Matt King has described the NSW State of Origin team as the “love of his life” after being named as Laurie Daley’s permanent replacement as the new Blues head coach.
Daley walked away from the role on Monday after leading the Blues to a series victory last month and the NSWRL has wasted no time in appointing King as his replacement on Tuesday.
King played nine games for the Blues and has been part of the coaching staff under Daley and Michael Maguire over the last three series.
The 45-year-old King, who played for Melbourne, Souths and Warrington, has never been a senior coach but has spent the best part of the last decade working as an assistant to Trent Robinson at the Sydney Roosters.
“I'm very clear on what it looks like to be the head coach of NSW,” King said on Tuesday.
“I've had a front row seat the last couple of years with Laurie and 12 months before that with Michael Maguire and I have a true understanding of what it means to lead this great state of ours.
“I'm a country boy from northern NSW and grew up in a little town called Casino, I was a Parramatta fan growing up and got to play for the Melbourne Storm, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and I’ve coached at the Roosters for a long period of time.
“But the one true rugby league love of my life has been the NSW Blues and to know now that I have the opportunity to guide the team moving forward, means the absolute world to me.
“I promise everyone out there that you'll have my full and undivided attention on the role and I'll give it my absolute all to make sure that I can nail the role as best as I can.”
Storm football manager Frank Ponissi will remain in charge as the Blues’ head of performance under King.
“Matt has been with us as a player and a coach for a long period of time,” said NSWRL chief executive Dave Trodden on Tuesday.
"As a player, he was a winner, both in terms of winning State of Origin series and was also the first-ever winner of the Brad Fittler Medal, the highest individual playing honour you get from the NSWRL.
“I'm really excited to see what Matt will bring to our State of Origin preparation and I have total confidence in what lies ahead and the great victories that lie in front of us in the coming years."
