Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
In the aftermath to Origin II, in the victorious yet perfectly restrained NSW dressing room, I caught a glimpse of something that shocked and horrified and sent a shiver up the spine.
Laurie Daley - the nicest man in the game - is developing into a coach. It's writ large, all over his face.
Have you ever met a sane coach? Yes? I bet they didn't see out the season. Only the paranoid survive. Not many coaches do.
For all the plaudits being thrown at the Blues players, from the engine room of Woods, Klemmer and Tamou, to the fast-twitch explosiveness of Jennings, to the courage of Gallen, it is Daley who is quietly being hailed after NSW sent the series to the decider in Brisvegas in three weeks.
When first taking on the Blues job, Daley wanted to trade in on being underestimated. In his third season as Blues coach, though, he can no longer fly under the radar.
Nobody will really know how close he came to becoming the next coach of Manly, but it was almost a done deal. Other NRL clubs are circling.
They will have to wait because Daley is hellbent on nailing Queensland to the cross.
He manipulated the media with Bennett-like stealth in the lead-up to Wednesday night's match at the MCG. He barely mentioned the refs, but said the right words to ensure the media became obsessed with them.
The Blues camp denied it, but the constant references from players about Queensland's "grubby tactics" paid off: the Blues got away with plenty in the tackle, seemingly with impunity, and the Maroons became agitated.
The Queensland players were still livid about it on Thursday morning. Anything could happen at Suncorp.
You may have noticed Daley talking about "loyalty" in the post-match media conference. That's by design, too.
He's made precious little changes in the past three years. Josh Reynolds was punted before game one on form. So, too, Daniel Tupou and Andrew Fifita on form for game two. But no makeshift changes, as NSW teams have done in the past.
But now the acid is on Queensland.
Nothing annoys the NSW camp more than claims from the Maroons that they don't "pick and stick".
Daley and the Blues will head to Suncorp Stadium on July 8 knowing that if they beat the Queenslanders and claim back-to-back series they will shatter the dynasty forever.
Sweeping changes will have to be made. Veterans ushered on to the next FOGs function. Let's see how loyal they are then.
That's easier said than done, of course.
There are grave reservations about fullback Billy Slater being fit for the decider because of his shoulder injury.
But we're hearing Cooper Cronk is flying in recovery from the knee injury that ruled him out of game two, and he's been earmarked for a potential return to the field for the Storm's game against the Bulldogs on June 29.
Even if he does, we're sure Loz has a plan. He's probably already thinking about it. He's a coach.
Hotel for the ages
Forget about the Grand Budapest Hotel.
The NSW team's digs at the Parkview in St Kilda looked like a relic from the 1920s. Okay, maybe the 80s.
Anyway, it was old and the Blues players were blowing up deluxe - as they say - about their second-rate accommodation. First world problems and all that jazz.
Social media in a spin
Shane Warne says he's a NSW fan and we are claiming him.
"I'm a blue bagger tonight!" the Sheikhy of Tweaky said in an Instagram post to his 165,000-odd followers, swearing his allegiances to NSW. Blue bagger? We can work on that, Warnie.
Social media is big business around Origin.
This column went to "Mission Control" at the MCG before the match, where a gang of funky, young social media types with really cool haircuts were monitoring and feeding the beast.
The numbers the next morning explain the reach: Origin was trending third globally, there were 6.5 million unique users tuning into Origin's official Facebook channels on game-day, with more than 120 countries engaging with the Origin hashtag (#origin).
The most talked about players were Paul Gallen, Greg Inglis and Aaron Woods.
Tour goes to pot
Oh, the sights and the sounds of a West Indies tour. And the smell.
As anyone who has toured the Caribbean will know, the unmistakable aroma of marijuana drifts through the ground during cricket matches.
We're told it was particularly noticeable for Australian players during the second Test against the Windies at Sabina Park, as the wind carried the scent of the demon weed across the players' balcony.
One Australian fan was also seen getting right into the spirit of things, too, contributing to the smoke haze.
Lessons from the NBA
NRL chief executives leapt to the defence of Bulldogs coach Des Hasler, who went after Fox Sports' Lara Pitt over her line of questioning about the benching of Trent Hodkinson two weeks ago.
Every player, coach and official should sit down and watch a replay of recently completed NBA finals.
Because if they did, they'd see the best player in the world (LeBron James), the second best player in the world (Steph Curry) and every other player and every other coach make themselves available to the broadcasters and media before, during and after the game.
Q and A
We speak to the GWS star Heath Shaw ahead of his side's clash with North Melbourne at Spotless Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
You said a few weeks ago, in support of Mick Malthouse, that you would invite him to your wedding. When's the big day?
The problem with that comment is that I don't have a girlfriend, so I can't set a date. Unfortunately, my mum's on the case. My brother's wife is trying to find one, too. I'm a very eligible bachelor at the moment.
One word for you: Tinder.
A few of the boys at the club reckon it's good but I don't think I will find my wife there!
What was it like coming up against your old club, Collingwood, last weekend?
It was a different one. Playing against them at the MCG for the first time is always a different feeling. I wasn't sure what reaction I would get. During the warm-up, the Collingwood cheer squad gave me a few, "We miss you! We still love you!" That settled the nerves. Then we hit the front and I copped a full barrage of abuse.
What's it been like coming to the Giants from the Pies?
I've come from a club with so much history, and we're starting from scratch. It was hard to get my head around how young these kids are, they don't have that experience in front of a big crowd. It was unique, but the longer time has gone on, and we've won a few games, it's been great.
I know you like your horses. Much luck since you've arrived in Sin City?
The problem with moving to Sydney was that my brother is good mates with Kerrin McEvoy. Kerrin McEvoy is the worst tipster in Australia. I'm battling, big time. A few betting agencies are really reaping the benefits of me being here.
After the 2010 grand final, you were spotted reading a form guide, right?
Yes, I was. It's a routine for me on Saturdays. Most young guys go to their phones and text their girlfriends, check their stats. I'm straight on a TAB app. Grand final day is no different. There's always races.
The Week
THE QUOTE
"I feel confident because I'm the best player in the world. It's that simple." - Which self-absorbed sports brat said that? Oh. It was LeBron James. Move on, nothing to see here.
THUMBS UP
The tributes have flowed for former All Black Jerry Collins since his death, alongside his wife, in a car crash in France. But the revelation from his funeral service in New Zealand that he'd wrapped his arms around his 10-week-old daughter just before impact, saving her life, means he'll forever be a hero.
THUMBS DOWN
Okay, there's a lot of gibberers in this world. But it takes a special breed of gibberer to yell out during a minute's silence at a sporting event. A stack of halfwits did it during the mark of respect for Olympic legend Ron Clarke before Origin II at the MCG. Shut up, eat your chips, and pull your dopey head in - both of them.
It's a big weekend for ... the Brumbies, as they brush off jetlag to take on the Stormers at Newlands in the first week of the Super Rugby finals. That one's on Sunday morning (AEST).
It's an even bigger weekend for ... the crack colt Brazen Beau, which is favourite in the group one Diamond Jubilee at Royal Ascot on Sunday morning (AEST) - the same race Black Caviar won. If you happen to be trackside, keep an eye on Queen Elizabeth in the betting ring. She's got an idea.
