Daley announced on Sky Radio’s Big Sports Breakfast on Monday morning that next year’s series would be his last at the helm, before Nine’s Danny Weidler reported an hour later that King had agreed to replace him.
King is understood to have won the job ahead of Boyd Cordner and Brett White, while Andrew Johns removed himself from contention.
Daley had already thrown his support behind King, saying he was ready to step into a top job after serving coaching apprenticeships under Craig Bellamy at the Storm, Trent Robinson at the Roosters and Michael Maguire with the Blues.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have some wonderful coaches on our staff and they were there with Michael Maguire in 2024, so guys like Matt King, Boyd Cordner, Brett White – they are guys that are first grade coaches in waiting,” Daley said on Big Sports Breakfast.
He then made clear who he wanted to see take over.
“My senior assistant was Matt King, and Matty King is a first grade coach now, he’s ready to go. I don’t know what NSW Rugby League are going to do, I don’t know who they’re going to appoint, but but I would like to see a guy like Matt King take over the role.
“He’s been there, he’s been a servant, he’s had great input into what we’ve been able to do over the last three years.”
King played nine games for NSW between 2005 and 2007 and scored a hat-trick in the 2005 series decider.
Daley steps away after a 2026 series in which he picked nine debutants. The 56-year-old said the connection within the playing group and staff meant he could leave knowing the team was in a strong place.
“I’ve always been good at blocking out outside noise. That’s one of the things that you talk to the players about… not to believe what’s being written,” he said.
“You do that as a player and those skills that you learn along the way, they help you. I never wavered one bit, I knew we had that performance the whole time.
“I did not lose faith in what I knew those guys were capable of doing. “I was as relaxed as I’ve ever been on the morning of the game. I was telling my mates ringing me that we were in a good space.”
His tenure ends after relentless criticism of his coaching style, tactics and record, though he hit back after sealing the series by saying there were “hidden agendas” trying to undermine his reign.
Daley will leave as the only NSW representative to win an Origin series decider in Brisbane as both captain, in 1992 and 1994, and coach, in 2026.
NSWRL chief executive David Trodden praised Daley on Monday, saying the 2014 and 2026 series wins under him were “arguably two of the greatest Origin series wins of all time”.
“NSWRL owes a massive debt of gratitude to Laurie for the service he has given to his state as both a player and a coach,” NSWRL chief executive David Trodden said in a statement on Monday.
“He is widely regarded as one of the greatest players to have ever pulled on a sky blue jumper, becoming the first NSW captain to lead his state to three consecutive series wins in 1992-94.
“He has also led NSW to arguably two of the greatest Origin series wins of all time as a coach, after ending Queensland’s eight-year winning streak in 2014 and overcoming adversity to steer the Blues home in 2026.
“Those wins transcended football. They lifted and reinvigorated the whole state. He deserves to leave the NSW Origin arena as the hero that he is.”
Daley finishes with two series wins from seven across his two stints in charge.
