24 Facts About Laurie Daley

Laurie Daley represented Australia on 26 occasions and has since been named as one of the nation's finest of the 20th century.

Laurie Daley was playing representative rugby league before his 19th birthday in 1988 when he was selected to represent NSW Country in the annual City vs Country Origin game.

Laurie Daley was the second highest try-scorer in the 1989 NSWRL season with sixteen tries, only one less than team mate Gary Belcher.

Laurie Daley played his first games for New South Wales in the 1989 State of Origin series.

Part way through the 1990 NSWRL Premiership season Laurie Daley made his first appearance for Australia at five-eighth against France in the NSW country town of Parkes, scoring a try on debut.

Laurie Daley missed Australia's opening loss to Great Britain at Wembley Stadium due to a broken hand suffered in a previous tour match against Leeds, but played centre for three tests on tour.

Laurie Daley's injury meant he was ruled out of the season ending Kangaroo tour of Papua New Guinea.

Laurie Daley's 1994 tour was a happier one than 1990 with Daley playing in 9 games including all 4 tests on the tour.

In 1995, Ricky Stuart was preferred for the Canberra captaincy after Meninga's retirement, even though Laurie Daley had captained both New South Wales and Australia ahead of Stuart.

Nonetheless, Laurie Daley was awarded the Raiders' player of the year award in 1995,1996 and 1997.

In 1996, Super League players were allowed to compete in representative fixtures sanctioned by the ARL, allowing Laurie Daley to compete in State of Origin.

Laurie Daley captained the side and scored a hat-trick that match in The Kangaroos' emphatic victory.

Laurie Daley alo scored a try in Australia's victory in the third and deciding match.

Laurie Daley took over the Canberra captaincy on a full-time basis after Stuart signed with Canterbury in 1999 and was named the Raiders' player of the year.

In September 2007, Laurie Daley left his commentary position with Fox Sports and signed a contract with the Nine Network to co-present much of their rugby league coverage, from appearing on the weekly rugby league topic show The Footy Show, to commentating on Nine's weekend league coverage.

However, on 21 August 2012 Laurie Daley was appointed the NSW State of Origin coach from 2013, taking over from former Canberra team mate Ricky Stuart who, under NSW policy of their Origin coach not being a current NRL club coach, was ruled out after agreeing to coach the Parramatta Eels in 2013.

Laurie Daley got the job in preference to other candidates including Trent Barrett, Brad Fittler and Daniel Anderson.

Laurie Daley led the Blues to their first series win in 2014, finally breaking the QLD dynasty and delivering the Blues their first series win since 2005.

In 2014, Laurie Daley became only the second man after Wayne Pearce to play, captain and coach a Blues side to a series win over Queensland.

On 25 August 2017, Laurie Daley was terminated as New South Wales coach after only winning 6 out of 15 games and winning only 1 out of 5 series.

Laurie Daley's replacement was Brad Fittler who has since coached NSW to three out of four series victories over the Queensland Maroons.

Since February 2018, Laurie Daley has co-hosted the Big Sports Breakfast on Sky Sports Radio in Sydney.

In March 2018, Laurie Daley returned to commentating with NRL Nation, a syndicated Rugby League Radio call owned and run by Crocmedia.

In February 2008, Laurie Daley was named in the list of Australia's 100 Greatest Players which was commissioned by the NRL and ARL to celebrate the code's centenary year in Australia.