Matt King has been confirmed as the new head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, signing a two-year contract with an option to extend through 2029. This appointment closes the door on speculation that Penrith Panthers coach Ivan Cleary might take over the role in the near future. King will succeed Laurie Daley as the Blues’ coach.

Cleary, a four-time premiership winner with the Panthers, is set to leave the club at the end of the 2027 season. Asked in New Zealand about the prospect of coaching the Blues, he downplayed interest, emphasizing his current focus on his Panthers duties. “Not really because I’ve still got a job,” Cleary said. “I think the Blues have made a really good decision. I think Matt King is a great bloke and a great coach-in-waiting, and he’s definitely the right man for the job.”

This weekend will be a particularly meaningful occasion for the Cleary family as Penrith faces the New Zealand Warriors at Go Media Stadium. Ivan Cleary formerly coached the Warriors, and both of his sons will be involved in the games at the venue. Jett Cleary is set to start at halfback for the Warriors in the NSW Cup curtain-raiser, while his elder brother Nathan will lead the Panthers in the NRL fixture several hours later.

Nathan Cleary acknowledged previous speculation about a possible move to the Warriors in 2028 but dismissed the idea, citing the desire not to limit his younger brother’s chances of making an NRL debut. “I want to put a bit more thought into it,” Nathan remarked, “The last few weeks there has been a bit of a comedown from Origin and I’ve been trying to get back into routine with the boys, and get back into consistent training.”

Ivan Cleary expressed pride in his sons’ progress and looked forward to watching them both play on the same day. “It’s early on in his journey,” he said about Jett. “It’s an interesting day. It’s good that their game is before ours so I get to have a bit of a look. My wife is coming over. She’s going to have an interesting day watching her two sons play for different teams, so it’s unique.”

The matchup between the Panthers and Warriors has already proven to be one of the season’s highlights, with their round 13 encounter widely regarded as one of the best games of the year. This upcoming meeting carries added significance given the family connections and the broader coaching developments within the NSW rugby league landscape.