QLD coach Green blasted for ‘poor leadership’, ‘deflecting’ from record Origin towel-up

Paul Green has only coached two State of Origin games, but his future with the Queensland team is already in the gun following back-to-back thumpings on home soil.

Sunday’s 26-0 NSW victory followed a 50-6 Maroons nightmare in game one, and Green has lost the shield that his state won in a stunning underdog triumph last year.

The 2015 NRL premiership-winning coach signed a one-year contract to do the job, taking over from Wayne Bennett who was effectively only an interim coach in 2020 following Kevin Walters signing with the Broncos.

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Following Sunday’s loss, Fox League analyst Braith Anasta turned the blowtorch on Green.

“Do you think it was the performance of the players? Or… what about Paul Green?” Anasta asked.

“They lost game two nearly the same way they lost game one, which is a big concern. You learn your lessons, you have to change your systems and your structures. You can’t do the same thing twice after that poor performance.

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“They lost the game in the same areas in game two.”

Queensland legend Cooper Cronk agrees the position of Green must come under scrutiny, especially as he isn’t contracted to the Maroons beyond this year.

“Paul Green signed a one-year deal, so the QRL obviously thought there was a chance he would move on and become a club coach if an opportunity came,” Cronk said.

“So the QRL have a big decision to make, whether they sign Paul Green for an extended period, or they usher in a new era of coaches.

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“I don’t know who is out there or who’s interested… Wayne Bennett is off-contract.”

Michael Ennis and Anasta then said Maroons legend Billy Slater was snubbed for the job this year, with the Queensland Rugby League opting for Green.

Cronk clarified that.

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“Billy didn’t put his hand up for it, he was silently in and amongst it, wanted them to approach,” Cronk said.

“I think he would like to be asked to, rather than put his hand up.

“Wayne Bennett is off-contract, you’ve also got Cameron Smith, Johnathan Thurston in it.”

Green and Maroons captain Daly Cherry-Evans looked dumbstruck as they faced media at Suncorp Stadium following the loss.

But half their press conference was spent discussing the controversy surrounding Ronaldo Mulitalo in the previous 24 hours.

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Mulitalo had been called in to make his Origin debut following an injury to Reece Walsh, only for the NRL to step after news came to light Mulitalo may not be eligible to represent Queensland.

It forced Green to make a game-day team change and call in Xavier Coates, who he had axed after game one.

Anasta blasted Green for harping on about the Mulitalo controversy instead of speaking about his side’s horrible performance.

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“What a deflection that was. For the first five minutes we’re talking about Ronaldo Mulitalo,” Anasta said.

“I said ahead of game one, Paul Green was so focused on making sure his side was the underdog. I saw that as poor leadership, I saw that as an excuse, and I see that (Mulitalo) the same.

“That should not be your focus after a loss like that. A record-breaking, poor performance in games one and two, and all he was worried about was Ronaldo Mulitalo.

“That was insignificant. Ronaldo wouldn’t have changed that.”

Cronk was also unimpressed with the captain, Cherry-Evans.

“If that was me sitting there was Daly Cherry-Evans, I’m putting my hand up and saying ‘as the captain and the halfback, we scored six points this series… there’s a large percentage of that on me’,” Cronk said.

“The lack of motivation… this is Origin. You’re playing at Suncorp. Trust me, there is enough motivation once you run onto that field.”

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