NRL 2024: Herbie Farnworth and Kotoni Staggs set for a huge showdown in the Battle of Brisbane

Herbie Farnworth was pushed out of the Broncos but he is back to end Brisbane’s season in a bumper showdown with former teammate Kotoni Staggs.

Centre stars Herbie Farnworth and Kotoni Staggs are on a collision course after the Broncos splashed cash on the former Blues ace instead of the England international.

Farnworth will confront his former club on Saturday night for the first time since quitting Red Hill to sign a $2 million-plus contract with cross-city rivals the Dolphins.

A shoulder injury prevented Farnworth from facing the Broncos in round 6.

But he will return to Suncorp Stadium for the fourth Battle of Brisbane intent on delivering the Dolphins their first win in the River City rivalry and ending the Broncos’ season.

Salary cap constraints squeezed Farnworth out of the Broncos at the end of last season following Brisbane’s heartbreaking grand final loss to Penrith.

With Staggs already on a contract worth more than $700,000-a-season, the Broncos couldn’t afford to carry two such highly-paid centres.

Now the dynamic ball runners will go toe-to-toe in one of the NRL’s most appealing centre clashes that will bring an end to one team’s finals hopes.

“They are two very different players but it will be a great battle,” said former Broncos captain Corey Parker.

“Herbie’s absence at the Broncos this year has been enormous.

“He is a great player. He has the ability to get his team on the front foot and has a real appetite for work.

“He is hard to bring down. He finds his front and gets quick play the balls. Herbie was a Bronco and that will play a part.

“On the flip side there is Kotoni whose good stuff has well and truly outweighed his bad moments this year.”

Staggs and Farnworth have both been in sizzling form of late.

(L-R) Kotoni Staggs of the Broncos and Herbie Farnworth of the Dolphins.

Despite the Broncos’ form crashing through the middle part of the season, Staggs has been one of few consistent performers.

He produced one of the best performances of his career to save Brisbane’s season in Townsville a fortnight ago and has created 13 line breaks this year – a career high.

Farnworth has overcome a slow start to life at the Dolphins following the shoulder injury with strong form in the second half of the season.

He has busted 90 tackles in 18 matches and produced 41 offloads, making him one of the game’s toughest centres to contain.

Broncos lock Pat Carrigan said the showdown between two of the NRL’s top centres would be a cracker.

“It will be exciting. They are two close mates and I have seen a lot of them go at each other when they were 16, 17 when we first came to the Broncs,” he said.

“Herbie is a stubborn old fella and competitive, just as ‘Tones’ (Staggs) is. Those are the clashes you look forward to as an opposing player and I know we will be up for it.

“I think (Staggs) probably locks in a little bit more (for these clashes). He is always pretty focused but I think he just takes it a bit personal.

“We know the quality player he is and he knows the quality of the opposition he is coming up against. It is probably more a respect thing from him about who he is versing.

“I love playing with Tones. You know what he is going to bring every week.”

Farnworth isn’t the only centre strike weapon the Dolphins have up their sleeve.

Bulldogs recruit Jake Averillo has been a silent achiever this year, playing 21 games in his first season at Redcliffe.

“The Dolphins’ centre pairing is one of the best in the league,” Parker said.

“They have been very good and can do a lot of damage.”