Michael Maguire reveals James Tedesco's reaction to Origin call-up 13:26

Well, we've touched on the news this morning that Dylan Edwards has been ruled out of Origin 1, so James Tedesco will come into that New South Wales Blues side. Let's check in with the coach, Michael McGuire. He's been good enough to join us here on the Continuous Call team. G'day, Madge.

G'day Mark, how are you mate? Mate, I'm really well. Obviously a bit of an interruption today and a bit of a turbulent 24 hours. First and foremost, how's Dylan Edwards mate? Because we've all spoken this afternoon about how devastating it is for a bloke who's worked tirelessly for the opportunity to represent his state. How's he going at the moment mate? Yeah, he's going okay. Very good.

As you can imagine, I mean, he's worked extremely hard to get the opportunity and we all feel for him, obviously. There's definitely nothing or not something you want to have to go through, but he's strong. He's a good character to deal with. And look, you know, we've got a bit of this, so opportunities come about if you keep working hard like he has. So we've brought Teddy in and looking forward to obviously having Teddy. I mean, Teddy's been a part of things

I think about up to the point of picking selections. So he's well aware of what we're creating and what we're building. Just before the boys jump in, Madge, how did this happen with Dylan Edwards? Was it just one of those things that happen when they're out training? Take us through it.

Believe it or not, Mark, it was actually right at the end of the train we'd finished. And as every player does this day and age, they just do their little extras after and, you know, they tick all their boxes and he literally walked off and felt something in his quad. And then, you know, we had the scans done really early this morning. You know, and I've got a couple of doctors and a number of physios in with me at the moment. So they all had a look at it and unfortunately on the scan it just lit up where the strain was. So, you know,

It was a really big risk to try and get towards the game, but, you know, they all said that, look, you know, it's a too big a risk to take moving forward. So, you know, we made the call this morning. Yeah, so, Madge, it's Neil Breen. I suppose the next thing you had to do was... How are you? The next thing you had to do was contact Trent Robinson and James Tedesco. What transpired there? Yeah, actually, I was aware of it yesterday, so I sort of spoke to both, both the boys yesterday, and made them aware that...

we may have to make a decision this morning. And in true form, Teddy, when I spoke to him yesterday, he said, Madge, I'm ready if the opportunity comes about. And Trent's been fantastic, the way he sort of handled everything. And, you know, as I made the phone call to Trent,

Teddy this morning, you could hear him ready to go. So, you know, what a great replacement. Obviously made the call with Dill and, you know, that was a tough call and I think we all appreciate, you know, how hard Dill's been working and what he's done in the game and I thought it was an opportunity for him to take, but not to be, but, you know, to be able to then go back to someone like Teddy, you know, we're pretty lucky.

And James Tedesco's played 22 Origins. This will be his 23rd straight. I don't want to fire you up, Madge, but I'd love to get a reply to this. Gordon Tallis is being quoted today. He's warning James Tedesco's shock recall for Origin 1 could derail your campaign, claiming he would be embarrassed to return after being sacked as New South Wales captain. What do you say to Big Gordy who said that this afternoon? Well, the way Teddy spoke and the phone call I had, I'm looking forward to the game.

Well, he's a quality bloke, Teddy. You wouldn't expect any more than that. Look, Peggy's punching his bristeries in the background. I'm fired up. He's fired up. That's what I wanted to hear from our coach. Matt, is there any of these boys, and you know all these boys, right, the whole 20 of them that you've got there. Is there anyone surprised you in any way with regards to this preparation and how they've gone?

Good question, Aaron Darrell. I mean, not really, mate, because I've had a fair bit to do with them prior to camp. So I've had a lot of conversations and I've had a bit of time on my hands to be able to sort of prepare. And every single one of them, it's been good. It's been a great camp. But at the end of the day, we also know we've got a job to do. So I think I've just been really pleased how...

passionate they are and the buy-in to what we're doing and you know we've got a way we've brought them up to the Blue Mountains so it is different and they've really enjoyed that part of it I guess of being able to spend more time together without the madness of what the city can bring so yeah it's been a good prep to this point and we we jump on a bus this afternoon we come back down to Homebush this afternoon and you know go into the next part of our you know prep.

See, the thing, well, I reckon that you've got the best of the best there, so they know how to prepare and they know what they're doing and they know what they've got ahead of them here coming on Wednesday night. So I would expect nothing less from them. They'd all know exactly how they should prepare.

Definitely. And then when you're working with these guys, it's easy. Actually, coaching's easy. They're here for a reason. They're here because they're prepped to be the best. And you can't get away with it anymore. There's no shortcuts in becoming the best. You have to do the work.

And that's one thing about every single one of the boys that I've got. You know, you can see that they all go and do their extras. And unfortunately, yesterday, you know, Bill had that slight strain. But, you know, after training, they all go off and do what they need to and they do their extras and then they move together and connect. So, yeah, it's really good coaching. It seems like this where you've got players of this level and they go about what they need to and get, you know, the things done to get them prepared. Yeah.

Hey, Michael, I just wanted to ask you about Jake Trebojevic and how he's handled the captaincy. Look, just from my own experience, having interviewed him so many times,

There was one time I asked him a question a few years ago. I said, you know, there was some issue in the game. I said, as one of the most senior players in the game, you know, Kangaroos, New South Wales origin, one of the first players picked. And he answered the question. Then he said, oh, can we stop there? And I said, yeah, what's up? He goes, oh, you're not going to say that in the story, are you? I said, what? He goes, oh, about me, you know, like...

you know, origin. And I said, why? He goes, oh, the boys will all G me up. Like he's the world's nicest. You know what I mean? You know what I'm talking about, Michael? How's he handled the captaincy being the world's best fella? He has been excellent. You know, I think it probably took him a little bit of time to get his head around it.

But once I sat down with him and spoke to him why and the reasons that, you know, what I see in him is, you know, the ability to be able to inspire people by just being him. That doesn't necessarily have to be anyone else. You know, we've got a number of other sort of leaders within the group that can do various parts of what we need to do on and around the field. But just his passion, I think that's something there that I really wanted to capture around the team. And he definitely brings that...

Hey, Mag, it's Pig. We were having a conversation. How are you, mate? We were having a conversation, what, a bit over a week ago, and we're talking about all different things, but one of the things you were telling me about was...

the Blue Mountains, because I asked you, I said, why did you go to the Blue Mountains? And it's a fascinating story about how the Blues find themselves in the Blue Mountains. Would you be able to let the listeners in on how it all came about? Yeah, Piggy, probably in an abbreviated form than what we spoke about. Yeah.

But, you know, once I got the role, I just wanted to do something different, you know, and have a different camp. And obviously you ran around New South Wales in many different places, Kingscliff and Foster, and looked at various training camps and obviously had a very close friend that pointed me in the direction up to,

at the Blue Mountains. And I sort of came up here and had a look around and obviously had the golf courses and many things to do for family and kids. And I sort of said to Scotty, my mate, I said, mate, you'd

there's no field, there's no gym. And he goes, well, leave it with us. We'll have a bit of a chat to the owner. And before I knew it, all of a sudden the owner's standing with me and we're up measuring out fields up in his fairways, trying to work out how we're going to put the field down. And, you know, and then all of a sudden, you know, we couldn't do the field due to the,

the timings. So we went to the local school and he invested heavily into the local school's field. And I then said to him, I said, well, we don't have a gym. So he went about it and he provided with a world-class gym. So I guess, you know, it was an amazing sort of story and I can elaborate on that in time. But I wanted to find a place where I could take the players away and

prepare the best we can because that's what you need to do to play at this highest level. It's been really good. We've had the families up here last night

in and around the team. And, you know, obviously we jumped on a bus this afternoon and get back into the second part of our sort of prep to our camp. But the Blue Mountains, you can hear, you can feel a buzz up here like everywhere. Like the boys have been in Delur and Katoomba and, you know, everyone around the towns and the country towns. And, you know, I love getting out to the country. And, yeah, you can feel it in and around the place of how excited they are around, you know, the New South Wales Blues team. So, yeah, it's a beauty. You know, and that comes back to the people that...

I'm fortunate to be around that have helped me out. You know, I can't thank them enough. And at the end of the day, yes, we've got to get the results. But to give the boys where they are at the moment, you know, it's nice to see how they've gelled together. I take it the owner of the Fairmont isn't a Queenslander. No, not at all.

He's well and truly behind us. I mean, it's, you know, I could elaborate further, boys, on what he's done for us. But, you know, I'll keep that between the story I just told and, you know, where we're going to try and get ourselves to. And, you know, we want to make the town and make the city and make New South Wales and the country areas proud. And that's not just coming from me. That's coming from the players themselves, which is really nice. Well, I wanted to ask you that, Matt, just finally, right?

Piggy tells me, having played under you, you've delivered some of the most rousing speeches before to get players up for a game. What do you want to say to the people of New South Wales? This is your chance to speak to a fairly big audience. You've been entrusted with the responsibility of preparing this team to beat Queensland in game one and potentially win this series. What do you want to say to the people of New South Wales who are saying, is Michael Maguire the right man to lead the

to a victory, a much-needed victory over Queensland. You've got the floor, Madge. What do you want to say? Yeah, thanks, mate. Look, I think to the people is that I hope they understand how much they mean to this playing group because we talk about that openly and the momentum that they give us. And, you know, I've sort of stated many times that there's nine million people that wear out to make sure that they have a smile on their face and be very proud about the team they have. And, you know, we want to play tough and we want to play...

And, you know, the people to see our team just working that hard for, you know, the success, because I know it resonates to everyone in New South Wales. And, you know, albeit you're in the city, you've got to work hard and you've got to be working even harder sometimes out in the country because of circumstances. And, you know, that's something there that we want to capture as a team. So we're representing our people of New South Wales. And to have them smiling and happy at the end of games is something definitely we're all working hard to achieve.

Go the Blues. Go the Blues. Go the Blues. I'm ready to run out for you, Madge. I'm ready to go. Cut it out. And yes, and Madge, you'll be pleased to know, Madge, that I'm the resident cheerleader for the Blues. So if you're putting together a cheerleader squad, I'll be up the front, okay? I can't wait to see you out the front. See you, great man. I wouldn't mind. Can I just say this? I love the fact that you've brought...

Steve Mortimer into this as well because, you know, Turvey, I think, was the captain the first time they ever won a series in 85. If you didn't mind, I'd love to talk about that. So I was meant to talk about that, boys, if we've got two seconds. Yeah, go for it. Since sort of jumping in charge, I was looking at all the different greats that have played in the game and, you know, you learn the history and

we as a group have learned so much about that 85 time. And then, you know, Steve Turvey Mortimer just popped straight out at us straight away. And, you know, he has given the team something very special in the spirit of what, you know, State of Origin is all about. And, you know, you saw him being carried on the shoulders and he's now kissing the ground. And that to me is what this team's all about. And, you know, I think it's been a very special sort of journey with,

our players learning around that. You know, and I was with the old boys last Monday and even some of the old boys probably didn't understand the significance of that time. And all of them just said, man, there's our man, Derby. So, you know, to bring that alive of, you know, what represents New South Wales, I think it's a special part of what, you know, I'm trying to drive. And we all are, you know, that that's our iconic moment that can be representing what the Blues are all about.

Fantastic. Madge, go well on Wednesday, mate. We'll see you out there at a cool stadium for Game 1 in the 2024 Ampole State of Origin Series. Good on you, boys. Thanks for having me on.

It is. The great match. Michael Maguire, the coach of the New South Wales Blues. And I will say this. You know, we broadcast into Queensland to a hell of a lot of people. We've given the Queenslanders an opportunity to come on this program and speak to the people of Queensland and the fans, but they've been unavailable. So all we can do, all we can do is offer them the chance to come on. But the New South Wales Blues have been more than happy to speak to the people of this state.