Kerry O’Keeffe whacks ‘selfish’ NSW players, blasts selectors’ blunder

A SPORTING icon has taken an almighty swipe at NSW after the team’s “selfish” Origin disaster. But there’s a way to fix the horror show.

Not happy, Jan.

IT feels like every superlative in the book has been used to describe NSW’s 2017 Origin capitulation.

The Blues began the series on the front foot with a huge win at Suncorp Stadium, the largest margin any side has won by in an away game in the competition’s history. Every man and his dog declared the horror decade over and prepared for a rare series win.

Then disaster struck.

NSW crumpled under Queensland in two shock defeats to close out the series. A number of controversies within the camp — ranging from Blake Ferguson and Josh Dugan ducking out for a beer and speculation over an Andrew Fifita spat at administration — surfaced after Game 3 in Brisbane.

Andrew Johns looked close to tears as he saw his former side crash and burn, labelling their second half in Game 2 the “dumbest he’s ever seen” before former coach Tommy Raudonikis slammed their “big heads” before claiming he was “dead serious” about taking the coaching reins again.

Looking back at the series as a whole, the answer for the Blues’ series loss is clear: Queensland wanted it more.

Aussie sporting icon Kerry O’Keeffe took an almighty swipe at the NSW camp after the water settled, claiming the selectors should be copping more of the blame.

Not happy, Jan.

“I don’t care if Laurie (Daley) stays on or not,” he said on FOX Sports’ Back Page Live Tuesday night. “It’s not Laurie’s (fault). It’s the selectors. They’ve got to start choosing character above talent.

“And the players. They’ve got to take full responsibility for the whole series on and off the field.

“They have to breed out this selfishness that’s a part of NSW rugby league. There was selfishness on the field and there was selfishness off the field — and it cost them the series.”

The former Aussie leg-spinner said Queensland’s sheer desire to win — and NSW’s lack of it in comparison — was the fatal difference in the two sides.

“Queensland have always played selflessly,” he said. “That’s the big advantage they have over NSW. (The Blues must) rid that from the culture in the State of Origin team and make the players fully responsible.”

“Skull” then gave his own piece of advice to Laurie Daley.

“Laurie can handle the buses and the media conferences,” he said. “The players have to take responsibility for the series.”

The Courier-Mail journalist Robert Craddock weighed in on the Fifita controversy which encapsulated the Blues camp.

“When he was told he would be starting on the bench (in place of David Klemmer) — I know it’s been denied — but Klemmer actually said ‘I was told I was starting’,” he said.

“All the Queensland boys were talking about it and it was the one thing you could say that wouldn’t happen in the Maroons team. Switches happen all the time behind closed doors.”

O’Keeffe agreed, saying NSW have to be more selective of players before offering them a Blues jumper.

“Evaluate the character and then the talent,” he said. “And if the character gets a tick, pick them.”