Brisbane Broncos will unleash the tallest player in NRL history in Wynnum Manly trial

The tallest player in NRL history is one step closer to a first grade debut, after the Broncos named a 19-year-old giant to make his first appearance for the club. We reveal the tallest players of the NRL era.

The Broncos will unleash the tallest player in NRL history when Brisbane launch their 2024 premiership assault in their pre-season opener this Saturday night.

Standing at a gargantuan 205cm, ‘Big’ Ben Te Kura will spearhead Brisbane’s next generation of young guns in the Broncos’ maiden trial hitout against Wynnum Manly at Kougari Oval.

The NRL has witnessed a slew of big boppers, including two-metre quintet Nelson Asofa-Solomona, David Klemmer, Dominic Young, Kane Evans and Dane Tilse; Jason Saab (199cm), Shaun Lane (198cm) and Titans skipper Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (197cm).

Former Wallabies forward Garrick Morgan, who played two games for the South Queensland Crushers in 1995, ex-Parramatta fullback Phil Mann, who ran around for the Eels between 1974-81 and prop Matt Parsons, who retired from the Knights in 2004, are believed to be rugby league’s tallest first graders at 201cm.

But they have been usurped by teenage giant Te Kura, whose quest for an NRL debut this year begins this weekend when throws his monstrous frame into hapless Seagulls defenders.

At six feet nine inches, Te Kura is two inches taller than Storm monster Asofa-Solomona and at 125kg, the teenage sensation has the physical presence to match it with the NRL’s biggest men.

Ben Te Kura dwarfs Broncos captain Adam Reynolds. Picture: Josh Woning

The scary part is Te Kura is still only 19 and has room for further growth under a Broncos high-performance program that propelled Brisbane to last year’s grand final.

Te Kura first featured in a Broncos trial as a 17-year-old against Wynnum Manly two years ago and the hulking prop will return to Kougari on Saturday night primed to press his claims for an NRL debut this season.

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker has monitored Te Kura’s progress via Queensland’s junior Origin program and believes it is only a matter of time before the Brisbane behemoth makes waves in the NRL.

“He’s an enormous kid, one of the biggest I’ve ever seen,” said 347-game Broncos legend Parker.

“Ben’s got all the skills and I have no doubt he can play NRL in the coming seasons.

“He’s certainly raw, he’s quite green and still learning from senior players at the Broncos, but I’ve got a big wrap on him.

“Fitness will be the key for Ben.

“He is a huge man, so how he handles the pace of the NRL and sustains his fitness is key, but I’m sure Brisbane’s staff are well across what he needs to do.

“From what I have seen so far, Ben can certainly mix it in the top grade.”

Former Brisbane enforcer Tevita Pangai Jr attended Broncos training a fortnight ago and lauded Te Kura’s potential.

“He’s a beast of a kid,” Pangai Jr said.

“He’s really physical, he can do anything in the game if he keeps working hard.”

A development player last season, Te Kura has been promoted to Brisbane’s full-time squad this year and is contracted to the Broncos until the end of 2026.

An aggressive front-rower who powers through the line, Te Kura is a Redcliffe junior who attended Wavell High, the alma mater of his childhood hero, Queensland Origin legend Greg Inglis.

Te Kura has carried an ankle injury in recent weeks and is expected to have a 25-to-30 minute hitout in Brisbane’s opening trial.

The match will be played in thirds with the Broncos to rest their big guns, instead giving emerging players and train-and-trialists match time against Wynnum Manly.

Te Kura, who has represented the Queensland under-19s for the past two years and played 20 Hostplus Cup games for Souths Logan last season, said he has relished the mentoring of Broncos duo Payne Haas and Pat Carrigan.

“They (Haas and Carrigan) tell me exactly what I need to do to get better,” Te Kura told the QRL website last year.

“If I need to get fitter, they’ll tell me straight up ... if I need to run this line, they’ll correct me and help me fix it up and get better.

“I liked watching Greg Inglis, when I was a kid, that’s who I thought I was.

“I want to make my NRL debut this year but if I’m not ready for that, I just want to be able to say I played consistent (Queensland) Cup and established myself as a player that could be looked at for next year.”

Originally published as Brisbane Broncos will unleash the tallest player in NRL history in Wynnum Manly trial