Brad Fittler steps down, NSW coach, who will replace him, Ricky Stuart, Craig Bellamy, Laurie Daley, rugby league news, reaction

Former Blues coach Laurie Daley has ruled himself out of the running for the vacant New South Wales position after Brad Fittler stepped down from the role on Thursday.

Daley coached the Blues between 2013-2017 and was at the helm when New South Wales ended Queensland’s historic eight-year streak in 2014.

When asked whether he could replace Fittler for a second stint with the Blues on the Big Sports Breakfast on Friday morning – the radio show he co-hosts – Daley was quick to shoot it down.

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“No, no. I’m always happy to help if asked. But that (fulltime role) is for someone else,” he said.

Daley, who went 6-9 in his five years as Blues’ coach and appeared in 23 games for his state as a player, also issued a warning towards a number of the contenders for the position.

The names of Raiders coach Ricky Stuart, Storm coach Craig Bellamy, Bulldogs supremo Phil Gould and even Fox League’s Michael Ennis have been tossed up as potential replacements for Fittler.

Daley believes if Stuart or Bellamy took the gig, it would leave themselves open to criticism not just from NSW fans but their own club’s supporter base.

“A club coach can do it but you put yourself at risk,” Daley said.

“If you go into an Origin series and your club team isn’t travelling well, and for that period when you’re away your team struggles, it can put a lot of pressure on the coach.

“Throw into the mix, you might lose State of Origin, and you know the impact it has on coaches, you could be copping from NSW and your club.

“It’s big risk. That would be the worry I have – paying a coach a $1m a year and they will be spending a quarter of the season, six weeks, out of your system in State of Origin.”