Laurie Daley has officially brought down the curtain on his second tenure as NSW Blues coach, sealing his exit with a series-clinching victory in Brisbane. The 56-year-old returned to the role last year, only to taste defeat in the decider at Sydney, but he turned the tables to win the 2026 State of Origin series in Queensland.
Expected exit after redemption
Daley had long been expected to stand down in the aftermath of the series, and he soaked up the victory with hints that he had kept receipts from his critics. He also delivered one final parting shot at Queensland during an appearance on Big Sports Breakfast.
“When you love your state as much as I do, you’d do anything for the jersey of NSW,” Daley said. “They say we don’t have passion, but we do.”
With the 2026 triumph, Daley now stands alone as the only NSW representative to win a State of Origin series as both captain and coach, adding to his previous series successes in 1994 and 2014.
Daley thanks players and fans
In a statement released through NSWRL, Daley reflected on his time with the Blues. “I’ve always considered it an absolute honour and privilege to be involved with the NSW Blues State of Origin team, whether that was as a player or a coach, and I’ve always been ready to answer the call for my state whenever they needed me,” he said.
“We faced plenty of challenges in the 2026 series, and I’m proud of the way the players banded together to overcome them and save their best performance for Game 3 in Brisbane to secure a memorable series win. I thank the fans for their passion and their support, and I can’t think of a better way to move on with the Shield back where it belongs in NSW.”
Trodden pays tribute
NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden said the organisation “owes a massive debt of gratitude” to Daley, describing him as one of the greatest players to wear the sky blue jumper.
“He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on a sky blue jumper, becoming the first NSW captain to lead his state to three consecutive series wins in 1992-94,” Trodden said. “He has also led NSW to arguably two of the greatest Origin series wins of all time as a coach, after ending Queensland’s eight-year winning streak in 2014 and overcoming adversity to steer the Blues home in 2026. Those wins transcended football. They lifted and reinvigorated the whole state. He deserves to leave the NSW Origin arena as the hero that he is.”
