The Brisbane Broncos will field the tallest player in NRL history in Ben Te Kura when they take on Wynnum Manly in a preseason trial this Saturday night.
Nineteen-year-old prop Ben Te Kura stands at a towering 205cm (6ft 9in). At 125kg, he has the size to match up with the biggest men in the NRL.
Te Kura exceeds the height of past giants like 201cm duo Garrick Morgan and Phil Mann. He also out-measures current monster forwards like the 200cm Nelson Asofa-Solomona and 197cm Tino Fa’asuamaleaui .
Raw talent with ‘enormous’ potential
Photo Credit: Brisbane Broncos
Te Kura remains raw and is still learning from Broncos veterans. But club great Corey Parker believes he has enormous potential. Former Bronco Tevita Pangai Jr labelled the youngster “a beast of a kid.”
The focus will be on Te Kura maintaining fitness to handle the pace of the NRL. The Broncos have him signed through 2026 to develop.
Junior star building hype
A Redcliffe junior, Te Kura attended Wavell High – the alma mater of hero Greg Inglis. He plays an aggressive front row style, powering through the line.
The Brisbane Broncos could face a fight to retain grand final star Ezra Mam, with NRL rivals the Dolphins emerging as contenders for the star playmaker’s signature.
Off-contract at the end of 2024, Mam has attracted interest from the Dolphins after his stellar 2023 season. Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett confirmed the club’s interest. He praised Mam as “the best player on the ground in the grand final.”
The Dolphins are armed with salary cap space at the end of 2024 and view Mam as a quality addition to strengthen their halves. According to Bennett, “If he comes onto the market, we would certainly be interested.”
Broncos face cap constraints
While the Broncos are confident of signing Mam to a long-term extension, the club is facing salary cap pressure as their talented squad enters negotiations. Stars such as Reece Walsh and Mam are in line for big pay rises. In addition, 23-year-old Payne Haas signed an extension last August that made him the highest-paid player in Broncos history.
The Dolphins have a recent history of targeting Broncos talent, having already signed Herbie Farnworth and Thomas Flegler.
Ezra Mam key to Broncos’ future
Photo Credit: Brisbane Broncos
Despite rival interest, the Broncos see Mam as central to their long-term plans, especially after his starring role in their 2023 grand final appearance. With 12 months remaining on his current contract, the Broncos remain confident that Mam will re-sign.
The Dolphins’ interest, however, underlines Mam’s status as one of the league’s elite game-changers. His signature promises to be one of the most sought-after in the NRL ahead of the 2024 season.
