New South Wales deserves better.

 

The supporters deserve better.

 

The players deserve better.

 

For too long, the NSW State of Origin program has had enough talent to build a dynasty, but not enough clarity, courage or accountability in the decisions around coaching, selection and strategy.

 

This is not an attack on the players. This is a defence of them.

 

NSW has repeatedly produced elite NRL talent across fullback, centres, halves, middle forwards, edge forwards and outside backs. We have had squads capable of dominating eras. Yet too often, the Blues have looked like a team of brilliant individuals rather than a ruthless Origin machine.

 

The problem is no longer just one result. It is the pattern.

 

Laurie Daley’s first stint as NSW coach from 2013 to 2017 delivered only six wins from 15 games and one series win. Brad Fittler’s six-year tenure delivered nine wins from 18 games and three series wins, but also missed the chance to turn one of the strongest NSW player pools in modern memory into sustained dominance. Michael Maguire then came in and, in one year, delivered a 2024 series win, including a famous decider victory in Brisbane — only for NSW to then move back into another recycled leadership era. 

 

In 2025, NSW won Game 1 and still lost the series 2–1. Queensland won the decider 24–12 in Sydney after building a 20–0 lead, with reports noting NSW looked disjointed and ineffective for much of the contest. 

 

And now, in 2026, NSW is again in reset mode, naming six new faces for Game 1 while trying to reclaim a shield it should never have surrendered so meekly in 2025. 

 

This is why we are calling for real change.

 

We call on the NSWRL Board to:

 

Remove Laurie Daley as NSW State of Origin coach.

 

NSW needs a modern, tactically sharp, full-time, accountable Origin coach with recent elite-level coaching experience.

 

Conduct an independent review of NSW Origin selection and performance.

 

This review must assess selection decisions, coaching structure, game strategy, preparation, leadership, player role clarity and support staff appointments.

 

End the “old boys” approach to NSW Origin influence.

 

Phil Gould, Andrew Johns and Brad Fittler are all legends of NSW rugby league. Their service as players and contributors should be respected. But respect does not mean permanent influence. NSW Origin cannot be run through nostalgia, media commentary, personal relationships or recycled power circles. Any advisory role must be transparent, formally appointed, performance-reviewed and free from conflicts.

 

Create a transparent Origin selection framework.

 

NSW supporters deserve to know that selections are based on form, role fit, combinations, Origin temperament, defensive reliability and tactical purpose — not reputation, loyalty, media pressure or past relationships.

 

Appoint a modern high-performance panel.

NSW needs a fresh football brain trust made up of current elite coaches, performance specialists, data analysts, defensive experts and former players with recent, relevant, evidence-based insight.

 

Set clear performance expectations.

If NSW loses a series with a superior or comparable playing roster, there must be consequences. Origin is not a development program for administrators or a retirement home for former greats. It is the highest-pressure arena in rugby league.

 

This state has had the players.

 

It has had the passion.

 

It has had the supporter base.

 

What it has lacked is consistent leadership, ruthless selection discipline and a clear football identity.

 

Queensland keeps winning moments NSW should own. They turn adversity into belief. They turn underdog status into fuel. They pick players for roles, not headlines. They know who they are.

 

NSW should be the same.

 

We are tired of watching New South Wales waste golden generations. We are tired of seeing great squads undermined by questionable selections, unclear tactics, reactive coaching and leadership structures that never seem to be held accountable.

 

The Blues jersey should mean more than reputation.

 

It should mean performance.

 

It should mean courage.

 

It should mean accountability.

 

It should mean the best people in the best roles, selected for the right reasons, with one job: winning for New South Wales.

 

We thank Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns and Phil Gould for what they have given the game. But the future of NSW Origin cannot be built by endlessly returning to the past.

 

The state deserves a clean break.

 

The supporters deserve a professional, transparent, modern Origin program.

 

The players deserve leadership that gives them the best chance to win.

 

It is time to rebuild NSW Origin.

 

Sack Laurie Daley. Reform the selection system. Remove informal old-guard influence. Put NSW first.