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I was lucky enough to get an exclusive chat with Blues coach Laurie Daley this week and I’ve got some interesting stuff to deliver after our fascinating talk.
I found Lozza incredibly calm, yet focussed, coming into the biggest two months of his coaching life and I came away confident he will be the man to break Queensland’s seven year domination of the State of Origin series.
Daley is under no illusions about the tough task he faces.
But he is thrilled to have so many in-form players to choose from in NSW and knows if he and his fellow selectors get the combination right, the coveted Origin title will return to the Blues and their army of supporters.
The coach wasn’t prepared to slip me his likely team – it is definitely not cast in stone as I write this column – but he did give me some very interesting pointers.
From what I gathered, the NSW five-eighth spot has easily been the most contentious.
It is not down to four players but two – James Maloney and Todd Carney. After our talk, the educated guess will be on Carney (who plays for the Sharks on Monday night).
Laurie spoke with tremendous enthusiasm about the talents of Canberra’s in-form Blake Ferguson. My impression is he will get a spot as a debutant, most probably on the wing.
Trent Merrin was a name we discussed at length. He wouldn’t tell me what plans NSW were considering for him but my guess is he will find himself on the bench.
Two other players who are said to be on the fringe, Andrew Fifita and Tim Grant, rate highly with the new Blues coach. Don’t be surprised if they get a spot – this team will be picked on form.
Gallen will be the obvious choice as NSW captain and I believe Daley wants him in the front row.
Daley has gone public by declaring Roosters star Mitchell Pearce will be the Blues’ halfback. There are no smoke screens being put up here, he firmly believes Pearce is the right man for the 7 jumper.
I like the way he declared his hand with Pearce early. Look how Pearce has been playing, he is on a high and has enormous confidence. Pearce set up both of the Roosters tries in their hard-fought but narrow win over the Cowboys last weekend.
I asked Daley how the Blues would or could match the famed Queensland passion in this up-coming series.
He replied, “We’ve got to go for the entire 80 minutes Wiz. We’ve got to be prepared, relaxed before the battle. And once we cross the line it’s up to the players, every one of them, no one else comes into it.
“We must do the little things right. In games such as these, the major things will happen as a matter of course.”
I took a long, hard look into the coach’s eyes and there was definitely something special there. Laurie is relaxed, confident, yet has the steely look of a man who knows he is on a very important mission.
He spoke to me about the balance of the team. He said the Blues will need a defensive player who will work his butt off to allow the more athletic types to produce the points.
I came away stirred by a coach who knows exactly what is required to bring down the might of Queensland.
He respects the Maroons and what they have achieved but I got the feeling he will have the Maroons looking hard and anxiously in NSW’s direction when game two rolls around.
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