Matty Johns endorses Michael Maguire amid NSW search for State of Origin coach
The comments come as the Blues continue to search for former coach Brad Fittler's replacement.
Former Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire would be a "great pick" to succeed Brad Fittler as the next NSW State of Origin coach, according to rugby league identity, Matty Johns. The Blues' search for a new coach continues after Fittler opted to step down from his role last month, despite being offered a one-year extension.
The likes of Panthers coach Ivan Cleary, Storm mentor Craig Bellamy and Canberra's Ricky Stuart have all been touted as potential candidates, with the latter officially pulling out of the race in order to focus his attentions on the Raiders. Blues legend Paul McGregor has also been touted, while former coach Laurie Daley was also linked with a shock comeback after admitting last week that he'd be "happy to help" the Blues - despite ruling out a return to the head coaching role.
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However, Johns has given former South Sydney premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire a huge endorsement to fill the vacant NSW coaching role after insisting he is the kind of man needed to make some of the "tough decisions" for NSW. Maguire is the current head coach of New Zealand and joined Stuart's coaching staff as an assistant for the 2023 season, having been replaced by Tim Sheens as Tigers coach in 2022.
The experienced 49-year-old coach is renowned for his hard-edged and no-nonsense approach and Johns reckons Maguire would be a good fit for a Blues side that has lost three of the last four series. Queensland have won back-to-back series under coach Billy Slater, who balances his media career with the head coaching duties but is not part of a coaching set-up at an NRL club.
Matty Johns throws support behind Michael Maguire
The last two NSW coaches - Fittler and Daley - were similarly not part of the coaching set-up at an NRL club and free to focus their attentions on the Blues side. Speaking on SEN radio, Johns says he doesn't see an issue with Maguire's role as an assistant coach at the Raiders and argues that it would actually be beneficial for the Blues to have someone working in the coaching landscape on a weekly basis.
“I would have no problem appointing a coach who has a club affiliation because I think you need to be coach fit,” Johns said. “You’ve got to be ready to make those tough decisions, deal with scenarios on the run and have the strength of personality to be used to ringing players and saying, ‘Listen, I like what you’re about but apologies I’m not going to pick you in the side.’
“Head coaches are used to doing that, they’re seasoned to do it and for that reason I think Michael Maguire would be a great pick.” Johns fears that the recent upheaval and uncertainty at the Blues is off-putting for potential successors to Fittler, whose departure followed the exits of Blues greats Greg Alexander, Danny Buderus and McGregor from the NSW setup.
“I think it’s symbolic of where we’re at, at the moment with NSW rugby league and the structure of it,” Johns added. “You’ve got more people taking a step back than people taking a step forward.
“I don’t know why exactly that is. Maybe it’s because of what Freddie's been through in the last three or four months. All the uncertainty has spooked potential coaches. Perhaps they don’t quite trust the set-up.”
There have been suggestions that NSW could appoint Daley, Maguire and McGregor in a new-look coaching setup in 2024 but Johns has warned against such a move. He argues that whoever is appointed as the new head coach should be able to choose the make-up of his coaching staff like Slater has done to great effect with the Maroons.
“Billy was appointed the head coach of Queensland and from there he has gone and assembled his coaching team with Cameron [Smith] and Johnathan [Thurston],” Johns added. “It’s really important to have a figurehead. If you throw everyone in together, you can end up with a mish mash of ideas and players not exactly knowing who is in charge.”
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