As we approach game three of this year's Origin series, the media and fans seem less concerned with the outcome of the match and more with what the aftermath might bring.
With a series win locked in for NSW, taking both games one and two by a total of 76-6, all questions will be focused on the state of the Maroons and their plans to bounce back from one of the more lopsided Origin series' in recent memory.
Ray Hadley, host ofย The Ray Hadley Morning Showย on 2GB, has declared that QLD head coach Paul Green will, as a result of the team's performance, be removed as play-caller for 2022.
After only one series to prove himself, Hadley said of Green: โheโs done damage to his career, thereโs no doubt about that, through the first two games."
"I think heโll bow out gracefully. Heโll get a tap on the shoulder after Origin III. He wonโt be the coach in 2022," Hadley said.
Green, who appeared on NRL 360ย on Tuesday night, defended his seat at the top of the table - pointing to the current roster's inexperience and youth, stating that it would take a "couple of seasons" but the "future's bright".
โWe realise we need to perform well, and Iโve already spoken about what we need to do tomorrow night, but I think if you look at the team โ Tom Flegler will get a start, big Hamiso (Tabuai-Fidow), weโve included Reece Walsh over the series," Green said.
โThe futureโs bright, thereโs some good young players that are probably a couple of seasons off.
โWe just need to stay tough and stay in the fight for the next couple of years until those guys get enough experience where they can make a difference at Origin level.โ
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NRL 360ย co-host Paul Kent later called out Green for one 'fatal sentence'.
โThe fatal sentence in that whole interview โฆ was when he said right there towards the end that weโve got good young kids coming through and itโll take two or three years to get their feet right under Origin then theyโll be in a good place to start winning games," Kent said.
โNSW went with that same thinking in about 2007, 2008, and it took them nearly a decade to get out of it.
โBecause if you are not pitch perfect with the decisions you make to build your way out of it โ and thatโs as far as who you pick and stick with.
โLetโs remember what New South Wales did, they kept rotating the halfbacks. Finally they said letโs just pick one and stick with him.
โFor Queensland to acknowledge that itโs going to take two or three years to get out of where they are now is a disaster."
The Maroons will be looking to avoid the broom on Wednesday night when the Blues travel to the Gold Coast for the series finale.
