Kotoni Staggs facts for kids
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Personal information
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| Full name | Kotoni Staggs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 29 October 1998 Wellington, New South Wales, Australia |
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| Height | 185 cm (6 ft 1 in) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 95 kg (14 st 13 lb) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Playing information
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| Position | Centre | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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As of 25 July 2025
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Kotoni Staggs (born October 29, 1998) is a professional rugby league player. He plays as a centre for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL). He has also played for his country, representing both Tonga and Australia.
Staggs is a versatile player, meaning he can play well in different positions. He has also played as a five-eighth and second-rower. He has represented the Indigenous All Stars and New South Wales in special representative games.
Contents
Early Life and Background
Staggs was born in Wellington, New South Wales, Australia. He is proud of his background, which is Indigenous Australian (Wiradjuri people) and Tongan. He went to Wellington High School.
Rugby runs in his family. His sister, Kaneesha Staggs, plays for the Australian women's rugby union team.
Kotoni started playing junior football for the Wellington Cowboys. His talent was noticed, and he was signed by the Brisbane Broncos.
Playing Career
Getting Started with the Broncos
In 2017, Staggs played for the Broncos' under-20s team in the Holden Cup. He had a fantastic season, playing 25 games, scoring 12 tries, and kicking 23 goals. He was named the Broncos' U20s Best Back of the Year.
In 2018, he moved up to the Queensland Cup to play for the Redcliffe Dolphins. He played so well as a centre and second-rower that the Broncos' coach, Wayne Bennett, added him to the main NRL team.
Making His NRL Debut
Staggs played his first NRL game for the Brisbane Broncos in Round 11 of the 2018 NRL season. He came off the bench to replace an injured player just two minutes into the match against the Sydney Roosters.
He had an amazing debut. He scored a try, helped his teammate Corey Oates score another, and made some great runs and tackles. The Broncos won the exciting game 28–22. Staggs played in 9 NRL matches in his first season, scoring 2 tries.
That same year, he also helped the Redcliffe Dolphins win the Queensland Cup Grand Final. He scored a try and kicked 6 goals in their 36–22 victory.
Becoming a Star Player
In 2019, Staggs represented the Indigenous All Stars and played in 24 games for the Broncos. The team made it to the finals but lost to Parramatta in a tough match.
The 2020 NRL season was difficult for the Broncos, as they finished last for the first time ever. However, Staggs was a standout player. He was the team's top try scorer and top points scorer.
In 2021, Staggs continued to play well but had to end his season early because of a knee injury.
State of Origin and Grand Final
In 2022, Staggs was chosen to play for New South Wales in the 2022 State of Origin series, a huge honor for any player. He played in 23 games for the Broncos that season.
The 2023 NRL season was a big one for Staggs. He scored many tries throughout the year and helped the Broncos reach the 2023 NRL Grand Final. He played his 100th NRL game in the grand final, where the Broncos narrowly lost to the Penrith Panthers 26-24.
Recent Seasons
Staggs continued to be a key player for the Broncos in the 2024 NRL season, playing in 21 games and scoring important tries.
On June 19, 2025, the Broncos announced that Staggs had signed a new contract to stay with the club until the end of 2028.
Honours
Individual
- Brisbane Broncos U20s Best Back: 2017
- Brisbane Broncos Play of The Year: 2020 (For a great try against the Dragons)
- Brisbane Broncos Best Back: 2019, 2020
Career Statistics
| Year | Team | Games | Tries | Goals | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 |  Brisbane Broncos |
9 | 2 | 8 | |
| 2019 | 24 | 11 | 14 | 72 | |
| 2020 | 14 | 10 | 18 | 76 | |
| 2021 | 4 | 3 | 12 | ||
| 2022 | 23 | 5 | 16 | 52 | |
| 2023 | 26 | 13 | 7 | 66 | |
| 2024 | 21 | 8 | 18 | 68 | |
| 2025 | 14 | 4 | 16 | ||
| Totals | 135 | 56 | 73 | 370 |
