By Dan Walsh
NSW Blues selection advisor Greg Alexander has stepped down from his role as Brad Fittler fronts the NSWRL board to pitch for a 12-month extension as coach.
Alexander was brought in as Fittler’s chief confidante when he first took over the Blues set-up in 2018.
Fittler’s great mate and Panthers premiership-winning teammate announced his decision on Friday morning, before Fittler meets with NSW hierarchy later in the day.
“It’s been six fantastic years, with ups and downs, but that’s Origin, seductive as it is, but I’ve had enough,” Alexander said on his morning show on SEN radio.
“It’s a big commitment. Freddy wants to continue and I certainly wish him well … When Freddy asked me if I wanted to go again and you hesitate, it’s not a job you hesitate on.”
After much conjecture following a 2-1 series loss and immense criticism, Fittler has confirmed he wants to coach on. A 2023 series win would have triggered an automatic 12-month extension in his contract, though the NSW board has been receptive to Fittler coaching on under new terms for 2024, having already heard his series review late last month.
The relationship between Brad Fittler and Greg Alexander goes back decades.Credit: NRL Photos
“I’ve still got the energy, I’ve still got the drive,” Fittler told this masthead recently.
“It is what it is, I love it, it’s fantastic. It’s a shame [the scrutiny] affects people around you, but that’s life. That’s part of taking the job. The family is supportive, which is great. I love it, I love everything about it.”
Alexander’s exit points to the predicted shake-up of Fittler’s coaching staff after two consecutive series losses since Billy Slater took charge of Queensland.
Alexander, Paul McGregor, Danny Buderus and Andrew Johns featured on Fittler’s coaching staff this year, while current Panthers coach Ivan Cleary also joined the Blues’ set-up on game day for Origin III this year.
The plan to bring Cleary in – with Fittler a fan of both his calming influence and know how as a current day-to-day NRL coach – was only hatched on short notice. But both Fittler and Alexander have both indicated enthusiasm for Cleary’s support role continuing next year.
Slater himself remained coy on his own Origin future during the week as the Storm champion and QRL continue negotiations around whether he coaches on next year.
“We’re getting to the pointy end with Billy; there’s a whole lot of moving parts at the moment around both teams and both series,” QRL chief executive Ben Ikin said on Tuesday.
“We’re still trying to understand what the series schedule will look like next year, how long the camps will be, and we’re working through budgets.
“I would say that at some point before next year’s series, we’ll do a deal.”
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