Knightmare
Coach
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The Blues Origin coaching position is a poisoned chalice. More than a coach is needed and no coach wants to be associated with losing.
The current default NSW State Of Origin tactic: Lull QLD into a false sense of security by allowing them to win 8 on the trot. Then take them by surprise by winning a series. It's a great tactic.
![Roll Eyes :rolleyes: :rolleyes:](/data/emoji/1f644.png)
Bang on the money, that's absolutely been the tactics of NSW for the last decade. 9 should hire you as a panelist with brilliant analysis like that...
In all seriousness, I can't fault the majority of players to have worn the sky blue jersey in the past decade, who (regardless of skill level or suitability to Origin) looked to be having a genuine go.
The biggest problems for NSW since 2006 have been:
- Playing against teams stacked with Melbourne players who knew each others' games inside and out from playing together every week in the NRL (not to mention having blokes like Lockyer, Parker and Petero and a stack of other Broncos plus JT calling the shots)
- Not having a full-time Origin coach until 2011 (Graham Murray wasn't going to target JT, his #1 star at the Cowboys and not only is Bellamy average without his Storm stars to help him- he definitely wasn't going to dish dirt on Slater, Inglis, Cronk and Smith when they're his pets, is he? Stupid decision to hire him in the first place!)
- Bob Fulton. Bob f**king Fulton. That is all.
On the first point, there's little NSW could do about the fact that in 1983 a whole lot of talented League players were all born in Qld and went on to play at rep level. But on the previous two points, I think NSW had become complacent with the success they had between when Wally retired from rep football and Joey retired from rep football. They should have made the Origin coaching position a full-time one after Gus quit after the '04 series and stopped having any selection decisions made by people with ties to NRL clubs.
Moving forward, NSW need to simplify their structure and ensure that anybody responsible for the decision making in that organisation regarding Origin is 100% focused on ensuring the best team possible is selected 1-17, without it being influenced by who's son somebody is or what NRL club they play for. Have a good 1, 6,7 and 9 and then we can focus on the "pick and stick"...