‘Our home, always will be’: Staggs’ message to Dolphins
Joel Gould |
Kotoni Staggs is the proven ‘Battle of Brisbane’ specialist so it is only natural that he wants to add another chapter in the new book of feuds with the Dolphins.
The Broncos centre will be integral to his sixth-placed side’s chances of making a statement on Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium.
His message to the eighth-placed Dolphins about stadium rights is clear.
“It has been our home for a long time and always will be,” Staggs said.
“They are a team from Redcliffe and they just come over and play on the same field.”
One thing we know about Staggs is that home is where the heart is.
The inaugural clash in 2023 between the cross-town rivals demanded an iconic moment to base a new rivalry upon.
Staggs provided it with a length of the field try in the 78th minute to secure an 18-12 win.
It was what he did next that said everything about his passion for the club.
Pointing at the hallowed turf Staggs exclaimed, ‘this is our home’. There was an expletive thrown in for emphasis.
At that moment the gun centre enunciated exactly what he thought of the talk from the Dolphins in the lead-up that they were co-tenants of Suncorp Stadium and that it was their home too.
It is, of course, but Staggs was having none of it. The Broncos fans salivated over that moment and still do.
“When they first came in, there was talk about who owns Suncorp and the first game we ever played, you can’t take that away,” Staggs said.
“That try and what I did in that game was something that came to me when I scored and I said, ‘this is our home’.
“It just came straight to me to say what I said and I pointed to the ground.
“Every time we play the Dolphins I am always up for it, the boys are as well and it’s going to be no different come Saturday.”
The 26-year-old was at it again in round four this year when he barged his way over for a try in a 20-12 win and pointed at the hallowed turf with both hands and reiterated what he had said two years previously.
Staggs is a proud Wiradjuri man from Wellington, NSW and this week’s Indigenous round is also one he looks forward to.
“My dream was to play one game here and being here for eight years I have loved every minute of it,” he said.
“Now being part of the leadership group and asked to design Indigenous jerseys, I don’t do it just for myself. It is my family I am representing. Indigenous round means a lot to me and we will just go out and be proud of where we come from and who we are representing.”
Staggs has matured immensely and while Pat Carrigan will captain the side on Saturday night, he is a candidate to do so in the future.
“It would be a big honour to captain the club here, the Brisbane Broncos being the organisation that it is,” he said.
“Maybe later down the track who knows. I would love to lead this club.”
The agenda first-up is adding another chapter in his Dolphins feud. What has he got up his sleeve this time?
“I don’t know,” Staggs grinned.
“I will see what I can pull out of my pocket. We will just wait and see.”
AAP
