NSW collapse places Blues coach Laurie Daley in merciless spotlight

By Angus Fontaine • June 17, 2026 • Sport

NSW chief faces three weeks of questions over coaching, strategy and even his team talks after second-half surrender in Melbourne

Laurie Daley grew up with seven sisters and one bathroom. He knows how to wait. But the NSW coach now has a tortuous three weeks in front of him after Queensland smashed his Origin dream yet again, detonating a six-try 36-point second half blitz to demolish NSW by 44-24 in Melbourne and march back to Brisbane for a decider that could end Daley’s coaching career once and for all. Daley is in his second stint as Blues coach and has only won one series from six attempts. Despite his troops snatching a famous last-gasp win in Game One, he has been copping flak all week after reports from News Corp claimed his team talks lacked “oomph” and were failing to inspire the Blues players. Last night’s series-levelling win for Queensland certainly left him speechless. In Sydney, it was the Maroons who had all the early running, scoring 20-points in as many minutes to leave NSW totally shellshocked. But they steadied, holding parity for the middle 40-minutes, until Nathan Cleary stepped up with a masterclass in nerveless football, mirroring the Maroon’s opening salvo to scramble three tries in the final quarter to conjure Origin’s biggest comeback. Last night in Melbourne the reverse happened. NSW shot out to a 12-2 lead on the back of debut winger Mark Nawaqanitawase’s heroics, setting up the first try in the sixth minute when he scooped up Thomas Flegler’s spilt ball , burst through three tacklers and got an arm loose to loop a pass to Kotoni Staggs. The former Wallaby flyer then scored a try of his own in the 20th. Daley must have been daring to dream. Until last night, NSW had won five of the six Origins played in Melbourne, the most recent a thumping victory in 2024 in which they led 34-zip at halftime and marched home in front of over 90,000-plus fans. Now they were two tries up, within sight of a 2-0 reclamation of the Origin shield and eyeing a shot at their first clean sweep since 2000. But then Queensland did what Queensland do and scored a haywire try that defied logic. All their mavericks came together in a maelstrom – Kalyn Ponga ignited the move by ghosting past the defence, Harry Grant pivoted out of the ruck and Cameron Munster looped a long pass for Trent Loiero to cross under the posts. That made it 12-8 at halftime and Ponga left the field laughing. Whatever Billy Slater said to his men in the break, Daley needs to listen to and learn from. Queensland came out full of running and brimming with belief. Selwyn Cobbo channelled Greg Inglis to score two barnstorming tries in five minutes. Another 18 points gushed in the next 10. By the time Cobbo totted up his hat-trick, the Blues looked like toy soldiers melting under the MCG lights. Up in the coaching box, Daley had gone deathly pale. He looked like Sam the Eagle from the Muppet Show: eyes bugging, brows knitting, beak quivering. He knows what’s coming in the 21 days until Origin 3 at Suncorp on 8 July. Criticism over his team selections. Questions over his coaching methods. Crucial calls on whether the strategy and spirit of his side is that of winners. His call to axe game one hero Ethan Strange for Mitchell Moses, who hasn’t played since Round 11, will be heavily scrutinised. Moses was meek last night and Cleary, badly hobbled by a hip injury which required painkillers pre-game, couldn’t forge any alchemy. Both were totally outplayed by Maroons halves Munster and Sam Walker who kicked seven from seven as Man of the Match. Daley’s issues run much deeper. Nawaqanitawase was superb on debut, ultimately scoring a double, but wing partner Brian To’o looked rattled all night. Veteran fullback James Tedesco also looks vulnerable after a quiet outing. Up front, power forward Payne Haas’s return didn’t gift Daley the desired impact and bench utility Victor “The Inflictor” Radley was back to his reckless worst. By comparison, the Maroons were outstanding to a man, despite losing Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Munster to HIAs in the first half. They didn’t even need super-sub Reece Walsh. That wildcard is still up Slater’s sleeve for Suncorp. To win game three, Daley needs one of his own to unlock his side before rigor mortis sets in and Latrell Mitchell is slated to return from a back injury in July. If Mitchell returns as keymaster, Daley may not need the speechwriter after all.

Source: The Guardian