Broncos cult hero went on to say: “I think Michael Ennis would be a terrific appointment but they’ve gone back in time to Laurie.

“I just thought it was a strange call from NSW. If I’m being fair, I was just really surprised.”

While many have plenty of doubts about Daley’s appointment, Blues officials clearly do not, signing him up until the end of the 2029 series.