NRL 2025: Incoming Broncos assistant coach Ben Te’o promises not to pull his punches

Former Maroons hit man Ben Te’o has vowed to bring a hard edge to Red Hill when he returns to the Broncos, but there is one thing he won’t be doing when it comes to helping under-pressure coach Kevin Walters.

Former Broncos bruiser Ben Te’o has vowed to inject a hard edge and honesty to Red Hill but insists he won’t be overshadowing head coach Kevin Walters.

Te’o will lead the Redcliffe Dolphins into Sunday’s Hostplus Cup grand final against Norths Devils before joining the Broncos as one of Walters’ new assistant coaches.

The former Queensland Origin hit-man and England Test rugby star is one of league coaching’s rising stars.

Since retiring from playing in 2021, Te’o has quickly risen up the coaching ranks at Redcliffe and this year took charge of Queensland’s under-19s Origin team.

Incoming Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf offered Te’o a job, but he opted to take up Walters’ offer to become Brisbane’s forwards coach.

A straight-shooter, Te’o’s honesty and toughness could be a blessing for a Broncos squad that crashed to 12th this season following last year’s grand final loss to Penrith.

But the 37-year-old said he wouldn’t be treading on Walters’ toes or looking to assert his authority at Red Hill.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters is under the pump. Picture: Liam Kidston

“It’s Kevvie’s team. I will always be honest but he sets the tone and I will assist him,” Te’o said.

“You have to let the main man run the show. I don’t think the boys will respect me if I come in and start carrying on.

“Kristian talked to me about joining his staff, but when I spoke to Kevvie it was the job description I wanted.

“Kevvie is a pretty good salesman and pretty good at tugging on the emotion of it.

“I’m a Bronco. It’s the team I wanted to play for and team I came back to (from rugby). It’s a special place to me.

“I had to go somewhere else to do my coaching apprenticeship, but Kevvie said come home and give him a hand.”

Ben Te’o was feared in the Origin arena. Picture: Josh Woning.

Te’o has spent the past three years being mentored by seven-time premiership coach Wayne Bennett at the Dolphins.

He has been in charge of Redcliffe’s reserve grade team and also helped out with the NRL squad.

Te’o said he jumped at the opportunity to learn from Bennett.

“The opportunity to coach under Wayne for three years was too good an opportunity to turn down,” he said.

“I feel like I’ve been with some of the best coaches ever.

“I’ve played under Tim Sheens and Michael Maguire, been under Wayne. In rugby I had Eddie Jones and Warren Gatland.

“I’ve been under the top ones and wanted to understand what Wayne was about.

“Everything is calculated with him. He is like a performer, he knows when to get them up, when to keep them down, when to smack them and the right things to say.

“He always says if he can’t understand it then the players can’t. You can have complex coaching theories, but unless everyone can understand it then it’s pointless.”

Te’o played Test rugby for England. Picture: Dave Hunt

Walters has been forced to overhaul his coaching unit following the departure of assistants John Cartwright (Hull FC) and Lee Briers (St Helens) to the Super League.

He has poached Te’o from the Dolphins and also handed Parramatta interim coach Trent Barrett a role as his chief assistant.

Born in New Zealand, Te’o forged an impressive playing career, registering 174 NRL games for the Tigers, Broncos and Rabbitohs to go with seven Origin appearances for Queensland.

He also made a successful transition to rugby union, playing 16 Tests for England and representing the British and Irish Lions.

A Hostplus Cup premiership with Redcliffe would be a fitting farewell before he heads to the Broncos and Te’o said he was enjoying his coaching journey as he prepares to mentor NRL stars Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan.

“It’s been good,” he said.

“I retired three years ago and went straight into coaching with Wayne so I’ve had three years of mentoring with him.

“I’ve had my own team but also been in an NRL system so the learning has been accelerated.

“It feels like I’m going home to the Broncos but I think I had to go away.”