‘That’s weak’: Journos erupt in heated on-air Origin debate

This year’s Origin series may have wrapped up with a famous Blues victory five days ago, but there’s still plenty of feeling around the result as evidenced when journalists Brent Read and Dean Ritchie went head-to-head in a fiery debate.

Ritchie predicted a Blues ambush and upset win last week and was more than happy to revel in his glory on Monday night’s episode of NRL360.

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In doing so, he also took aim at Read, who was strong in his criticism of the job Blues coach Laurie Daley did in Games I and II.

“It was one of the great nights in Origin history and it was one of the greatest nights I’ve covered rugby league and it was even better to bore it up this bloke right here who stuck it to Laurie and the Blues every chance he got,” Ritchie said while pointing at Read.

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Noting the Kalyn Ponga send off in Game I, Read fired back at Ritchie.

“It goes back to Game I, you fluked that game. You fluked it,” he said.

Daley was widely criticised throughout the series about whether he was up to the role as Blues coach.

The rugby league legend shook it off for weeks until the post-match press conference last Wednesday night when he hit out at the criticism and what he believed were “hidden agendas” against him.

On Monday, NRL360 host Braith Anasta asked Read and Ritchie if the criticism of Daley was valid, with Read sticking to his guns, leading to a heated exchange.

Read: No doubt it was valid but Laurie outcoached Billy in Game III that’s why Billy copped criticism for his decisions in the decider. In terms of selections, interchanges, Laurie got it hopelessly wrong in Games I and II. No question about it.

Ritchie: What about Billy in Game III?

Read: I just said he deserved criticism for what happened in Game III.

Ritchie: So are you going to put the same scrutiny on Billy’s position as Queensland coach that you did with Laurie? You said if Billy loses the unlosable series, he’s botched and blundered.

Read: Coming into this year’s series, Laurie had won one out of seven series.

Ritchie: Billy’s won four out of his last ten games.

Read: Billy’s won three out of five series. You can’t compare the two. It’s a completely invalid comparison. Billy had credit in the bank, Laurie had none.

Ritchie: Billy’s lost two of his past three series. That isn’t enough for you to be critical of him?

Read: If he loses next year, maybe it’s time to call a day on Billy. I won’t argue with you on that.

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Ritchie, who is a close friend of Daley, noted that he didn’t necessarily agreed with some of the selection calls the Blues coach made during the series.

However, he soon honed in on Read again, believing his colleague’s criticism of Daley was “personal”.

Ritchie: I didn’t make it nasty. I didn’t make it personal. I didn’t make it ugly. He potted the Blues every chance he got.

Read: That’s Origin. You called Queensland the worst team that ever existed six years ago and they shoved it in your face. How nasty is that? You slandered a whole football team.

Ritchie: Hang on, I said a football side. You picked out an individual. That’s weak.

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