State of Origin 2019: Allan Langer lampoons Kevin Walters' 'Coach Whisperer'
Even best mate Allan Langer has lampooned Queensland coach Kevin Walters for listening to the 'Coach Whisperer' ahead of the State of Origin opener.
Walters has been accused of everything from putting on an act to losing the plot since spruiking mind coach Bradley Charles Stubbs' philosophy in the lead-up to Wednesday's Origin I at Suncorp Stadium.
Gone is Queensland's much loved underdog tag.
Now Walters is telling anyone who will listen that the Maroons "will win" game one while stubbornly refusing to acknowledge who they are even playing.
It's in keeping with the lessons detailed in Stubbs' $5500 an hour "Expect to Win" sessions, where it is a big no no to say the rival's name.
RELATED: Cronk says Munster is Maroons game changer
Walters took it a step further by threatening Maroons players with fines if they mention the word "NSW" to the media.
The bizarre lead-up has left many scratching their heads including former Maroons skipper Langer who summed up ex-teammate Walters' new approach as only he could.
"I want to meet this bloke (Stubbs). I am not sure what he is on about," said Langer, who is now part of Walters' Maroons support staff.
"I wouldn't say Kevvie has lost the plot but I have seen him on the drink and he can't handle it real well - and I thought he had been on the drink all week."
Walters' approach has sparked questions about the enigmatic Stubbs.
One TV reporter on Tuesday accused him of being a snake oil salesman.
Yet Stubbs has been credited with helping Sydney Roosters and South Sydney win NRL titles and has worked with Wallabies coach Michael Cheika and Socceroos mentor Graham Arnold.
Stubbs placed himself off limits to the media this week.
But in a rare interview with AAP in December, he revealed he wrote his "Expect to Win" program 35 years ago after his dream of being a professional surfer was ended by a car accident and he was admitted to an acute psychiatric ward.
Stubbs believed the universe had placed him in that position for a reason and suddenly the 'Coach Whisperer' was born.
"I haven't been to university, I've got no degrees, I spent 35 years researching human subconscious minds," Stubbs told AAP.
"I reprogram the subconscious mind from the day someone is born to the age they are now."
NSW-based critics have of course had a field day but Walters was making no apologies.
"It has been a little different with our philosophy but the response from the players has been right up there," he said.
Walters has been accused of many things by cynics.
But with all jokes aside, Langer reckoned his mate could only be found guilty of one thing.
"He's just really passionate. He wants them to go out and play the way Queensland do," he said.