NSWRL is pleased to announce the appointment today (Tuesday 4 August) of True Blue Matt King as Head Coach of the Westpac NSW Blues.
King brings impeccable credentials for the role after a playing career that included representing his state nine times from 2005-07 before turning his attention to coaching where he has also enjoyed success.
“I am extremely pleased to announce Matt King as coach of the Westpac NSW Blues from 2027,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“Matt has served a long apprenticeship in the game as an assistant coach and has learned off some of the sharpest minds in Rugby League.
“He has been involved as an assistant coach for NSW for the past three series where his growth has continued under premiership-winning coach Michael Maguire, and True Blue legend Laurie Daley.
“He is passionate about NSW, and I am confident he will give everything he can to ensure NSW continues to enjoy success in the State of Origin arena.”
King thanked Trodden and the NSWRL Board for the faith and belief they had shown in him and said he was looking forward to the challenge ahead.
“I’m very clear on what it looks like to be the Head Coach of NSW,” King said.
“I have a true understanding of what it means to lead this great state of ours and I can’t wait for that opportunity.
“The one true Rugby League love of my life has been the NSW Blues. To know now that I have the opportunity to guide the team moving forward, to lead the program over the next little period, means the absolute world to me.
“I promise everyone out there that you’ll have my full and undivided attention and I’ll give it my absolute all to nail the role as best that I can.”
As a player, King was part of the team that won the 2005 State of Origin series 2-1 to make it three straight series for only the second time in the state’s history, is only the fourth player in NSW history to grab a hat-trick in Origin (Game Three, 2005), and was the inaugural winner of the Brad Fittler Medal in 2005.
Post-playing, he has been an assistant coach at the Sydney Roosters from 2017 to the current day which included back-to-back premierships in 2018-19, coached the NSW Under 18s team in 2018, and joined the Westpac NSW Blues as an assistant coach in 2024, before being promoted to senior assistant coach from 2025 onwards.
King has been involved in two series wins in 2024 and 2026 which has featured the Blues coming from a game down both times to win a series decider in Brisbane – a record only achieved four times by NSW in Origin history.
