Brisbane Broncos coach marries ‘most beautiful woman alive’
A former State of Origin star has tied the knot with a Channel 7 presenter who he says took his breath away on their first meeting.
Brisbane Broncos assistant coach Matt Ballin has tied the knot with Channel 7 sports presenter Alissa Smith.
The couple, who have been together for five years, got married at Ballin’s family property near Kingaroy, Queensland, in front of a star-studded guest list on October 19.
Ballin and Smith first met in 2019 at Fox Sports studio when the former NRL player joined NRL Tonight as an expert.
Smith was working as a presenter for Fox Sports at the time before she joined Channel 7.
In a heartwarming interview with the Courier Mail, the loved up couple lifted the lid on the magical day while also discussing their first impressions and detailing the proposal.
“Waiting for Liss to arrive was one of the most exciting – as well as calm – feelings I have had. When I saw her I thought, ‘She’s the most beautiful woman alive’,” Matt said when recalling the first time they met.
Matt got down on one knee in October, 2023, on the Brooklyn Bridge in a move that completely blindsided Alissa.
“Matt had organised a photographer to meet us so they could have a nice photo to hang at home, or so he told me,” she said.
“Matt dressed in the suit he wore when we first met at Fox Sports and to my surprise proposed during the photo shoot. I had no idea.”
The guest list for the big day included Gold Coast Titans coach Des Hasler as well as Matt’s former Manly teammates Steve Menzies, Jake Trbojevic, Mark Bryant, Glenn Hall and Paul Stephenson.
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After tying the knot, the couple headed off to America for their honeymoon where the sport fanatics soaked up all the west coast had to offer.
From watching the LA Rams take on the Minnesota Vikings at SoFi Stadium to seeing the LA Lakers battle the Phoenix Suns at Crypto Arena, they ticked off every sports lovers checklist.
The couple have since returned home with Ballin turning to his attention to the Broncos under new head Michael Maguire as they look to bounce back in 2025.
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