Brisbane Broncos and Queensland Maroons assistant coach Matt Ballin has reportedly made a decision on his coaching future after attracting the interest of two rival teams.
A former dummy-half for the Manly Sea Eagles and Wests Tigers, where he appeared in 220 matches over 11 seasons, Ballin has been regarded as one of the best emerging assistants in the competition.
This has seen him work in the Queensland State of Origin setup under Billy Slater and even be linked as one of the candidates who could become his future successor if the Storm fullback decides to pursue a head coaching role in the NRL.
Amid interest from the Gold Coast Titans and North Queensland Cowboys, as reported earlier in the week, Ballin has opted to stay at the Broncos under Michael Maguire by signing a new deal, per The Courier-Mail.
“I’ve got a great team of players and coaches here,” Maguire said.
“It’s a team effort and I’ve been fortunate to have several experienced assistants working together with a great group of young men.”
It is understood that family reasons were a significant part of his decision to remain at the Broncos, as he is currently expecting a child with his wife.
“I have been coaching now for a while now since I finished playing, and the goal for me is to be a head coach,” Ballin said via the publication.
“I am in no hurry to be a head coach. I want to do it, but I have a lot of learning to do.”
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