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 31 August 2024
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Kotoni Staggs (born October 29, 1998) is an Australian professional rugby league player. He plays as a centre for the Brisbane Broncos in the National Rugby League (NRL). Kotoni has also proudly represented his heritage by playing for Tonga and Australia at an international level.
He has also played for the Indigenous All Stars and the New South Wales State of Origin team. Throughout his career, he has also played as a five-eighth and a second-rower.
Contents
About Kotoni Staggs
Kotoni Staggs was born in Wellington, New South Wales, Australia. He has a mixed background, with family ties to the Indigenous Australian (specifically Wiradjuri people) and Tongan cultures. He went to Wellington High School.
His sister, Kaneesha Staggs, is also a talented rugby player. She plays for the Australian national rugby union team and the Queensland Reds.
Kotoni started his rugby journey playing junior football for the Wellington Cowboys. Later, he was signed by the Brisbane Broncos.
Kotoni's Playing Career
Starting Out: 2017
In 2017, Kotoni played for the Broncos' Under 20s team, called the Holden Cup team. He played 25 games, scored 12 tries, and kicked 23 goals. His great performance earned him the Broncos U20s Best Back of The Year Award.
NRL Debut: 2018
After playing well in the Under 20s, Kotoni moved up to the Queensland Cup. He played for the Redcliffe Dolphins. He showed strong performances, playing both as a centre and a second-rower. His ability to play in different positions caught the eye of Broncos coach Wayne Bennett.
In Round 11 of the 2018 NRL season, Kotoni made his NRL debut for the Brisbane Broncos. He came off the bench against the Sydney Roosters. During the game, he had an impressive debut. He scored a try and helped set up another for his teammate Corey Oates. The Broncos won the exciting game 28–22.
Later in the season, Kotoni played 9 matches and scored 2 tries for the Broncos. When he wasn't playing for the Broncos, he continued to play for the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup. The Dolphins reached the 2018 Queensland Cup Grand Final. They won the final 36–22, with Kotoni scoring a try and kicking 6 goals.
In October 2018, Kotoni was chosen to play for the Junior Kangaroos. They played against the Junior Kiwis, and the Kangaroos won 40–24.
Indigenous All Stars and Finals: 2019
In February 2019, Kotoni played for the Indigenous All Stars team. They played against the New Zealand Maori All Stars and won 34–14.
Kotoni played 24 games for Brisbane in the 2019 NRL season. The team finished 8th and made it to the finals. However, the Broncos had a very tough loss in the elimination final against Parramatta, losing 58–0. This was one of the biggest losses in the club's history.
Top Scorer: 2020
Kotoni played 14 games for Brisbane in the 2020 NRL season. It was a tough year for the team as they finished last in the league for the first time ever. Despite this, Kotoni was the Broncos' top try scorer and top points scorer for the season.
Injury Setback: 2021
In 2021, Kotoni continued to play strongly. In one game, he scored two tries for Brisbane in a 37–18 win against North Queensland. Unfortunately, in July, Kotoni suffered an MCL injury. This injury meant he could not play for the rest of the season.
State of Origin Call-Up: 2022
In May 2022, Kotoni was selected to play for New South Wales in Game One of the 2022 State of Origin series. This was a big achievement for him.
He played a total of 23 games for Brisbane in the 2022 NRL season. The club finished 9th on the ladder that year.
Grand Final Appearance: 2023
The 2023 NRL season was a strong one for Kotoni. He scored two tries in several games, including wins against St. George Illawarra, Wests Tigers, and South Sydney.
Kotoni played 26 games for Brisbane in 2023. He played his 100th NRL game in the 2023 NRL Grand Final. Although the Broncos lost a very close game 26-24 to Penrith, reaching 100 games and playing in a Grand Final was a major milestone.
Recent Season: 2024
In the 2024 NRL season, Kotoni continued to score tries. He scored two tries in a game against St. George Illawarra and another two against North Queensland.
He made 21 appearances for Brisbane in 2024. The club finished 12th on the table and did not make the finals.
Honours and Awards
Individual Awards
- Brisbane Broncos U20s Best Back: 2017
- Brisbane Broncos Play of The Year: 2020 (for his amazing second-half try against the Dragons)
- Brisbane Broncos Best Back: 2019, 2020
