Meet the next generation of coaches hoping to launch into the NRL

3 days ago 4

When it was determined the Brisbane Broncos needed someone to inject a tough, physical edge, one of their former enforcers was identified as the perfect candidate.

Ben Te’o made a triumphant return to Red Hill after spearheading the Redcliffe Dolphins to the Queensland Cup final in 2024, tasked with turning the underperforming NRL outfit into a defensive juggernaut.

While head coach Michael Maguire – who led Te’o to a premiership as a player with South Sydney – put his troops through a gruelling fitness regimen, it was Te’o who instilled the value of first contact at the tackle.

Ben Te’o made an immediate impression at the Brisbane Broncos.

It took time for the squad to implement what he was putting in place.

But their 2025 season turned around – their run of 13 wins from the last 15 games, including the 26-22 grand final triumph of the Storm, yielded an average of 14.67 ineffective tackles an outing.

For comparison, the ladder-leading Canberra Raiders made the fewest ineffective tackles at 12.85 a game across the campaign. Come Brisbane’s remarkable finals series, that average dropped to nine.

“Benny values those effort areas of the game, fast-moving defence and turning up for one another,” Broncos lock Pat Carrigan said.

“It’s actually weird, I feel a bit older talking about him because I played with him when he came here, but his passion for the game and to bring it in a fun and youthful way to get better is what makes it so exciting for the boys.

“He knows nothing will be perfect, but if you’re willing to work hard enough and put yourself in positions, you can make the play.”

Te’o’s emerging stature is strengthened by his ability to spot talent, having pulled the likes of Aublix Tawha and Latrell Siegwalt out of local football to join his Redcliffe crusade.

The latter has since inked a two-year deal with South Sydney, while the former was announced on a two-year Brisbane Broncos deal after managing nine games in the Dolphins’ front row.

Aublix Tawha will join the Brisbane Broncos.

“I was living a normal life, just scaffolding back in New Zealand and never really had any thought of playing in the NRL,” Tawha said. “I never thought I’d be here in a million years.”

Te’o’s path through the Queensland Cup shows what others in the competition could achieve, with Norths mentor Rohan Smith charting a similar path.

Smith, who took the club back to the Queensland Cup decider, replaced outgoing coach Dave Elliott, after the latter orchestrated the first state championship triumph for a Queensland side since 2015.

Elliott will now take over Redcliffe after Eric Smith, who took the club to the preliminary finals this year, joined the Canberra Raiders.

“It was definitely a big change finding out that news ... but I think a lot of the boys knew what he’s about,” Norths skipper and former Gold Coast Titans hooker Kierran Moseley said of Smith.

“We just embraced it. If you watched a lot of our games, we played a two-sided attack and zinged the ball from either side of the field.

“We moved the ball a lot and didn’t just play straight up and down footy. There’s a bit of risk with that, but we worked hard on our skill by juggling and hand-eye co-ordination stuff which helped a lot in the games.

“[Smith] kept everyone focused.”

Norths Devils captain Kierran Moseley pictured during an Indigenous All Stars camp.

Smith had a longstanding rapport with the Devils, claiming the 2021 premiership before leaving five rounds into 2022 for the Leeds Rhinos.

Having previously leading the Bradford Bulls to 14 wins from 20 games, his Super League comeback took the Rhinos from 11th to the Super League grand final, before mutually parting ways after back-to-back eighth-place finishes.

“I want to be a head coach,” Smith said. “Some of the other opportunities I had were great ones, but they weren’t head coach leading the club.

“I think coaching at this level in Queensland is a tough competition – there are a lot of things out of our control with NRL affiliations and dealing with posters who work and have real lives that are priorities ahead of footy at times.

“There’s a lot to do as a coach, and it puts you in good stead for future things. The thing I learnt [in England] is it’s about building a club, it’s not just coaching a team.”