Queensland State of Origin coach Mal Meninga could be headed for court over his explosive newspaper column savaging NSW officials and the NRL judiciary.

Meninga had until 5pm AEST to notify NRL match review chairman Greg McCallum whether he intended delivering an unreserved apology and front page retraction for his stinging comments in last weekend's Sunday Mail newspaper or face possible legal action.

While Meninga did not return AAP's calls it's understood he let the deadline slip by without contacting McCallum.

McCallum also failed to return AAP's calls on Thursday.

Insiders say Meninga had obtained advice from his own legal team and also had the 100 per cent backing of News Limited.

While reports on Thursday said Meninga had spoken to NSW coach Ricky Stuart since his column rocked rugby league, the threat of court action remained after his failure to contact McCallum.

League insiders however were hoping a resolution could be brokered without going to court which they said would be a bad look for the game.

Meninga's camp are disappointed the first contact made with him after his column was a threatening legal letter rather than an offer to get together and work through the issues he'd raised.

Meninga, who has not commented since the storm erupted, sent Stuart a text message on Wednesday afternoon which said: "Give me a call - we need to chat".

Stuart called and they agreed to have a talk over a beer in Sydney next week.

However that hasn't removed the pending threat of legal action although insiders say both match review members Peter Louis and Meninga's former Canberra team-mate Bradley Clyde are not totally in favour of such action.

Queensland captain Darren Lockyer told AAP it was good to know Meninga and Stuart were talking after his coach's comments had whipped up such a maelstrom.

"I don't know what Sticky (Stuart) and Mal's relationship is like," Lockyer, who's played under both, told AAP.

"I think it's perceived because they were team-mates (Canberra and Australia) they were best of friends, but sometimes that's not always the case.

"But it's good after the stir the article caused that the two head coaches of the states are getting together.

"Because Origin is state against state and mate against mate, which it is, there's a lot of passion involved and as much as you respect your opponent, you want to beat them as much as you can too.

"Sometimes that's where emotions can boil over a bit."

Lockyer said Meninga had wanted to get some things off his chest.

"He said what he wanted to say but he's not the sort of person to have a slanging match.

"I think he's happy to leave it where it is.

"Everything is magnified at this level.

"Mal's a good bloke and Ricky's a good bloke, I've worked with him for a number of years and I'm sure their won't be any love lost there."

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