It’s Friday and the weekend is almost here, so The Gurgler editorial team decided they needed some filler for a Friday, something light-hearted, preferably sporting based, and quick and easy to balance out all the stats-heavy sporting onslaughts usually available. This week because State of Origin is the biggest game in town it is on Five Potential New NSW Blues Origin Coaches.
Given it looks like Brad Fittler will/should get the arse for the NSW Blues 2023 State of Origin Series loss, we’ll use our Top Five Friday to go through the alternatives.
GUS GOULD
The stage set is perfect for Gus Gould to come in and be the saviour of NSW.
While he has other day jobs like Football Manager of the Bulldogs, Channel Nein commentator and NRL Twitter ambassador, surely he could make room in his schedule of recruiting Panthers players to take on the NSW Blues Coaching job.
He has a track record of winning, something a lot of NSW coaches don’t have.
Surely he’d be interested in one last job.
And….the added bonus is seeing less of him in the coverage on Channel Nein. Although that’s unfair, it has to be said, he remains professional and insightful and much better without Rabs. He certainly handles a NSW defeat better than Andrew Johns.
ANDREW JOHNS
Talking of Sir Sulks-a-lot, Andrew Johns could be a Potential New NSW Blues Origin Coach.
There would probably not be a better mind for tactics, nor a former player with more passion for coaching the NSW Blues.
And he’d probably be a better chance of getting the selections and tactics right. No way Andrew Johns would allow Damien Cook to play in the centres with Cameron Murray available, nor let Cook stay there for the entire game when it is clear it’s not working. Andrew Johns is too smart for that.
The problem is, he comes across as a spoiled child, with loads of bottom lip work when things go wrong.
RICKY STUART
One could argue NSW Blues need a little bit more hate. More hate directing towards the maroons, and there’s hardly a grumpier person in rugby league than Ricky Stuart. Noting that Wayne Bennett would probably be unavailable.
And Ricky is a proud Blues former great, and has proved that he hates losing. Among others things like Muppets, Clowns and Salmon. He is the John West of rugby league after all.
But there was evidence in the first two games of the 2023 State of Origin series that NSW lacked intensity throughout the entire game. The lack of intensity probably was the reason they not seal Game One with an extra player.
Ricky Stuart wouldn’t allow any drop in intensity. Not on the field, in training and on the bus to and from both.
MATTY JOHNS w HINDY & FLETCH
If Andrew Johns is one of our Potential New NSW Blues Origin Coaches then why not the other Johns brother.
Not that he is inferior to Andrew, in fact, he has most of the rugby league smarts and with a significant reduction of arrogance.
Seeing the dollar signs for Fox League, we wouldn’t stop at just Matty Johns. We suggest including Nathan Hindmarsh and Bryan Fletcher and opening up the cameras to allow Fox League to increase their programming options. Mainly so they don’t have to show NRL 360 every hour.
But as much fun as the trio would be as NSW Blues Origin coaches, the current NSW Blues coach is a bit of a larrikin, someone who comes across as a bit of a joker, so one would argue it may need to be a little serious.
ANTHONY MUNDINE
A left field pick, but one suggested by the man himself. Well The Man himself we should say.
That’s right, Anthony Mundine joined the chorus of former players smashing the Blues and put his own hand up to help as the next NSW Blues coach.
Of course did. As well as mentioning that he was better than every other NSW Blues player in the history of State of Origin, and throwing in the boxing stats.
But NSW Blues could do worse, The Man would certainly take some of the heat off the team, as every press conference would be about himself. There would be no time for the players, who could then concentrate solely on the game.
And better still, if the Blues go a man, not The Man down, he could very well inject himself in the game given his high opinion of his achievements. And win the game and series for NSW, like he always did.
