NRL

New South Wales has officially settled on its next State of Origin coach, appointing long-time Blues assistant Matt King to succeed Laurie Daley following the conclusion of the 2026 series.

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King steps into the role after spending several years as part of the Blues coaching staff, where he worked under both Michael Maguire and Daley during New South Wales’ recent Origin campaigns.

The appointment rewards the 45-year-old after a lengthy coaching apprenticeship that has included assistant coaching roles with the Sydney Roosters and the Blues, with King now taking charge of the state’s biggest representative team for the first time.

Daley had publicly backed King as the ideal candidate to continue the Blues’ success, praising his influence behind the scenes and declaring he was ready to become a head coach.

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«Matt King is a first-grade coach now, he’s ready to go,» Daley said before the appointment.

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NSWRL

Former Blues coach Brad Fittler also endorsed King, pointing to his years of experience learning under some of the game’s leading coaches and his involvement in New South Wales’ recent representative success.

As a player, King represented New South Wales on nine occasions during an NRL career spanning the Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters, before spending several seasons with Warrington in the English Super League.

He etched his name into Origin folklore during the Blues’ famous 2005 series victory, scoring a hat-trick in the decider at Suncorp Stadium, a performance that helped earn him selection for the Kangaroos.

The towering former winger, affectionately nicknamed «Sideshow Bob» throughout his playing career, now brings a wealth of experience as both a player and coach, making him a natural fit to step into one of rugby league’s biggest representative roles.

King inherits a Blues side that has enjoyed a successful period in State of Origin, with his immediate challenge now turning to maintaining that momentum as New South Wales begins preparations for the 2027 series and chases back-to-back Origin triumphs after winning two of the past three series.

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