NRL coach makes Origin offer to under-fire Daley

George Clarke | June 20, 2026

Craig Bellamy says his door will always remain open to Laurie Daley as the embattled NSW coach fights to save his job and the State of Origin series.

Daley is a man under pressure after Wednesday night’s game-two loss where the Blues led 12-8 before Queensland romped to a 44-22 win at the MCG to square the series. 

It is the second-straight year under Daley that the Blues, who lost last year’s series, have blown a game-one lead.

Queensland host game three at Suncorp Stadium on July 8 and Bellamy explained he would be happy to act as a sounding board as Daley weighs up his selections and tactics.

The Melbourne coach was an advisor to Daley during the 2025 series before renouncing his role to prioritise his club commitments with the Storm. 

“I’m always there for Laurie. It’s not so much that we’re in footy, it’s that we’re mates,” Bellamy said on Saturday. 

“We played together at the Raiders and I’m obviously a bit older than him, but we’ve always been mates, we always will be mates.

“If he wants my opinion at some stage or a bit of advice or I’m sort of going to give it to him, but I’m not going to stick my nose in where it’s not wanted either.

“He’ll have it under control, he’s got his own idea on footy and it usually works.”

Daley has plenty of selection headaches over the next three weeks with the likes of Tom Trbojevic and Latrell Mitchell all expected to be available for the decider.

And in a further boost for Daley, hooker Blayke Brailey is expected to return for Cronulla on Sunday against the Sydney Roosters.

Brailey made his Blues debut in the series opener but was ruled out of game two with a broken arm. 

“He has healed really well and he’s got no pain but his strength is good,” Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon said on Saturday. 

I’m not worried about Origin III, we’ve just got to get through tomorrow night.

“The surgery was really successful but he never had anything in his mind other than what was the quickest timeframe to get back and he’s worked towards that.”