The Brisbane Broncos are set to lose a key member of their coaching staff as defensive coach Ben Te'o has decided to resign following a conflict with head coach Michael Maguire.
This departure was confirmed by Broncos chief executive Dave Donaghy, who acknowledged Te'o's significant contributions to the team.
Te'o, 39, had recently extended his contract until the conclusion of 2028 after celebrating a grand final victory last year.
Reports indicate that a notable disagreement between Maguire and Te'o regarding defensive strategies occurred in Melbourne, just before Brisbane's exciting comeback win against the Storm on Friday night.
Interestingly, it was Te'o's approach to scrambling defense, crucial to their 2025 championship success, that helped the Broncos fend off numerous Storm attacks during the match.
In light of the situation, a crisis meeting involving Maguire, football chief Troy Thomson, and Te'o was held last night.
As of now, Te'o has not publicly discussed the specific reasons behind his resignation.
Donaghy remarked that within an NRL club, "strong, robust conversations" are essential, reflecting the nature of their organization.
He added, "Ben and I sat down yesterday and had a long conversation and it was respectful. I don't want to go into specifics out of respect for Ben."