Kotoni Staggs put on notice as he prepares to sign new Brisbane Broncos deal

Kotoni Staggs is facing major sanctions following his latest off-field drama. And the Broncos are set to put some tough conditions in his next contract.

Kotoni Staggs is one mistake away from the sack. Picture: Peter Wallis

Brisbane problem child Kotoni Staggs is one boozy blunder away from the sack at the Broncos.

Brisbane bosses have put the controversial strike weapon on notice with Staggs set to front the Broncos board to be read the riot act following his latest alcohol-fuelled off-field indiscretion.

Under investigation from the NRL for the third time in nine months, Staggs could face a fine in excess of $20,000 and a multi-match suspension from the integrity unit after making unsolicited drunken advances to a female at a Brisbane pub.

The incident could have a silver lining for the Broncos, with Parramatta almost certain to abort a big-money poaching bid for the off-contract Staggs — a move that clears the path for Brisbane to finalise a new deal.

But Staggs’ proposed $2.8 million upgrade will now come with a similar set of strict conditions that were applied to Tevita Pangai Jnr last season following the COVID breaches that put the forward’s Broncos career in jeopardy.

While Broncos powerbrokers have had enough of Staggs’ off-field brain explosions, they are concerned about his drinking habits and will apply some tough love in the hope he fulfils his potential in the code.

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Kotoni Staggs had an outstanding 2020 season that put him in the NSW Origin frame.

The Broncos have been impressed with Pangai Jnr’s response to their hardline stance, which included three months of full-time work at a plant nursery, and believe a similar behavioural template can be a wake-up call for Staggs.

News Corp understands Staggs will be ordered to undergo counselling for his alcohol use. Brisbane chiefs will also speak to Staggs about having a business mentor to provide holistic development and help him devise a plan for life after football.

But there will be a caveat to Staggs’ new deal. Another off-field scandal and the richest contract of his career, worth around $700,000 a season, will be torn up by Broncos officialdom.

Pangai Jnr remains on a 12-month probation and the Broncos board have been pleased with the Tongan Test star’s attitude so far, headlined by a superb display against the Panthers last Thursday week.

Staggs is sidelined until round 13 with a knee reconstruction, but he may not be available for a further month if he is suspended by the NRL, who fined him $10,000 in January for firing a homophobic slur at a fan.

Kotoni Staggs is on his last warning. Picture: NRL Photos

As part of retention talks, Broncos coach Kevin Walters has spoken to Staggs about the prospect of moving from centre to five-eighth next season.

Former Broncos skipper Corey Parker is not convinced a shift to the scrumbase will help the career of Staggs, who was lethal at centre last season, scoring 10 tries from 14 games.

“By the sounds of it the Broncos are looking at Kotoni as a five-eighth, but it doesn’t fix any problems with their scrumbase in my mind,” Parker said.

“I would keep Kotoni in the centres, providing the Broncos have a stable six or seven.

“Kotoni has never played five-eighth in the NRL, he played a few games at six for Tonga but that‘s not week in, week out demands of a playmaker in the NRL competition.

“I think Kotoni is a perfect centre, but if they want to manufacture him into a five-eighth, then you have to do it gradually, maybe drip-feed him with a handful of games, but to expect him to be a dominant playmaker week-to-week in the NRL, that‘s a big ask.”