Sutton is brains behind Souths' brawn, but he remains open on future

Daniel Lane South Sydney forward Ben Te'o inadvertently talked up the market value of John Sutton when he hailed the Rabbitohs' five-eighth as the ''brains'' of the premiership contenders.

Roosters v Rabbitohs

Five things we learnt

Daniel Lane NSW State of Origin coach Laurie Daley might need to reconsider his declaration that Roosters' Mitchell Pearce was the man most likely to play halfback for the Blues.

Meninga's Origin tip for rival

Daniel Lane MAL MENINGA bled too much alongside Laurie Daley during their time in the lime green jumper of Canberra during the 1980s and '90s to allow a triviality such as fanatical state pride to stop him from...

Daley to give key Blues an early nod

Daniel Lane NSW coach Laurie Daley will phone a select few Blues in the next couple of weeks - a good four months before game one of the State of Origin series - to tell them that, barring injury or an...

Daley avoids Mundine bait

Daniel Lane LAURIE DALEY was deep in preparing the Indigenous All Stars' battle plan for this year's annual game against the rest of the NRL's best when he learned Anthony Mundine dismissed him and the late...

Peachey backs new Blues coach to give indigenous talent a fair go

Daniel Lane Former Cronulla and South Sydney fullback David Peachey said he hoped Laurie Daley's appointment as coach of the NSW State of Origin team would open the door for more indigenous players to wear the...

Rugby League

Stuart opts out as Blues mentor

DANIEL LANE RICKY STUART has decided to walk away from the NSW State of Origin coaching job after the ongoing bunfight over whether he should continue in the role.

Bird tips 'freak' Hayne to ignite and help Blues turn the tables

Daniel Lane NSW forward Greg Bird says the ''compacted'' nature of a State of Origin series makes it easier for players such as besieged Parramatta star Jarryd Hayne to go out and ''explode''.