According to unconfirmed reports from the Canberra Times, Brisbane Broncos defensive coach Ben Te’o has tendered his resignation and is preparing to leave the club following a severe disagreement with head coach Michael Maguire. The fracture between the two men centered on defensive tactics and erupted in Melbourne prior to Brisbane claiming an 18-14 comeback victory against the Storm on Friday night.
Club executives spent Tuesday morning, March 24, 2026, locked in meetings to finalize the departure of the 39-year-old assistant. The morning negotiations followed a formal crisis meeting held on Monday night that involved Te’o, Maguire, and Brisbane football boss Troy Thomson. Broncos players Ben Talty and Brendan Piakura addressed the media on Tuesday morning regarding the coaching shakeup. Talty stated he discovered the situation via Instagram, while both players publicly praised Te’o’s defensive methodology.
The impending exit severs a long-term contract for Te’o, who signed an extension keeping him at the club until the end of 2028 following Brisbane’s 2025 NRL Grand Final victory. Te’o’s scrambling defensive system was a statistical cornerstone of that championship run. Brisbane conceded only 10 total points in the second halves across three finals games last year, executing second-half shutouts against Penrith and Melbourne.
Maguire and Te’o share a deep historical connection in the sport. Te’o played as a second-rower under Maguire to help the South Sydney Rabbitohs secure the 2014 premiership. Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters originally hired Te’o in late 2024 just days before Walters was sacked. Maguire honored the assistant’s contract upon taking the head coaching job due to their preexisting relationship and previously aligned defensive philosophies.
The coaching staff rupture compounds a chaotic operational week for Brisbane. The club recently engaged in a public dispute with former player Gorden Tallis, resulting in the removal of his name from a conference room at the team’s $27 million headquarters after Tallis criticized Maguire and captain Adam Reynolds. The Broncos are currently preparing for a local derby against the Dolphins this weekend.