Matt King: ex garbo with no first-grade coaching experience takes charge of NSW

The retired winger was once likened to The Simpsons’ character Sideshow Bob for his distinctive hair. He was a late bloomer as a player who worked as a garbage collector and barman before winning rugby league’s highest honours. And he has never coached in first grade, having spent a decade working behind the scenes.

Although his locks are long shorn, the shaven-headed Matt King still remains an unusual choice to lead one of the sport’s most high-profile teams, the New South Wales Blues. He will replace Laurie Daley, who stepped down having won the shield this year. And King admits he has not always had the confidence that he could be a head coach.

“Five years ago, I wasn’t sure whether coaching was for me, to be totally honest,” he said. “I was still sort of sifting through what the rest of my life would look like and I daydreamed about what that might look like without footy.”

After debuting in first grade at age 23, the former Casino Cougar had become a rugby league hero within two years. In his first State of Origin series, he scored a hat-trick in the decider at Lang Park to earn the first Brad Fittler medal for the Blues’ player of the series.

King played 10 Tests for Australia but as quickly as he reached the peak of rugby league, he disappeared from the NRL. He left to play for the Warrington Wolves in 2008 – offered more money to play for the Super League club than any in Australia – and only returned for a brief stint with the Rabbitohs before retiring in 2013.

His journey over the past decade as a coach has been equally meandering, having had a stint looking after the NSW Under-18s, and assistant roles with Lebanon under Michael Cheika, the Roosters under Trent Robinson, and the Blues under both Michael Maguire and Daley.

“As I’ve continued to progress, I suppose my experience, particularly at clubland with the Roosters, you start to build some belief, and then the last few years have been incredibly important to me,” said King.

“Madge [Maguire] showing me the faith to step into a role under him and to guide the [NSW] team in some really key areas of our footy program was instrumental in self-belief for me,” he said, also thanking both Cheika and Robinson for their trust.

Matt King scores a try for the Blues during 2005 State of Origin series. Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

But it was his responsibilities with NSW over the past two years that helped him feel like he could take the next step. King was trusted with the Blues’ attack under Daley, as the head coach focused on motivation and media.

“Loz [Daley] was the boss, don’t get me wrong, but he did hand over a lot of the footy aspects to us guys who are in clubland and from that point of view, I felt like I was able to build some real self-belief and confidence in my ability, and got to the point where, when this opportunity popped up, I really feel like I’m in a spot to make the most of it.”

Daley won this year’s Origin series despite intense scrutiny over his coaching ability, especially given he has not coached first grade. But his success highlights the role of coach in Origin is different to that at a club.

The former Raiders five-eighth was open about delegating most of the football responsibilities in Blues camp to King, his senior assistant, and his staff including Melbourne Storm football general manager Frank Ponissi, mind coach Gilbert Enoka and former players Boyd Cordner and Brett White.

Daley’s formula – and the Blues’ success – highlights why King, who has also never led a side through the trials of an NRL season, but is respected as a former representative player, may be well-placed in the three-match Origin cauldron. He also understands the scrutiny coming his way.

“Loz dealt with it in a way which I really respected. At not one stage throughout that time when Loz was under the heat did he ever push that pressure onto anyone, his staff or on to the playing group,” King said. “He absorbed it, and I really admired that.”

King with his family – daughters Charlie, Willow and Harper, and his wife Kirsten. Photograph: Darrian Traynor/Getty Images

King was overlooked two years ago when Daley was appointed coach, but the NSWRL board still anointed him their long-term option – promising him the role in future – and were well-placed after Daley resigned this week. “The plan was always that Matt would take this role because he’s the very, very best person for it,” said David Trodden, NSWRL chief executive, who revealed he had known “for a little while” Daley would be stepping down.

King said missing out in 2024 “stung”, and he knew there was risk in relying on that promise given Daley could have stayed in the role for years. “I knew that I was taking a bit of a gamble there,” King said. “But as it’s all panned out, it’s been that two-year period, and Troddo [Trodden] is a man of his word, and he’s kept that promise to me that couple of years ago, and really appreciate him for that.”

The time under Maguire and Daley has also helped King work out what he values as a State of Origin player. “You’ve got to be a tough bugger to play State of Origin footy, you need extreme clarity on what your strengths are, leaning into those strengths, how your strengths then tie into the rest of the team, so that cohesion is really important,” he said. “But the last piece of the puzzle is you have to find the courage to play your footy.”