Laurie Daley FIRES UP in ALL-TIME press conference | NRL on Nine

What are your emotions right now?And what were they when the sirens sounded?

Oh, just so proud of the performance.I think it was, that's the type of performance I felt was there.And obviously we had moments in games one and two where we played really well, but we just didn't do it consistently enough.So that gave me great confidence coming into game three.So yeah, that was a magnificent performance tonight to come up here and do what we did.I don't think there'd be too many in the room that thought we were a chance, so it's special.

I knew the best was yet to come, but I understand now why Penrith have had so much success.

It's to do with Yohei and Nathan, but Yohei's the best leader I've come across.He's very calm, very measured.You know, you can have a conversation with him, man to man.And when you have a good relationship as leaders, you can discuss things.And when you believe what they're telling you and what they believe that you're telling them, it works.And he drives it all and he's empowered to do that and just makes him a special leader.

I'm very privileged to work with him, very privileged to work with him.

Yeah, obviously uncomfortable because I don't like sort of speaking about myself, but I'm just so happy for Loz.Like, we as a group didn't read into anything that was said, but it was just so much being said about him.But it was just, we took the onus on us.He was given everything we needed.We just had to go and piece together 80 minutes performance and do exactly what he'd been telling us the whole series.We'd had little glimpses of it.

We saw glimpses at the back end of game one.We saw glimpses at the start of game two.We just hadn't pieced together 80 minutes.And that's why I'm so happy for Loz.not just our group, but just save for Wallace, because everything he was instilling in us, all the belief, all the trust he gave us, we managed to do it under the most pressure on the biggest stage up here at Suncorp.So history shows over the course of however many years, it's a hard place to come and win, especially in the side.

And this group, that's what makes this group special.It can just be a normal team come up here and get beaten and go, oh, it was just some call.Or it can be a special group, and that's exactly what we are.So I'm so proud.There'll be stuff written that you could almost say they're the better side for the first two games.But ultimately, we got them to a decider.

And under the most pressure, this group come up with something special.So I'm just so happy for the group, so happy for Loz, all the staff.So much goes into it.It's six, seven weeks.It's so much media, so much attention to it.And rightly so, it's the pinnacle of our sport just about, isn't it?

Yeah, we understand that and what comes with it is the scrutiny when you don't perform like you'd want to.But yeah, ultimately, when you win, it silences everything.And that's what we've done tonight.

What about the players that you brought in for this game, Lee and Mark?

They were all good, Brad.Yeah, we're sort of lucky that we've got good depth.But yeah, there were some difficult decisions that we had to make.But, you know, it annoys me when I hear people talk about New South Wales don't get it and they've got no passion for the jersey.That's two of the last three years we've won State of Origin with this group.And I don't know why we attack people the way we do, but I'm just so happy for the group.

I'm very pleased.I'm very excited because I know that was a performance that was coming.And yeah, it was good to be a part of, really good to be a part of.Yeah, look, no one likes criticism, get that.But you know, it comes, so you've got to accept it and cop it.But there's some parts of criticism that go way above others, which I get really disappointed with.

And people that report like that need to have a hard look at themselves.Yeah, but this week, I just wanted us to prove to ourselves that we're a good footy side.And that's what we've been building.Yeah, I was really happy about the performance.I was just really happy that everyone gave everything they had.And that's what you're after.

He did, yeah.He doesn't need to.And he sort of talks about it.He's on box ticking for his career.But he's just the kind of player that you just knew that he was going to prepare harder than anyone from both sides.Like, you're going in the Australian camps and you see, obviously, the Queensland boys in there as well.

But there's just no one who prepares better than him.He was disappointed, obviously, off the back of that game, too, with some under -performing players.errors from his behalf.So you just know that he was going to stay in the moment, stay present.The way he sort of fronts the media after things like that, it's exceptional.I don't think there's any other run of the world players that do that in the game, but I just felt like he just You just knew what you're going to get from him tonight.

And on the biggest stage, we've all seen it so much before, whether it's grand finals, whether it's Origins, playing for Australia.But it's just nice.I don't think he feels like he needs to silence anyone, but I certainly as a teammate and really close friend, I like seeing him do it.So yeah, just super chuffed for him.

Oh, he's right up there, isn't he?You know, I think you'd judge him at the end of their careers, but what he's done has been remarkable.Four consecutive premierships.And I just don't get why people want to take down champions.I don't get it.He's a champion and he's done some terrific things.

And why does he have to do something like he's done for people who go, he's not a bad player.Just does my head in that type of stuff.He's a legend of the game, what he's done.Well, you can't ask Billy.Why does he have assistant coaches?Why do you have an assistant defence coach?

Why do you have an assistant attack coach?

Why?

Tell me.Yeah.You know what the coach does?The coach drives it.So it just frustrates me.It just frustrates me a lot.

But the coach sets the tone.the coach talks to his coaches about how they want to implement plans.Some of the stuff that's been written and said, gee, come on.But anyway, hopefully those blokes might have a decent look at themselves.I wasn't about the last laugh, I was just about these blokes playing the best they possibly could.And in particular when people have a crack, when they don't even come to a training session, they won't front up to press conferences.

Show some balls.Where are they now?

Well, why should I?

I don't know.Well, you know what?You know what?I'll see.I'll see.Yeah, I just think it was unnecessary.

I think it was hidden agendas.Sometimes things are planted in the media too, so I'd love to know where that comes from.And you know how it all works.Yeah, but when you've put a lot into a game and put a lot into trying to be the person you are, people attack you from an angle that you go, wow.Anyway, that's my probably rant.but I hope it never happens to you one day.

Can you talk us through the Moses and Thierry Moses did most of the kicking to take us inside the plan and preparation?

Well, Mitch has just got a massive kicking game, so we were coming deep inside our own half, so it was just better for Mitch to kick the ball and that was a big part of the reason we were able to get out of trouble so well.That was the reason.Yeah, I haven't had a beer for nearly four months.So I'll have a couple tonight.And it tastes nice too, by the way.But no, it's just a wonderful feeling.

As I said, I got so much respect for our players because, yeah, just because.

I'm just happy for the group, I think, more than anything.I understand I'm in a privileged position to be able to lead this side, but I think just as a group, with all the stuff that was going on, I just felt like it probably galvanised us more than anything.We touched on after the loss at Melbourne, a loss like that can either galvanise you or can fracture you.I just felt like the way we sort of got around each other, the way we attacked this week's preparations, Obviously looked at some negatives, but some positives as well.It wasn't all doom and gloom.So just making sure we're driving that through the week.

But more than that, just happy for the group.Happy for Loz, obviously.Happy for all our staff that are involved.There's so much more that goes into it than what I think all in this room could have ever imagined.So it's just nice to see everyone just with a smile on their face, because it'sit is, it's the ultimate rollercoaster this level, this level of football.

The highs are so high and the lows are so low and I've experienced both sides of it.So it's certainly nice to be on the high at the moment.

I don't think any New South Wales team has lost Game 2 and come up here for a decider and won Game 3.So I don't think any team anywhere has lost Game 2 and come up here and won Game 3.And in Game 1 I think we came back from the biggest margin of being down.So we've created some history, whether you want to report that or not, that's all right.

Mitch Barnett let me know too that he's won his last three games at Suncorp, he's a full -time person, so a bit of history for him as well, he's happy about that.I'm not sure, I think just in this environment that's nothing, like it's everything you could want.Like it's the crowds on top of you.I think if you ask all the boys, one of their favourite away games would be playing at Suncorp because it's always got a big crowd.Broncos are obviously, you know, hasn't probably gone like they want this year, but like previous years have sort of had success, so they're right behind them.So, I think any time you come up and play them, it's an exciting atmosphere.

I've obviously seen the side of it where the whole joint's rocking.I think I was chasing after Benny Hunt in 2023 and I've never heard a louder stadium in my whole life.So I didn't like it that night, but yeah, I just think it's exciting.Like you've got 50 ,000 on top of you.They're so passionate up here.Little speckles of blue all through it, but it's exactly what you want in this environment.

You want to play in the big games because this is the kind of arenas you're a part of.And so, look, I'm not sure.I can't tell you what'll happen next year if we lose and they'll probably say that the cauldron's back and no one wants to come up here.But at the moment, I'm just...Yeah, what a place to play.

Yeah, I think benches play an important role.Yeah, we were two outside backs down.Strange and Tolu weren't going to get a game.We were going to go with a four forward rotation.Hamali was going to come on just after halftime.He was going to get 30 minutes.

So once Tolu came on, we had to sacrifice him.So yeah, and then Jack to go down and then we had to move the pieces around can get pretty hectic.That's part of the planning of the coaches.They had the plans in place.They covered off on everything that if this scenario happens, so we're well prepared.Yeah, but it's gutsy.

It's gutsy what they did.So, yeah, I'm just very proud.Very proud.Well, again, I haven't read it, but I've been told about it.So I'd be only making it up, but I think there's been second -hand feedback.It's been pretty heavy.

So I don't know whether that's true or not, but I'm assuming that some of it, most of it's true.But people would say, oh, mate, you OK?And I go, yeah, why?You know what?I don't like it, but you accept it.But it's other people who get affected by it as well when they go heavy.

So yeah, I would, yeah, anyway.It is what it is and people write stories and do whatever they want.But you've got to be held accountable to some of your stories too.And I'll read those stories and if things aren't right, I'll read them.out and then they can either explain that they made it up, they can explain where they got it from or they can hide behind someone gave it to me so I'll see which one it is.They're both okay in the change room but obviously not good enough to go back out.

Thank you everyone.