Matt King also used his pre-game press conference to clarify what Michael Maguire was doing in Blues camp last night.
Maguire was Blues coach when he steered them to victory in 2024, which included a drought-breaking victory in a decider at Suncorp Stadium.
But rather than any kind of formal motivational speaker, King said Maguire was more of a presence in the room.
“He didn’t have to stand up in front of the group, he just shared a meal with us,” King said.
“I mentioned that game two years ago which Madge steered the ship in … if you cut Michael maguire open, his heart is the size of a watermelon. He’s one of the nicest guys in rugby league.
“He’s under the pump at the moment too, so for him to put that to one side and just come and share a meal…”
King said the group sat around the table for about 90 minutes, of which a chunk of time involved Maguire and Daley sharing yarns about their Raiders days.
“Which was great for us younger fellas to hear,” King said.
“Madge is a part of the Blues brotherhood … and he’s always welcome in our camp.”
Blues assistant coach Matt King has launched a staunch defence of his boss Laurie Daley ahead of the decider tonight.
Speaking to media this morning, King said Daley had shielded his coaching stuff from much of the criticism levelled at him in the fallout from the game two loss in Melbourne.
“Loz is great. He’s such a good guy. He’s been under the pump pretty hard – I think that’s clear for everyone, but at not one stage has he pushed that pressure onto any of us,” King said.
“He’s a good man, Loz, and a victory tonight would be so nice for him, so nice.
“The criticism that comes towards coaches should be on performance, and it’s when it starts to tip into character where it starts to feel a little bit unfair, and it has felt like that for Loz over the past couple of weeks.”
Much of the criticism following game two was how Daley used his bench. King said several meetings had been held since then – with another to finalise plans this afternoon – to make sure the same mistakes aren’t made.
“After that game, we got the biggest mirror we could find as a coaching staff, and we held it up and we looked at ourselves before anyone else,” he said.
“Part of that is the rotations. We’ve spent a lot of time looking at different scenarios, and we’ve got another meeting today just to make sure that we’re all on the same page.
“That’s what can happen – blokes on different pages in the coaches’ box leads to indecision, and that’s something we need to make sure we’re all sweet and on the same page tonight.”
Maroons legend Corey Parker reckons a stack of Blues are playing for their Origin futures tonight, and has questioned what might happen to Jack Bostock.
The Dolphins gun was picked on the wing to replace the out-of-form Brian To’o.
“Jack Bostock, what does he look like when he goes into the cauldron on debut?” Parker posed on SEN Queensland Breakfast.
“Has he been thrown to the wolves? He’s been playing in the centres for the Dolphins, been going extremely well, super talented young player, but now he’s in the cauldron.
“What does that look like for him?”
Bostock has scored four tries this season for the Dolphins. He scored nine tries in 13 appearances in 2025, and 14 from 23 in 2024.
Maroons coach Billy Slater let questions about Phil Gould labelling Cameron Munster a “cheat” go through to the ’keeper.
On 100% Footy on Monday night, Gould made the comments in response to Maroons legend Cameron Smith, who himself had a reputation for trying to get in the ref’s ear.
“You need to keep the referees honest … back me up Gus — that’s been happening since 1908, hasn’t it,” Smith posed.
“You took it to a new level,” Gould replied. “Let’s call it for what it is – Harry is a cheat.
“When you do that to a referee, and you’re talking to a referee, and questioning a decision, you never think he’s going to reverse a decision. It’s about what he does with the next one.”
Smith agreed with the sentiment.
When given the chance to respond, Slater said he hadn’t seen the segment and declared it would be “disrespectful” to comment.
But when pushed if it was important for Grant to have a good rapport with the referee, Slater said: “It’s not as important as playing the game. That will be where our focus is.”
Blues skipper Isaah Yeo has fired up over the “ridiculous” debate around Nathan Cleary’s Origin legacy.
Despite his success for the Panthers in clubland, where he has two Clive Churchill Medals to go with his four-straight premierships, Cleary is yet to win an Origin decider.
The comments came as debate around who should be the Kangaroos No.7 later in the year – Cleary or his Maroons’ opposite number Sam Walker.
“Sam is playing really well at the moment, but Nathan for me is the best player in the game, and that would seem fitting he would be the No.7,” Yeo said.
“I think (Cleary’s Origin legacy debate is) ridiculous. I’m biased – he’s one of my closest mates, I’m his co-captain at Penrith. I’ve seen everything he’s done in this arena, not just at Penrith, but NSW and for Australia, and he still has so much ahead of him.
“All I know is he’ll have prepared harder than anyone else out on the field in order to go out and have his best game on Wednesday night, and I look forward to seeing that.”
Blues coach Laurie Daley said an Origin decider wouldn’t define Cleary’s career.
“He’s created his own legacy as a player. He’s had a lot of success, and he’s a guy who works really hard – he deserves everything that comes his way,” he said.
“I don’t buy into ‘owning Origin’ – we’re not chasing individual accolades, we’re chasing a victory for the state.”
Just as a reminder, these are the squads named for tonight’s clash.
We’ll keep up updated if there are any changes to the run-on side throughout the day.
Queensland Maroons squad
1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Robert Toia 4. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 5. Jojo Fifita 6. Cameron Munster (c) 7. Sam Walker 8. Thomas Flegler 9. Harry Grant 10. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 11. Briton Nikora 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Reuben Cotter Interchange: 14. Max Plath 15. Patrick Carrigan 16. Jeremiah Nanai 17. Trent Loiero 18. Reece Walsh 19. Murray Taulagi Reserve: 20. Corey Horsburgh
New South Wales Blues squad
1. James Tedesco 2. Jack Bostock 3. Bradman Best 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Mark Nawaqanitawase 6. Mitchell Moses 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Payne Haas 9. Reece Robson 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Hudson Young 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo (c) Interchange: 14. Cameron Murray 15. Addin Fonua-Blake 16. Haumole Olakau’atu 17: Blayke Brailey 18. Ethan Strange 19. Tolutau Koula Reserve: 20. Victor Radley
Source: Nine.com.au
