'Great asset': NSW name former mentors to lead Blues as Bellamy ...

The NSWRL have officially announced Laurie Daley as the new Blues coach, while Craig Bellamy will join the Blues as an advisor in a shock move.

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In a newly-created role, Bellamy has answered the call from Daley to act as a Blues advisor in 2025.

In his introductory press conference, Daley revealed how he convinced Bellamy to come on board for 2025.

“I have a great relationship with Craig. It started when I was a player and we keep in touch,” Daley said.

“I was looking for some guidance. I was looking for someone to help me and I thought he’d be the best possible person to do that.

“Craig will help the coaches, he’ll also be apart of the group and I’m pretty excited for him to get involved as I’m sure the players will as well.

“The first phone call I had with him, he said ‘leave it with me’. I rang him about a week later and he rang me back and he said ‘I’m interested’.

“Then we discussed what type of role it would be if I was to be appointend and then it was a matter of him getting his head around that, what he could contribute, what he can’t and then working out a clear path that we both understand.

“Once we decided on that, then we’re all ready to go and he’ll be a great asset to us.”

Of course, this will also be Bellamy’s second stint on the Blues coaching staff after his three-year reign in charge from 2008-2010.

He will have his hands full next season given his Storm committments, but Daley outlined how Bellamy will spread his time during the Origin period.

“They’ve (Storm) got a couple of byes during Origin (this season) so there will be a period of time where he will spend a lot of time and then there will be a stage through the third Origin where he will be in camp. He’ll certaintly be there game night sitting in the box,” Daley said.

“I’ll be with Craig throughout the year, in certain games just sitting in the box and learning and seeing how he goesabout processing things in games so we don’t turn up on the night and hoping that connection will be there.”

For Daley, this will be his second stint as Blues coach, having led NSW across five series between 2013 and 2017, winning six of 15 games against arguably the greatest Queensland team of all time.

This is Daley’s second stint as Blues coach, having led NSW across five series between 2013 and 2017, winning six of 15 games against arguably the greatest Queensland team of all time.

Daley masterminded NSW’s 2014 series victory, stopping an eight-year winning record for the Maroons.

The NSW head coach role was vacated by Maguire after he signed with the Broncos, taking over after Kevin Walters was sacked by the Brisbane board.

Maguire delivered a series victory for the Blues in his first season at the helm, coming back from a loss in the first game in Sydney to win a decider at Suncorp Stadium.

Daley reportedly won the position over last year’s assistant coaches Matt King and Brett White.

The former Raiders legend was axed as head coach following the 2017 series, but was also reportedly a frontrunner to take over prior to the 2024 series.

“Really excited about the opportunity. I have a burning passion for the state and to be asked to do the job, I feel very honored,” Daley said on Monday morning.

When asked by a reporter if he was a different coach to seven years ago, Daley replied, ‘you’d like to think so’.

“I’d like to think I’m a better coach. I’d like to think I’ve learned a lot. I never thought I’d have the opportunity again but it’s come about so we look to build on what happened last year.

“I think you learn a lot. Maturity is one but there are a lot of aspects that go into running a football program. Not only the coaching side of it but the human side of it.

“I think as coaches, as mentors, as managers, or whatever you do as a leader, you want to get better. That doesn’t change through life.”