The 32-8 loss at Suncorp Stadium in the dead rubber didn't sit well with Daley, who took the loss personally despite the overwhelming sense of satisfaction over what his side had achieved in game two just three weeks earlier.

"I do care that we lost," Daley said. "Every Origin is different and for everyone that plays in it, it may be their last. If you don't prepare them well, you feel as though you failed them. You have to make sure they're ready to go, and if they are, you've done your job.

"Initially it did [leave a sour taste]. But when I realised the significance of the achievement and tried to put it in the back of your mind. We won 2-1, if someone had told me that before the series I would have been quite happy to accept that.

"But last year after we lost and even this year getting ready for this series you reflect back and it hurts a little bit but we didn't play as well as we should have and we were on the end of a big loss.

"In games one and two we probably surprised them a little bit but in game three there were no surprises and they came with a different attitude. They came and played a lot of footy and in the end they were too good for us. This is a tough, tough team to beat."

Daley struggled to cope with the series loss to the Maroons in 2013, breaking down with shingles after the 2-1 series loss. It was a contrasting feeling this time around.

"You're so happy, but you're so happy for everyone involved more than yourself, in particular the fans and the players," Daley said.

"It was a great time, and at that moment it was great and for a few weeks after that it was good. But a couple of months after that you start to move on and focus on next year. I made a decision that once Christmas and new year comes, that was the start. We had some camps in January, that was the start of the new campaign for us. It's funny, you have it stored away but in the back of my mind you know that was back then and this is now. Memories always stay and last forever but you can't rest on those."

This is a far more difficult challenge for Daley this time around.

He is missing skipper Paul Gallen, enforcer Greg Bird is suspended and the most influential player  for NSW last year, Jarryd Hayne, is on the other side of the world. He has dumped Blues veterans Anthony Watmough and Luke Lewis, while he's also dropped incumbent Josh Reynolds for Mitchell Pearce.

"The team you had pencilled in between now and after last year is completely different," he said. "Wouldn't have envisaged Haynesy being out and Gal being out. That's Origin. You have to deal with what happens and adjust."

Daley was linked to an NRL club coaching role after last year's success but he says he's more than happy with his role with the Blues.

"I'm happy doing this, I love doing this," Daley said.

"It's different. It's one of the great jobs in Australian sport and I want to be involved in it for as long as I can."