A teary-eyed Christy King has delivered an emotional tribute to her husband, Max King and spoke of her immeasurable pride for her partner after he was called up to represent New South Wales in this year’s State of Origin Series by Laurie Daly.
King is a self-described pub footballer battling to do his best in the NRL.
But come next Wednesday night, the ever-reliable Canterbury prop can add NSW State of Origin player No.319 to his bio.
The 28-year-old entered his maiden NSW camp on Monday, grinning from ear to ear at the prospect of coming off the Suncorp Stadium bench in a Blues jersey next week.
His perseverence has now been rewarded, with his wife, Christy, hailing her husband for the work he has put in to get to this point.
‘Hi guys,’ Christy said in a video published on her TikTok account. ‘I just dropped Max off at home [and I’m] balling. Obviously, I am so proud but I am just so blown away by God.
Max King’s wife, Christie, (pictured right) has published an emotional TikTok video admitting her pride at her NRL star partner after he was called up to the NSW State of Origin side
During the video, Christy said she was overcome with emotion, reflecting on how hard Max has worked to receive his first NSW call up
‘He [Max] was on no one’s team lists. No one would have predicted that he was going to play and be chosen but God.’
The couple are both Christians and Max is one of the few players who has brought their own Bible into the New South Wales camp this week.
However, the prop forward explained his faith had been tested in recent years, going off contract, suffering injuries and struggling for game time.
He explained it took him to a dark place but his partner Christy opened up on his struggles, again admitting her admiration for her husband, following the news.
‘I’ve seen this man like put God first and honour God and just stay away from stay away from things… and just honour God and walk on the straight and narrow.
‘And like, here he is. Here he is playing State of Origin. How can you deny God?
‘Like I’m literally in my car, listening to worship, crying, balling with God because I’m just so in awe of God’s goodness. I am so proud. And thank you guys so much for the support. Thank you.’
She captioned the video: ‘You watched your husband honour God and now God is honouring him on the biggest stage of his career.’
King has experienced a tough few years and has battled with his faith after missing more than 500 days out of the game after an achilles injury.
The pair were married back in 2023, with Christy, a model, saying: ‘No one would have predicted that he was going to play and be chosen but God’ after Max was left out of contract
Max and Christie were married in 2023, exchanging vows at Curzon Hall, one of Sydney’s most stunning wedding venues.
Max had popped the question to Christy, a model, back in February 2023, with the pair having met while attending church while Christy was living on the Gold Coast.
They also announced the birth of their first child, Hercules, in June 2024, with the proud parents sharing snaps on their social media accounts of themselves and their baby boy.
But Max, now aged 28, had thought an Origin call-up would never come.
At some stages he had even considered switching his allegiances to his birthland England, which would have made him ineligible for NSW in the process.
Max was born in Huddersfield in the UK to an Australian father and an English mother.
Rugby league runs in his blood. His dad, David, had played for Super League club Huddersfield Giants at the time of his birth. His grandfather is Johnny King, who made 10 representative appearances for New South Wales and was capped 15 times by the Kangaroos during the 60s. He also won seven premiership titles with St George and is a life member at the club.
In recent weeks, Max had been tipped off that he was in Laurie Daley’s sights, but by late Sunday afternoon he’d given up most hope before the coach rang.
Max was born in Huddersfield in the UK to an Australian father and an English mother. His grandfather is New South Wales great Johnny King
He says his dream was to always play Origin footy, but King, now 28, admitted he had feared his chance had gone, considering his age
‘You look in the media, and who picks Max King in their team? I don’t think I saw one team with Max King in it,’ Max quipped.
‘It was always a dream of mine to play Origin, but I’m 28. It’s not super old, but I’ve never been anywhere close in my career.
‘I do see myself as a pub footballer that’s just battling away and doing his best.
‘I always felt like God had a calling for me to play NRL, not because I’m a good footballer, but because it was His purpose and His plan.’
King has also been part of Daley’s plans for some time, impressing as part of a mobile Bulldogs pack that has gone top of the ladder.
The 105kg prop convinced the Blues coach of his worth a fortnight ago, when he chased back on a Gold Coast linebreak at Magic Round just after a hit-up of his own.
‘The first day of pre-season I sat down with (Bulldogs coach Cameron) Ciraldo and handed him a piece of paper,’ King said.
‘I said to him that I wanted him to write down what he thinks is a perfect front-rower, and I wanted to evolve (into that).
King says his work helping Canterbury climb to the top of the ladder this season was party why he thinks Daly selected him
‘I think a big part of why I’m here is the team success, but that evolution of these conversations happening behind the scenes.’
But his path to Origin has not been easy.
He debuted at Gold Coast in 2017, was released by the club to Melbourne in 2019 and spent more than 500 days out of the game after an achilles injury.
At that time, retirement was even on the cards, before a lifeline came from Canterbury and Phil Gould.
‘It was a dark time… I was out for two years. I was off contract. I had no club,’ King said.
‘I always consider myself as just a battler trying to make the best of himself.
‘I had to deal with this wrestle of … I’ve played 50 games of NRL at a mediocre level, 20 minutes off the bench. Now I’ve had a permanent injury that I can’t recover from.
‘I was struggling to manage that God would do all that but leave me here still. I felt like it was just a big test for my faith as well.
‘I didn’t know what I was doing. It was Gus (Gould) reaching out and giving me that lifeline. Everything comes off the back of that.’
