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International Captain
- Mar 4, 2008
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Ballin Joins Broncos Coaching Team
Two-time NRL Premiership winner Matt Ballin has joined the Brisbane Broncos coaching team.
www.broncos.com.au
Two-time NRL Premiership winner Matt Ballin has joined the Brisbane Broncos coaching team.
Queenslander Ballin, who was born in Nanango and grew up in Kingaroy, will start at Red Hill next week as Development Coach, joining the Broncos after three years in the Sea Eagles system as an assistant coach and coaching NSW Cup.
The 37-year-old played 220 NRL games and won Premierships with the Sea Eagles in 2008 and 2011, as well as playing a State of Origin game for the Marrons in 2010.
Ballin said: “I’m extremely excited to join the coaching staff of the Brisbane Broncos. The club has a rich history of success which I aim to add to in the near future.”
Broncos Coach Kevin Walters, who will retain John Cartwright and Terry Matterson as his Assistant Coaches for 2022, said Ballin was a great addition to his coaching structure. Ballin will replace Kurt Richards, who decided to move on from the Development Coach role.
“We jumped at the opportunity to bring Matt into our system – he has been down at Manly for a few years working under Des Hasler, which is a great pedigree,” said Walters.
“Matt is a former player here, I coached him at the Clydesdales back in the early 2000s, and for me he is a great fit for us to work with the younger players in our NRL squad as well the those players transitioning from our Academy system into senior footy.
“He’s a younger coach who is ready to make a career for himself and he is a Queenslander as well, which fits into what we are building here at the Broncos.”
In another addition to the Broncos coaching staff for 2022, Brett O’Farrell will join the club on a fulltime basis as Contact Coach.
O'Farrell, a former Junior Kangaroo who played 20 NRL games for the Storm as a prop from 1999-2001, has previously done coaching work at the Titans, Warriors and Eels, as well as the Wallabies and Brisbane Lions.
Walters said: “Brett did some work with us last year and impressed us with his technical expertise in terms of the game and he is quite a character as well which suits us here at the Broncos.
“He will bring a lot on the training field and off it in terms of culture and morale.”
Also, a new Broncos Academy Manager has been appointed with Mick Kennedy stepping up from to replace Simon Scanlan, who himself was promoted during the 2021 season to the club’s Head of Recruitment & Academy.
Broncos Football and Performance Director Ben Ikin said: “Mick has been the Broncos Academy’s skills coach for a long time – he knows the Broncos system, he’s highly capable, an very knowledgeable on all fronts.
“He now has earned the chance to step up and run an Academy Program that we believe is the best in code.”
