New South Wales Blues head coach Laurie Daley has confirmed that he wants to continue coaching the state next year despite losing the 2025 series, and that wholesale changes aren't needed.
Despite winning Game 1 of the 2025 series in Brisbane, Daley's side fell short in Games 2 and 3, played in Perth and Sydney.
In both games, they went into the halftime break behind by 20 points and were unable to arrest the slide of momentum, with Queensland reclaiming the shield they lost last year when the Blues claimed a historic decider on enemy soil.
Now returning the favour, questions will be asked of Daley who took over the coaching job from Michael Maguire when he returned to the NRL as head coach of the Brisbane Broncos at the start of this year.
But Daley, when asked point blank if he believes he is the man to continue coaching, said he doesn't see any reason to step down, and that the core playing group can get over the line next year.
"Most definitely," Daley said when asked if he should be the coach next year.
"What we have been building. I think I was disappointed with the result, but I think the players have had a really good campaign. We just didn't nail the moments, so we have to make sure we are better than that.
"I don't see any reason why that group can't. There is plenty of success, it's hard to win Origin series back-to-back. I think we have only won 5 in 45 years, so it's difficult. Queensland were always going to bounce back after last year."
The game saw the Blues outmatched and outplayed by the Maroons, but worryingly, effort areas seemed to lack for the home side throughout parts of the first half.
Daley put it down to his side not being able to win moments.
"I think it was different [to Game 2]. We played some good footy, but they just won some moments," Daley said during the post-match press conference.
"We felt like at times we were defending three tackles really well and the fourth they'd make half a break, and get a bit of speed in the play the ball and kick to get them out of trouble.
"It was just little things that happened like that in the first half. We felt like it was an arm wrestle, but all of a sudden they won a moment which gave them momentum to create some points.
"You just can't give up those points."
Captain Isaah Yeo labelled the performance disappointing, and admitted his side knew Queensland were going to employ a jamming defence technique but couldn't contend with it through a lack of patience with the ball in hand.
"We struggled in that first half. They did a really good job on the edges the way they were defending by jamming. We knew they were going to, but we couldn't get out of our own way. We weren't patient enough at times," Yeo said.
"It's sort of a repeat of Perth. Happy with how we responded at halftime, but you can't be doing that in Origin, particularly in a decider.
"That's the most disappointing part of the campaign. You go up to Queensland and win. Create an opportunity there in Perth, then at home. Missed the jump, missed the first half in both of those."
Queensland didn't make an error until deep into the second half, and while the Blues weren't bad with handling errors, they gave the Maroons plenty of invitations onto the front foot during the first half as they fell behind in the contest.
wholesale changes are needed, including laurie needing to go, it didnt work the first time around when he got the top job, he was really there when QLD ran circles around us for years on end.
Laurie out, get a young guy in, like our NSW equivalent to josh hannay, dean young seems perfect to me, already being on the staff.
Cleary and Luai combo needs to go, proven again it doesnt work, even though jarome had a solid game, its Katoa’s time, pair him with moses at 6, let katoa run the show and then if cleary plays great at club land and warrants selection in the future, sure but until he can come up clutch in origin, and not get out classed by a fair less experienced tom dearden, his time is up.
Likely keep Edwards at the back but could see what Papi is doin come next season, would be a pretty electric spine then between him Katoa and Moses.
May, Keaon in, Barnett back in to, Reece Robson has a limited ceiling to attacking wise, get Api back in there or even Brailey.
1. Edwards/Papi/
2. Lomax
3. Latrell/Braddy Best
4. Critta/Braddy Best
5. To’o/Kiraz
6. Moses
7. Katoa
8. Terrell May
9. Brailey/Api
10. Haas
11. Gus (Captain)
12. Haumole (if he can find form, i just think having both martin and crichton in the backrow are almost surplus, they both do similar things, we need a huge body, doesnt have to be Haumole.
13. Yeo – Need to take the QLD approach, even though there’s was forced but it’s time to pick another captain (again) Angus is very vocal on and off the field, and feel like has that same munster mentality where he would lift even more with the C next to his name.
14. Watson – One of our best even with him coming in so late (thanks laurie)
15. Mitch Barnett
16. Keaon
17. Cam Murray
Big bench but Keaon can play on the edge, with him and Barnett being the prop rotation, think Terrell May is best to start even though his bench impact could be good and that’s how he made his name at the chooks, however I think him and Payne starting together would work wonders, but that can chop and change tbh, then Watson covers hooker again and plays utility, while Cam Murray will re leave Yeo even though there both 80 minute players, sometimes Yeo can get way to run happy at times, think sort of halfing his work load would be good, but there’s been that issue in the past ofc between him and Murray, sort of having to pick one or the other almost.