Kotoni Staggs, everything you need to know about the Brisbane Broncos’ centre
At just 23, during a turbulent four years, Kotoni Staggs has established himself as one of the best strike centres in the NRL overcoming many personal battles which put his burgeoning career on the brink.
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Here’s everything you need to know about rising star Kotoni Staggs:
How old is Kotoni Staggs?
23
Where was he born?
Wellington, Central Western NSW.
Current club
Brisbane Broncos
What position does Staggs play?
Centre. (But adaptable enough to also play five-eighth and has stated a desire to play that position previously.)
When did he first burst onto the scene?
Staggs made his debut mid-season in 2018 against the Sydney Roosters under Wayne Bennett, playing nine matches in that first season.
Troubled times
In August 2020, with the once mighty Broncos in free fall, Staggs was embroiled in a revenge porn scandal during which he emerged the victim. Towards the back end of 2020, Staggs tore his ACL putting him out of action for almost a year.
He then found more trouble in 2021.
In February 2021, Staggs was fined $10,000 by the NRL for using a homophobic slur at a rugby league fan in a bush pub. By June, Staggs was in trouble again, ejected from a Brisbane pub after making unwanted advances towards a female during a drunken night out.
Staggs has conceded he had an issue with alcohol.
“Learnt a lot about myself and what I stand for,” Staggs told broncos.com.au in June 2021 reflecting on his rehabilitation from the knee injury.
Reflection and pain
He was just 19 when handed his NRL debut for the Broncos and ill-equipped for the NRL pressures.
“One of the hardest things I went through is when my mum rang me and asked what was going on. Explaining what I did wrong to my family was tough,” Staggs said in February.
“I didn’t want people to see me in a negative light. I feel like I have matured through this period, but it’s easy to say that, it’s important now that I set a good example for myself and the young players coming through the Broncos club,” he continued.
Staggs grew up without a father – first meeting him in 2019 – and his mother in and out of jail for driving and theft offences.
Origin debut
Come June this year and Staggs was an Origin player. In front of packed Accor Stadium, he debuted in the centres, but a quiet night and a NSW game one loss, meant he play no further part in the series lost 2-1 to Queensland.
That gave him the opportunity to play for Tonga having represented that country once before in 2019.
Needing more
The form of Staggs, breaking tackles and averaging close to 100 running metres per game helped put Brisbane into top four contention mid-season and earned him a Blues jersey. However, with the Broncos reeling over recent weeks, Kevin Walters wanted more prior to the Parramatta 53-6 thrashing.
It didn’t work with Staggs producing just 62 run metres as Parramatta ran over his Broncos. Brisbane now need to defeat St George Illawarra on Saturday to try and retain 8th place with finals’ hopes on life support.
They have conceded 113 points in their last two matches. Staggs is stuck in a seven-game try-scoring drought.
What is to come
Fit and firing, a World Cup awaits in October and November, representing Tonga in England whether the Broncos make the eight or not.
Stories on Kotoni Staggs
Kotoni Staggs opens up his family traumas, career setbacks and dream to captain the Broncos writes PETER BADEL.
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