Cronulla Sharks assistant coach Steve Price has reportedly been blocked from taking up a role with the New South Wales Blues for the 2024 State of Origin series.
The Blues are in the process of radically changing their coaching set-up for the 2024 series, with Michael Maguire taking over head coaching responsibilities from Brad Fittler, who fell from the role after back-to-back series losses.
Fittler wasn't the only departure, with a number of his key staff, including advisor Greg Alexander and other assistant coaches standing down.
Maguire, according to News Corp has been pursuing Steve Price - a former head coach of the St George Illawarra Dragons and long-time assistant at the Sharks on either side of that - for a role within camp.
But it won't be allowed to proceed, with Sharks' head coaching being forced to block the move for Price and deny his leave from the club during the Origin period, given Josh Hannay is already a member of the Queensland coaching staff.
Queensland's staff has also had a change in recent days, with Matt Ballin confirmed as a new assistant coach, taking the position of the departing Cameron Smith.
Hannay's crucial role within the Queensland camp though will block Price from joining the Blues, with Fitzgibbon rightly suggesting he can't afford to lose two assistant coaches at the same time during what is often a critical part of the year as fringe players step in to fill in for selected Origin players.
It's a bitter blow for Maguire as he builds his New South Wales staff, with the coach having had Price on his Kiwis staff during last year's Pacific Cup, which resulted in New Zealand taking out the final with a 30-0 win over Australia.
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