The recent State of Origin decider saw the Blues and Laurie Daley celebrating a sweet victory, highlighting a tense exchange of criticism and praise.
Following the win, Daley addressed the "unnecessary" and "personal" nature of some critiques aimed at him during the series.
In a standout display, Daley effectively managed his lineup and substitutions amidst a thrilling upset at Suncorp Stadium, but his most remarkable moment was reserved for his post-match comments.
"No one likes criticism. I get that. You know it comes, so you've got to accept it and cop it. But there's some parts of criticism that go way, way above others which I get really disappointed with," Daley expressed.
"People that report like that need to have a hard look at themselves."
While Daley opted not to specify the critiques or individuals he was addressing, NSW Rugby League CEO Dave Trodden drew attention to a particular piece from Code Sports' Travis Meyn and Peter Badel following game one, which highlighted "sleepy" pre-game speeches.
With this series victory, it appears that Daley and the Blues have indeed had the last laugh against their detractors.