Daley says Blues stars “need to pick up their effort” to secure spot

It seems Laurie Daley wants to leave his own mark on this Blues side in 2025, threatening to shake up the squad that won the State of Origin series just last year.

Laurie Daley appeared on NRL 360 earlier this week, discussing his intentions with this Blues side, as well as dropping a few subtle hints on what's to come.

“I'm not afraid to make change,” he declared.

“Sometimes you learn that you need to be playing well leading into Origin to have that confidence, so I'll be looking at players that are playing well.

“Guys that have been there in previous years, particularly last year, if they're not playing well, then they'll probably receive a phone call to remind them that if they want to be a part of it, then they'll need to pick up their effort.”

Daley knows that a few players will be unhappy with his selection choices, but was clear that it was all a part of the game.

“I think there are going to be some high-quality players miss out if they're all fit. If they're all fit for selection, then there's going to be a tough decision.”

The returning coach's comments may seem drastic, however, Daley also confirmed that some players will be locked in if fit, with very little chance of losing their spot.

“Nathan Cleary in my mind, if he's not the best player, he's the second best player in the game,” Daley admitted.

“If NSW run out without Nathan Cleary and he's fit, I reckon we're in a very, very, very, very, very strong position.”

Cleay has had a somewhat shaky Origin career, with a 7-7 record and only one appearance in the last two seasons.

It seems his new Origin coach is tipping him for a dominant series, though, with his only question being who will partner Cleary come game one.

The choice of who will play five-eighth between Jarome Luai and Mitchell Moses will certainly have Daley pulling his hair out, with both stars bringing their own unique benefits to the table.

While Luai has helped Cleary steer the Penrith Panthers to four straight premierships, Moses was pivotal to the Blues' success last year, a fact that has Daley leaning towards the Lebanon international.

“The key for Mitch is to obviously get back and play,” Daley said.

“I was really impressed with what he did in last year's series. I think Mitch has got the ability to play five-eighth in Origin as well.

“I thought his kicking game was fantastic last year, and his ability to be able to make the plays when the game is on the line really impressed me, and we saw that in game 3.”

Another question mark around this year's Blues squad is the positioning of Zac Lomax, with the 25-year-old making clear on several occasions that his preferred position is centre, not wing. However, it appears Daley is of a different opinion.

“I see Zac as a winger, not a centre at this level,” Daley said.

“If Zac is in the team, it'll be on the wing, it won't be in the centres.

While the Parramatta Eels star outside back is to be sidelined for the next six weeks, there is no doubt he will don the sky blue jumper at some point in 2025.