Madge’s role in rise of Blues rakes

HE was sacked by Wests Tigers and remains an out-ofwork NRL coach but Michael Maguire has inadvertently become the influential figure behind NSW’S point of attack on Sunday night.

Maguire was the man who helped develop and expedite the playing careers of both NSW hookers – Damien Cook and Api Koroisau.

As then-south Sydney coach, Maguire (pictured) plucked Koroisau from North Sydney in 2014, that year rushing him into the club’s grand final-winning side after Issac Luke was suspended.

And it was Maguire, currently in Auckland coaching New Zealand, who saw the talent and merit in Cook, who was signed by the Rabbitohs in 2016 after being used as an unwanted utility at Canterbury.

Both players were languishing in reserve grade until Maguire quietly detected their untapped ability.

Now, several years later, Maguire’s impact will help NSW at dummy half in Sunday’s Origin II in Perth.

“It was Madge, mate, it was Madge,” said former South Sydney chief executive, Shane Richardson, recalling the rise of Cook and Koroisau.

“Madge built Api up and gave him the chance in a grand final and then he brought Damien Cook to the club.”

Koroisau will start Origin II, with Cook’s speed to be utilised off the bench.

“Api came through North Sydney, who were our feeder club back then. I’m not sure how he got to North Sydney but he was on the fringe and looking for an opportunity,” Richardson said.

“Madge brought him into our top squad because he was playing well and he ended up playing in our grand final side. Api was always a good kid who worked hard.

“Api only played one game in the final series and that was the grand final. I remember it was quite emotional that we’d lost ‘Bully’ (Luke).

“I’ll be brutally honest, we didn’t really know how Api would go in a grand final.

“It was a big call, it was huge for him and us and he came up trumps.”