The Brisbane Broncos have reportedly appointed Matt Ballin to be the club’s new defensive coach after Ben Te’o’s shock resignation earlier this year. Te’o quit his role at the Broncos and joined Billy Slater’s coaching staff for the Queensland Maroons in State of Origin.
Te’o helped the Broncos win the NRL premiership in 2025, but was reportedly perturbed that Brisbane didn’t want him helping Slater in Origin and refused to allow him to take up an offer from the Maroons. He subsequently quit the Broncos and joined Slater’s staff.
Matt Ballin (L) has reportedly been elevated to defensive coach at the Broncos to replace Ben Te’o (R). Image: Getty/AAP
The Sydney Morning Herald is now reporting that Ballin has been elevated to defensive coach to take Te’o’s role. Ballin has been at the Broncos as a development and general assistant coach since 2021.
The former Manly player will now take charge of the Broncos’ defence that has been lacking in 2026 compared to their premiership season last year. Ballin played 217 NRL games for the Sea Eagles and three for the Wests Tigers, and played one State of Origin game for Queensland in 2010.
Matt Ballin has been an assistant at the Broncos since 2021.
Ben Te’o likely to join Kangaroos coaching staff
As for Te’o, he was unable to help the Maroons from suffering a series defeat to NSW. He’ll likely be part of Kevin Walters’ Kangaroos coaching staff at the World Cup later this year.
“He’s certainly in my sights,” Walters said in April. “I’d like to have him on the staff. He’s a very good young coach.
“I like his personality as well. He’s not too heated, and he’s very calm around situations, from what I’ve seen. He would be a good addition to the group if we can make that happen.”
Ben Te’o (L) quit the Broncos and joined the Queensland State of Origin staff.
Te’o played 174 NRL games across stints with the Tigers, Broncos and Rabbitohs, as well as seven State of Origin games for Queensland. He won a premiership with Broncos coach Michael Maguire as a player at the Rabbitohs in 2014, and it was Walters who first brought him on board as an assistant at Brisbane.
