Exactly how Laurie Daley rates as a coach won’t be clear even if NSW clinches the State of Origin series by winning Game 2.
Victory could make him the most popular coach in Blues history.
Not because it would end a previously unheard of eight-year drought at the hands of Queensland, but because of Daley’s attitude towards the whole thing.
It would be tempting for some coaches in Daley’s position, whether subtly or obviously, to turn the spotlight on themselves. But Daley isn’t even remotely acting like that ahead of Origin 2 at ANZ Stadium on Wednesday.
Nor will he if NSW win to make it two-nil in the best-of-three event. It’s simply not his nature.
For him, it is all about what he can do for his team and the state. That is what he says, and as someone who has known him since he broke into the Canberra side as a teenager in the late 1980s, I can guarantee it to be true.
Daley is among the most humble people you could meet in professional sport. He did it all as a player, but success didn’t change him as a person.
When he took on the NSW job last year, he only had a few years as Country Origin and Indigenous All Stars coach behind him. He had never coached a club side, which is the reason it is hard to properly assess him as a coach, so it was a massive leap for him to enter the Origin arena – particularly at a time when the Blues were bleeding from seven straight series defeats.
They were screaming out for someone to help them take that extra step and Daley almost did, the Blues losing the deciding Game 3 by two points.
Where was the advance on the previous year, when NSW lost the decider by one point under Ricky Stuart’s coaching? It’s a fair question. The answer is there was no advance, in terms of the actual result, but that has to be balanced against the fact it was Daley’s first year.
The fact the Blues didn’t go backwards was a plus for him, and now he has the benefit of a series – and Game 1 this season – behind him.
Make no mistake, Daley is a vastly different coach to the one who went into last year’s series. His experience as an Origin player was going to be of some help to him, but it couldn’t totally prepare him for the role he had assumed. He was going to have to learn on the job.
It is clear from watching him in interviews, and the decisions he has made, that he learnt an enormous amount from last year’s series. Talking to him face-to-face only confirms that.
‘Culture’ is an easy word to throw around in sport, but Daley proved he meant what he said about the NSW team culture being critically important when he went without Mitchell Pearce for Origin 1 after the halfback slipped up off the field.
Daley was criticised by some for pairing Josh Reynolds and Trent Hodkinson in the halves for Origin 1, but it was the right decision. They did their jobs.
He has also been criticised for picking fullback Josh Dugan out of position in the centres for Origin 2, but I like the courage he has shown to make a decision like that. I would have been happy with any two out of Dugan, Will Hopoate and Josh Mansour for the right-side centre-wing combination, and Daley went for Dugan and Hopoate.
The important thing is that the coach has flexibility at his disposal, with fullback Jarryd Hayne also comfortable at centre or wing, Dugan obviously comfortable at fullback, and Hopoate at centre.
Daley is a much more self-assured coach than he was a year ago. He is backing himself with Dugan at centre and that is what you want to see most from a coach – confidence.
If the Blues win the series, Daley’s players are going to love him for it, because they will know better than anyone how badly he wanted them to win – for them. The rest of us should applaud him for that.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
I became a QRL Member so I could pre-purchase tickets to SoO Game 1 & 3 at Suncorp well in advance. It kills me I had to do that. I received a email informing me 'that there is no way QLD were going to allow NSW to beat them on their home turf', they got to salvage State Pride. What did I witness on the 28 May at Suncorp at 10.30pm four weeks ago? Oh and I can join a Sumo Wrestle with my face painted Maroon.....Yuk!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Laurie Daley has 7 sisters, and that's why he is one heck of a lovely gentleman.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Now they can 'carry on' as they 'have won the Series'.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
'Seams' I mean.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
And the Cloud has burst at the seems....come on NSW, dare to dream...3 - 0??
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
'If' can be changed to 'Won' now...Dare to dream NSW....3 - 0??
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
9, soonish 10......HA!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
I'm surprised if anyone saw anything from Pearce...QLD are regretting Pearce's exclusion in the Origin Series this year.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
You see Hoy, they Win 8 in a Row but it's the one they lost this year that hurts them the most. And your right, they couldn't go on Winning forever.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Laurie Daley is the nicest sweetest man...I know because I met him and talk about a absolute gentleman!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
I ran into Loz at the Pullman Hotel Reception and I felt a little shy and intimidated. I turned around and said to him, 'Go the Blues' and without even saying much more he started to talk to me so easily and freely, like he knew me. He asked me where I was from and some other questions, he took all the time in the World to listen to me when I answered his questions. There were no stuck up attitude or smugness, nothing that made me feel small or too intimidated to say hi. I said to myself that he must have a lot of Sisters, and the next day I saw a photo of his four Sisters in the Paper. The other Player that was so sweet and talked to me was Luke Lewis, talk about a Gentle Giant and most respectful, he was just so very genuinely obliging. Trent Hodkinson and Cocky little Josh Reynolds (which I'm so glad he is as we need that kind of Cocky Attitude to beat QLD),. they were obviously having fun, but they kindly said hello smiled graciously as I said 'GO THE BLUES'. Dare to Dream Blues....3 - 0??
HorsesforCourses
Guest
Meh
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
QLD Tryless...now that's something you haven't seen in their eight year Winning Streak, but damn, I got to give it to JT and Slater, they are 'magnificent Players', they are simply 'freaks of nature', you got to admire them both. BUT OUR BELOVED BLUE'S...THEY MUST OF HEARD MY SHOUTING I GUESS...IN AMONGST 12,000 BATCHY BLUES SHOUTING....And what about Haynsey running the ball out of touch right into our open arms!!!!!!!! YEEEEE BLOODY HA. GO ON YA BLUE'S, even QLD's can't stop you holding up the Shield and I'll be there SHOUTING HORAY IN THE BIGGEST LOUDEST WAY POSSIBLE!!!!!!!!!! GOOD ON YA OUR MIGHTY BLUES!!!!!!!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
I love reading all the comments and I love the 'niggle and jiggle' that we all have at each other, over and for our beloved Origin Team and Players. It's all part of the fun at Origin Time and it's what makes Origin what it is. 'But' please, can we stop 'the hubris name calling' (Dog) and the lewd and rude comments, there is just no need for it! I love 'geeing up QLD'ers and their Fans, and I love it when you all fire straight back, but 'why' use such 'hate filled hubris words and rude comments'. There is just no need for anyone 'to stoop that low'.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
QLD are a great team, so great that they should have won the past 8 Series by 6,000 points. G.I. 1,000 points, Slater 1,000 , Smith, 1,000, Thurston 1,000, Cronk 1,000, Boyd 1,000. Honestly, they should have demolished NSW each Series with the 'Legends they have'. (And these QLD Players 'are Legends') They are just all unbelievable! But they can't win Games by no more than 1 or 2 points and it's only been won the last minute....Why with 'all the Legends they have?' NSW 'Mentality and Attitude' has let them down but now it's changing for the better and the results, even though not a Win of Series are starting to sprout. COME ON BLUES, BRING THAT SHIELD BACK FROM DEEP SPACE!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
That's 'A Good Sport Comment'! (GO THE BLUES)
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Boy I'm looking forward to a great pre-game Entertainment at ANZ Stadium....unlike what I was forced to watch at Suncorp.....QUEEN WALLY AND HIS LADY IN WAITING, LADY BILLY MORE....Fancy being told to turn up at Suncorp before 7.30 for a 'Great Show', only to watch HRH and His Lady-In-Waiting in some 'Freak Show', talk about HIDEOUS!!!! I wonder what awaits me at Suncorp come the last Game, Big Mal hanging by a thread from a Helicopter with HRH Wally and his L.I.W ready to catch him? I won't be seated until kick off time that Game.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Toppling QLD at Suncorp in the first Game, that's 'rain for us'. You should have seen their disgust at Suncorp, like they had lost the Series.....That Game was sweet rain' even if it wasn't a Series Winner. It was a lovely 'little down pour' I had the pleasure of feeling in the Gold Class of the QLD beloved sitting area.....I never seen such a bunch of sad fans in all my life. ABSOLUTELY SWEET RAIN FOR US!!! What's good about it, is that 'if' NSW loose, QLD can't assume they will win at Suncorp!
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Fair enough response and you are obviously someone with a some sort of sense of morality. However at Origin Level it's what you get, it's nothing but one big 'Boxing Ring', and 'THEY ALL PLAY DIRTY'. They replayed the 'dirty antics of Origin Players' of Game 1 this year at Suncorp, Players holding back Players, Players twisting legs and arms, Players 'from both sides' taking out each other even when the ball was no where near them', there is so much DIRT in Origin Game that really, if you don't like it, you shouldn't watch or support it. I think Nate Myles is a 'Serial' filthy rotten stinking Player but I wouldn't call him 'A Dog', it's a 'hate filled word that implies a Hubris Conatation'. The word of choice is 'stinking rotten filthy' for me. And yes, PG, is Paul Gallen. Thanks for the diplomatic response.
Vikki Gibbs
Guest
Immm Hummmbbbld...Ummmmbiled....humbald....Umbald.....Umbalwed......