NRL: Kotoni Staggs calls out the Brisbane Broncos leadership group

A Brisbane Broncos star has thrown his own club’s leadership group under the bus for failing to step up during a torrid season.

Playing in his third NRL season, Brisbane Broncos young gun Kotoni Staggs is making an effort to revitalise the struggling club’s sense of leadership.

Brisbane Broncos young gun Kotoni Staggs has called out the club’s leadership group for not doing their job amid a chaotic 2020 season.

Currently sitting 15th on the NRL ladder, the struggling club has dominated headlines as several off-field scandals accentuate a dire season on the field, where they have only registered one victory since the coronavirus lockdown.

Rumours of tension among the squad’s leadership group have circulated for several weeks, with veteran Darius Boyd reportedly quitting the group earlier this month.

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Speaking on NITV’s Over the Black Dot, Staggs condemned his squad’s senior players for not stepping up when they’re desperately needed.

“There’s some boys there in leadership that are not really doing their job, and I think there’s a lot of young boys in there that are getting away with a bit,” Staggs said.

“We need some leaders there to step up and to show us young boys what it’s about.”

Staggs had been a standout performer for Brisbane this season, managing seven tries and nine linebreaks in eight appearances — he missed a handful of games due to a hamstring injury along with a high-shot suspension.

The 21-year-old Tongan international boasts 119 tackles and 29 tackle breaks during the 2020 premiership to date.

Although he’s only playing in his third NRL season, Staggs has made an effort to ramp up his leadership among the squad.

“We’ve got some good leaders at the moment, myself included, I’m trying to be the best leader at the club for the young boys,” Staggs said.

“I’m young myself but I’ve got a voice and I’m trying to use it.”

Kotoni Staggs has made 41 appearances for the Broncos since his NRL debut in 2018.

Staggs became embroiled in a revenge porn scandal after a video featuring the star centre was leaked earlier this month. The Courier Mail reported 18-year-old McKenzie Robinson was charged over the alleged incident.

On Tuesday, the Broncos were fined $140,000 for their disastrous Everley Park Hotel quarantine breach, in which 10 players — including Staggs — were spotted breaking the NRL’s strict biosecurity rules.

Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold is isolating in Sydney after leaving the club’s quarantine bubble to tend to a family matter, and vile rumours about his personal life have circulated around social media.

After recording an “embarrassing” 36-8 loss to the Canberra Raiders on Saturday, Broncos co-captain Patrick Carrigan delivered a brutally honest assessment of his club’s performance.

“It’s disappointing, more embarrassing, it’s been the story of the year,” Carrigan told Fox League.

“We play for 40 minutes then we choose not to show up and take short cuts.

“It’s not good enough, it’s not first grade standard. There’s a lot of talk about potential, but potential has to be turned into performances. We’re our own worst enemy at the moment.”

For their next fixture, Brisbane will face the St. George Illawarra Dragons on Friday evening, and risk slipping to bottom spot on the NRL ladder is they suffer another loss.