The Mole: Legendary coach slams Blues for snubbing 'most under-rated forward in the NRL'

Former Queensland coach Sir Graham Lowe has slammed the Blues for snubbing the man he claims to be the in-form forward of the NRL.

Lowe, the only foreigner to coach Origin, still has one of the sharpest minds in the league world and is stunned New South Wales has ignored Warriors iron-man Jackson Ford.

"It's like they haven't been watching him," Lowe told Wide World of Sports.

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"Every week he tops the Warriors tackle count and run metres, and he has an amazing motor that would work so well in Origin.

"The Blues are often criticised for not picking the blokes in form and this is the worst example I can remember.

"I think he's the Warriors' best forward and most under-rated forward in the NRL. Week in, week out he delivers the goods… I don't know what more he could do.

"He's one of the major reasons the Warriors are flying in the NRL and he takes on opposition packs with no fear every week - I just don't understand it."

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Ford is sitting in second place on the Dally M Medal leaderboard, behind the best player of the generation in Nathan Cleary, and is the only front-rower in the top 10 currently.

If the Blues lose in Sydney next week, they are likely to give him a go … but by then the series will be as good as lost.

Dressing room lost by one coach

Which coach of a struggling club has totally lost the confidence of his players?

The players are getting confused and disheartened by mixed messages coming from the coach as he attempts to get his team back into winning form.

Fear of losing their spots in the team is keeping the players quiet, adding to the bad vibes coming out of the club.

Making it worse, many fans have turned on the coach and are slamming him on social media.

Saifiti to stay in Newcastle

They don't make players like Jacob Saifiti anymore.

The Blues Origin prop is off contract at the Knights and wants to stay - but has told the club he doesn't want to stand in the way of several young up-and-comers who could miss out if he takes a chunk of the salary cap.

The Knights insist they will find room for the 30-year-old, who will bring up his 200th game for the club by the end of the year if he stays injury free.

Saifiti brings a lot to the club both on and off the field and has a great relationship with coach Justin Holbrook - he won't be going anywhere despite being a free agent.

Bears interested in local teen

Perth have signed plenty of players for their debut season in 2028, but very few locals.

That may change soon with the club interested in boom 16-year-old Elijah Gelling.

A Perth local, centre or second-rower Gelling moved to renowned Gold Coast league nursery Keebra Park High School last year.

At 16, he is making junior representative teams regularly and has six clubs interested in his signature.

But the lure of returning to friends and family in the west may give the Bears the edge in the battle for his services.