Potential coaching lifeline at crosstown rival emerges for Te’o

Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf has refused to rule out luring Ben Te’o back to Redcliffe following the former State of Origin enforcer’s resignation from his position as defence coach at the Brisbane Broncos.

Te’o sent shockwaves through the NRL after resigning, with reports emerging of a falling out with the club and head coach Michael Maguire. 

It was reported Te’o clashed with Maguire over team tactics before their triumph over the Melbourne Storm, which came after his hopes of joining the Maroons’ coaching staff was knocked back by Broncos hierarchy.

Before he worked with Brisbane, Te’o led the Redcliffe Dolphins Queensland Cup side. And Woolf was an assistant coach at the Broncos during Te’o’s time there as a player.

While Woolf did not confirm he would explore bringing him back, he did not deny that could happen in the future.

“We’ve obviously got staff in place, and I’m very, very happy with that staff. I can’t just jump and make positions that aren’t there,” he said.

“At the same time, I’ve got a lot of respect for Ben. I’ve known Ben for a long time, I’ve known him from his days at the Broncos and made it clear he was a guy I wanted to keep here.

“I rate him as a coach, I rate him as a person. I’m not sure about those circumstances [around the resignation] and how it came about – that’s not our interest or problems – but I know Ben is a good-enough coach that he’s going to find his way somewhere.”

Woolf dismissed any suggestion the Broncos would be vulnerable when they played the Dolphins on Friday night in light of their off-field drama, and he insisted his team would not be lured into complacency.

“If anything, that can really galvanise teams. They’ll be talking about it not being an impact and talking about how they’re going to come together as a group and prove through their performance that it’s not an impact,” he said.

Woolf confirmed star prop Thomas Flegler would return from a rib issue that ruled him out of last week’s 38-10 win over Cronulla, in what will be his first clash against his former Broncos teammates since leaving after the 2023 grand final.

Flegler suffered nerve damage in his shoulder four games into his Dolphins career in 2024, the week before he was due to play against Brisbane. He made his comeback in this year’s preseason trials, but his maiden clash against his old club will not be against the man he shared front-row duties with at the Broncos.

Payne Haas will miss Friday’s game at Suncorp Stadium with a shoulder concern.

Flegler and Haas were Brisbane’s starting props in the 2024 grand final, and the latter’s absence – along with Te’o’s departure – leaves a void in the Broncos’ hopes of continuing the momentum they gained from their 18-14 win against the Melbourne Storm.

“You always want to versus the best teams, and you always want to versus teams at their best,” Dolphins forward Ray Stone said of Haas.

“Having been someone who’s been injured before, I hope he’s all good.

“No matter what team we versus, we try to get our defensive structures right, we don’t really focus on the players in the other team.”

The Dolphins will also be bolstered by Francis Molo’s inclusion after completing a three-game suspension from a careless high-tackle charge issued in the Preseason Challenge.

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