By Joel Gould
Brisbane legend Steve Renouf predicts strike centre Kotoni Staggs will be unstoppable in the NRL this year and has tipped the Broncos to make the top four.
Staggs, who is fully fit after off-season shoulder surgery, idolises Renouf and has set himself the task of emulating the man known as “Pearl”, regarded as the club’s greatest ever centre.
Steve Renouf says it is exciting to watch Kotoni Staggs play. Credit:Getty
Staggs and Renouf spoke at the launch of the continuation of the Broncos partnership for a 12th year with the Deadly Choices preventative health program, an initiative of the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH).
“Kotoni Staggs, 100 per cent fit, can be unstoppable. The world is his oyster,” Renouf said.
“He showed from an early age that he can find the tryline quite easily.
“We are different players. He loves strength and contact. I shied away from contact. I tried to run to the holes … but it is exciting to watch him play.”
Four-time premiership winner Renouf scored a club record 142 first-grade tries.
“I’ve watched a few clips of him back in the day and the way he played is kind of the way I want to play as well,” Staggs said.
“The tries he pulled off were unbelievable. I remember the headgear he always used to wear. He is one of the greats of the club and the game as well.
“He played exactly the same position as me, so I look up to him.”
Renouf said there were “more positives to come out of last year than negatives” despite the Broncos sliding to ninth after being on track for finals.
“I really believe we have a team to make it to the top four,” Renouf said.
“They were in line to do it last year so there is no reason why we can’t do it this year.”
Staggs has performed well in two trials and will start against defending premiers Penrith in round one.
“My shoulder has pulled up good from both trials. I can’t wait to get out there against Penrith in round one and hopefully knock them off too,” he said.
The 24-year-old has matured off the field and is proud of the work he does promoting healthy lifestyle choices in Indigenous communities as a Deadly Choices ambassador.
– AAP
