The NSW Nationals have come out of this drama looking weaker and more insignificant than before.

With such a drastic threat the Nationals left the Gladys Berejiklian little choice - you can't negotiate with terrorists.

We don't know if the National's got any concessions for their backdown but we do know they couldn't even secure a date to rediscuss the koala policy.

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It is hard to put it better than what the Nature Conservation Council CEO Chris Gambian said on Thursday: "Wanting to retain the right to kill koalas is an extraordinary hill for The Nationals to want to die on."

And surely Barilaro's leadership is now dead too.

It seems hard to imagine the wounds between Berejiklian and Barilaro ever being fully mended.

To keep him as Deputy Leader would not a good look either.

Do the NSW Liberals really want the second most senior government member to be someone who was willing to overthrow the government on a whim?

You only need to look to federal politics to see the dangers of keeping a political foe in Cabinet. Just remember the never-ending undermining of Malcolm Turnbull's leadership by Tony Abbott and of Julia Gillard's leadership by Kevin Rudd.

It is understood senior Liberals are already putting the acid on their Nationals colleagues to change leader.

Paul Toole, Adam Marshall and Melinda Pavey have been touted as possible replacements.

But, if what John Barrilaro told 2GB on Friday morning is correct - that the threat was driven by several Nationals members - then a change of leadership may not be the end of this drama.