NSW boss shoots down Ivan Cleary and Craig Bellamy theory amid search for next Origin coach

NSW boss David Trodden has all but shut down suggestions Ivan Cleary and Craig Bellamy will be taking over the reins for the Blues in State of Origin as question marks remain over who will be the next coach. Since Michael Maguire made the sudden decision to leave the NSW role and join the Broncos, reports have grown the state should turn to Panthers coach Cleary or Melbourne master Bellamy for the part-time role.

Although speculation has suggested NSW want the coach to dedicate 100 per cent of their time to the role and a part-time coach isn't preferred. On Monday, NRL commentator Andrew Voss called for NSW officials to get a move on with the job search.

And on Tuesday, Trodden spoke to Voss about the current state of play. Trodden admitted they hadn't ruled out full-time NRL coaches as candidates. However, he quickly shut down any suggestion it would likely be Cleary or Bellamy taking the role in 2025.

"The answer is it is less likely. That is not because we have a previous position against appointing a NRL coach. We don't," he said on SEN Radio. "The reality is most NRL coaches have clubs that won't allow them to split their time between a NRL job and a State of Origin job. The job has become so big it is really difficult to do."

NSW boss reveals impediments for full-time NRL coaches

Trodden was quick to praise Maguire's role as the NSW coach last year, which was his sole role in the calendar, and said he put in place a number of structures to help carry the program forward. He also questioned how a current NRL coach could take the role with selectors no longer picking the team.

"One of the things you might have seen last year was the enormous amount of time Maguire invested into the the current players and the past players...that is not something a current NRL player can do," Trodden added. "Historically when we had NRL coaches doing State of Origin jobs, we had selectors picking the team. That doesn't happen anymore. That doesn't happen anymore. The coach picks the team. What happens if the NRL coach is faced with the prospect of leaving out his own players."

Matt King has been pushed as a potential candidate to take over the NSW role next year, which would most likely see him leave his Roosters assistant coach position. Former NSW coach Laurie Daley is also a leading candidate.

However, Trodden remained coy on who was leading the race and said officials don't have a preferred candidate right now. Trodden did admit there were around a dozen candidates all in contention to take the job and one would be announced before the end of the year.

Craig Bellamy shuts down NSW Origin role

While speculation has been circling around Bellamy, the Melbourne Storm coach had already dismissed interest in the role. The Storm coach ruled himself out on Dally M night and said he believes a current NRL coach shouldn't take the role. "I've committed myself for the Storm next year," Bellamy said after claiming his seventh Dally M coach of the year honour in 2024.

"They're not going to have a coach who is coaching an NRL side coaching Origin. I think they think that is too hard, and I think that as well. I have been there and done that. It's too hard. It's hard on your club when you're in Origin because everyone else has to do your work as well.

"And then you're worrying about your club when you're in Origin. Well, you shouldn't be doing that. You shouldn't be doing Origin if you're doing other things. I have made that decision and I will stick with that."

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Andrew Voss questions NSW job search

Speaking on Monday, NRL commentator Voss claimed NSW officials needed to get a move on to appoint a new coach. Voss believes the difficult Queensland series opener only solidifies the need for NSWRL to act swiftly and appoint a new coach preferably in the next few weeks. “Is it the first time in history that we break the dates for the next State of Origin series and we don’t actually know who the (NSW) coach is?” Voss asked on SEN.

"The coach needs to be announced in the next month. In the past we have had emerging Blues camps over the summer where there is access to players, is that going to run this summer? They do get the nucleus of the squad together and start talks. So I think it needs to be announced in the next month. Certainly we can't go into the NRL season without knowing who the coach for the NSW Blues will be. I think it needs to be decided in the next couple of weeks."