Kotoni Staggs has credited fiancee Brittany Becht for getting him back on track after some of his lowest moments, which has helped him land on the cusp of a $2.4 million contract extension at the Broncos. The Brisbane centre has reportedly ‘verbally agreed’ with club officials to remain at the club, and will become one of the highest-paid centres in the NRL on $800,000 per season.
Staggs has come a long way since 2021 when he had to meet with NRL boss Andrew Abdo due to off-field dramas. Abdo told him to get his act together or face further sanctions, and the Broncos centre was just one more indiscretion away from being sacked.
Since those rocky times he has been in a long-term relationship with fiancee Becht, who he credits with keeping him on the straight and narrow and growing as a person away from the game. “Every player has an important woman in their lives and I have got a lot in mine. They have got me to where I am,” Staggs said on Wednesday ahead of the Women in League round of the NRL.
“I have a great partner and she is probably the main reason I have turned my outside life into a positive thing. She has helped get me back on track.
“There were times where I didn’t do the right things outside of footy and it got me into some trouble. I had a look at myself and I needed to take a good look at myself and see what I wanted to do, how I am looked at after footy is done and how I want people to judge me.
“I put everything aside to play good footy and not want to be in the media for the bad things, but for the right things. I switched around and got into the leadership group here and I’ve wanted to show the younger boys what the right thing is to do and set the right example.”
Kotoni Staggs hopeful of finalising contract extension soon
Staggs became a member of the Broncos’ leadership group in 2025 under new coach Michael Maguire, and sets a high standard with his preparation and performance on and off the field. He’s currently a free agent and can negotiate with rival clubs, but doesn’t want to be anywhere else but Brisbane.
There was an expectation that his multi-year extension would have been announced by now, but he’s not worried. “Obviously I have just left that in management hands,” Staggs said. “They are sorting that out and I will continue playing footy with the Broncs. Hopefully it just gets sorted soon and we can get on with it.
“I’ve always wanted to be at this club as a young kid and I’ve been here for almost eight years now. I don’t see myself being anywhere else. I love the club and it has done a lot for me and helped me along my path and journey inside and outside of footy. Hopefully we can get something done.”
A new deal worth $800,000 per season would put Staggs behind only Stephen Crichton and Herbie Farnworth as the highest-paid centres in the game. The Bulldogs and Dolphins players are both on $850,000.
Staggs played one game for NSW in 2022, and is holding out hope of a State of Origin recall in 2025. But with Crichton, Latrell Mitchell, Tom Trbojevic and Bradman Best all in the mix, it appears unlikely at this stage.