Broncos player Kotoni Staggs has thanked his girlfriend for helping him get his career back on track as he aims to finish a great season with an NRL championship. This comes as more news is revealed about the firing of Gehamat Shibasaki, with the players from Brisbane sharing the ‘secret rule’ that Shibasaki broke, causing him to be dropped for the last game against Melbourne.
Staggs’s team secured fourth place and a second chance in the finals after a surprising win against the Storm. Now, Brisbane hopes to pull off another upset against the top team Canberra on Sunday, knowing that a win would bring them just two victories away from their first championship since 2006. A key part of their hopes is Staggs, who is likely to be picked for the Kangaroos’ Ashes team after proving himself as one of the top centres this season. Staggs feels conflicted about playing for Australia or Samoa, as he has played for both countries in the past.
He shared that his amazing comeback is largely due to his partner Brittany Becht, who helped him change his life when he was struggling in 2021. Staggs was in the news for negative reasons due to some off-field events that even led to a private talk with NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.
It was during this time that Staggs met Brittany, and her support motivated him to become a better role model. Her help also allowed Staggs to regain some of his best playing form since he first joined the Broncos as a teenager under coach Wayne Bennett in 2018. “I didn’t start my career the right way off the field. You’re young, and you learn as you go. I really figured out what’s right and wrong,” Staggs said. “I have lots of nephews and nieces. I thought about how I was in the news for bad things and I wanted them to be proud of their uncle.
“I knew I had to change things. Meeting my partner was a huge turning point for me. I wouldn’t be where I am without her support. . . I needed someone to help me focus and she did that. She has been with me since then, and that really changed everything. ” The couple got engaged last year when Staggs proposed.
Broncos player Gehamat Shibasaki’s removal was partly due to breaking the team’s alcohol rule. Staggs’s personal development has led to him being chosen for Michael Maguire’s leadership team at Brisbane this season, which includes captain Adam Reynolds, Pat Carrigan, Payne Haas, and Ben Hunt. The leaders of the Broncos have been pushing for a team-wide alcohol ban, and Shibasaki violated this rule after the Broncos beat the Cowboys in the 26th round, which resulted in him being dropped for the final game.
