Eight words lit up social media. It could prompt big NSW change

Laurie Daley’s second tenure as NSW Blues coach is hanging by a thread and there will be no shortage of options to replace him for the next State of Origin series.

After a tough five-year stint in charge against an all-time Queensland team saw Daley win just one series from five attempts, his second go at the job hasn’t been much better and the knives are sharpening to axe the Blues legend.

Nobody is doubting that Daley is an absolute champion, one of the state’s best players in Origin history and by all accounts, a terrific bloke too.

But the volatile nature of rugby league’s toughest arena means that if Daley’s men lose the series decider at Suncorp Stadium, his future in the role is sealed.

Even with a win, there are many who believe Daley could step aside anyway.

Daley’s team selections and bench rotations have been heavily scrutinised, while criticism since the game two defeat has also been fired towards NSWRL officials for putting him back in the hot seat to begin with, especially after he had spent close to a decade away from any semblance of full-time coaching.

Now, with game three around the corner and Daley’s departure edging closer, attention is starting to turn towards who could step into the coaching position.

Read more

Twelve-minute masterstroke that cemented Slater’s coaching genius

Nine.com.au takes a look at some of the potential candidates for the NSW job.

Andrew and Matthew Johns

Will it happen? Probably not. Can NSW fans dream of it happening? Sure thing.

Every time a change in the Blues coaching ranks gets thrown around, one of the first names that gets mentioned is Andrew Johns.

Regarded as the best NSW player in history, Johns has publicly stated numerous times that he holds no desire to be a head coach at club or representative level.

Despite that, his name is also thrown into the mix for the Blues and his older brother Matthew Johns did nothing to quieten that noise on Sunday night.

When asked by Fox League co-host Bryan Fletcher about his own desires to coach, Matty gave a response that set social media into a frenzy.

“Absolutely not. If Joey does it, I’ll help Joey out. That’s it,” he said.

There was a tongue-in-cheek element to Johns’ comments but there is probably nothing Blues fans would want to see more than the two brothers from Cessnock combining to save the state from another Maroons dynasty.

Veteran journalist Andrew Webster, who is a close friend of the Johns’ brothers, said there was “no appetite” from the Immortal to coach.

“I just got off the phone to Joey - no, not happening,” he said on 2GB’s Continuous Call Team Daily podcast on Monday.

“This does not surprise me at all, this happens every year.

“His name continually gets linked to it, but Joey’s not a head coach.

“There is great value in having him on the coaching staff.

“His expertise and passion is something NSW should get involved ... but he has no appetite to coach the Blues.”

It’s far-fetched, but passion and money are two pretty fair motivating factors and it’s almost impossible to find two men more passionate about NSW.

Matt King

Among the logical and safe front-runners for the job, Matt King has already been an assistant coach for the Blues for a number of years.

He’s also served a lengthy apprenticeship under Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters and has earned plenty of respect from many within the game.

While he might not be the most exciting option on paper, King has a great resume and would certainly bring a younger mind and fresh approach to the job.

Boyd Cordner

Another member of the current NSW coaching staff, Boyd Cordner is one of the most respected and beloved figures in rugby league.

A tough back-rower who gave his blood, sweat and tears for the Roosters, Blues and Kangaroos before concussions forced him into retirement, Cordner is quickly making waves as one of the best young coaches in the sport.

The 34-year-old has been at the helm for back-to-back SG Ball premierships with the Tricolours and is gaining steam to overtake Daley long-term.

Similarly to how players at the Sea Eagles and Tigers have responded to Kieran Foran and Benji Marshall as club coaches, Cordner would bring an aura and presence to the Origin arena and the current players respect him.

You only have to look at how Billy Slater has gone since taking over Queensland with limited experience to know it’s worth taking a gamble at Origin level.

Out of all the likely candidates, Cordner feels like a legitimate favourite.

Dean Young

While his clear preference is to become St George Illawarra’s long-term coach, Dean Young is still without a job beyond this season.

Young bleeds red and white, but has yet to receive the full backing from Dragons officials, with his former teammate Ben Hornby joining the race.

Should he miss out on his preferred role, Young would immediately become an option for the Blues due to his lengthy assistant coaching background.

He’s spent time under various club coaches and was also part of the NSW staff last year under Daley, before taking over the interim gig at the Red V.

Young also has a major supporter in Wayne Bennett, which might mean little south of the border but is a clear indication of his credentials.

Time will tell in Young’s case, but he would be a more than solid option.

Ivan Cleary

Read more

Inside Fowler’s tender dressing room moment with Cleary

As soon as he announced his departure from the Panthers at the end of next year, Ivan Cleary’s path to becoming NSW coach felt like a fait accompli.

However, with the position now a huge chance of becoming available before Cleary steps away from Penrith, there would need to be some flexibility.

Firstly, officials would need to brush aside their edict of not putting NRL club coaches in charge of the Blues, but the green light would also need to be given by the Panthers to let Cleary divert his attention in the middle of a season.

It could happen and definitely feels like it will eventually - but it could be a case of right person, wrong time for Cleary and NSW for next year’s series.

Trent Barrett

His head coaching record in club land might not be pretty, but there’s no doubting Trent Barrett is an astute footy mind and has brought success in multiple spots.

Barrett had tough stints in charge of both Manly and Canterbury, but has done wonders for the Panthers and Broncos as an attack-minded assistant coach.

A few people have begun pushing his case and there will be plenty of others in Barrett’s corner should the Blues job become available.

Michael Cheika

The last name on the list is a dark horse, but someone who has expressed on multiple occasions his desire to coach at NRL level - so why not Origin?

Michael Cheika has found success across the globe in rugby union, coaching the NSW Waratahs to their last Super Rugby title before having stints with both the Wallabies and Argentina at the international level.

He has since joined the Roosters as a full-time assistant, while also having led the Lebanon rugby league side at World Cups in the past.

Cheika isn’t a former Blues player and would be a left-field choice, but he’s a true man manager and someone who could get the best out of elite-level players over the course of a six-week Origin series.