Gorden Tallis has expressed his outrage regarding a "hit piece" targeting Blues coach Laurie Daley on the eve of Game 2 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, set for Wednesday.
The former Queensland Maroons star went as far as stating that if a New South Wales player is responsible for leaking negative comments about Daley's methods to the media, they should "never play again."
This statement followed a significant report from Code Sports, which suggested that Daley's pre-game speeches lacked necessary energy and criticized his passivity during training sessions.
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta characterized the report as "personal" and a conventional "hit piece," noting it referenced several unnamed sources within the Blues' camp.
"Just name the source. Never hide behind a source," Tallis remarked, questioning the validity of the claims and asserting that Daley's speeches ought not to influence the match outcome.
Rather than focusing on the coach, Tallis emphasized the responsibility of the players, asserting that if any rugby league athlete requires motivation to perform, they should "go play another game."