Brisbane Broncos head coach Michael Maguire has implored the club to retain the services of both Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo, despite reports suggesting salary cap ramifications will mean only one player can stay long-term.
Both Staggs and Cobbo are off-contract at the end of 2025, and despite their value to the club, the long-term, big-money deals on the books already for Payne Haas, Patrick Carrigan and Reece Walsh, who only recently re-signed, among others, mean the chances of retaining both of their outside backs are bleak.
Cobbo has reportedly been earmarked as a million-dollar per season player if he heads to the open market, while Staggs is understood to be further progressed with negotiations over his next deal at Red Hill.
The Broncos, who lost Thomas Flegler and Herbie Farnworth to the Dolphins ahead of 2024 but still face an uphill battle on the salary cap charts, are likely to want to retain both players on Maguire's advice.
The coach, preparing for his first season in charge after stepping down from his role at the NSW Blues, told SEN Radio that he wants both players to remain at Red Hill, although won't be overly involved in the negotiation process.
โI've said I want to keep both, so that's up to the organisation to get that sorted ... I tend to stay away from that; I like to just make sure I'm coaching,โ Maguire said on SEN radio.
โI tell everyone who I want, and it would be great for both of those boys to be here. They've jumped into training [during the summer].
โI've sort of known Kotoni for quite some time and to watch him develop into who he is now โ he's a leader โ is really good to see. You learn your lessons as a young bloke and now he's one of the leaders.
โAnd Sel is doing work in the background working hard, as well.โ
Players have been known to take pay cuts to remain at Red Hill previously, but there is no guarantee of that staying the status quo as Maguire and his new staff take over.
The coach is known to be a tough trainer, and while he had success at the South Sydney Rabbitohs, he eventually fell out of favour at Redfern, and struggled during his time at the Wests Tigers.
Cobbo's valuation is also an intriguing question given his form was less than stellar to finish 2024.
It saw him dropped from the State of Origin arena and is likely to see him move back to the wing this year under Maguire as the new coach looks to re-spark one of the game's brightest young players.
Any fool can say “make it happen”.
Madge should know that the cap exists and cannot be ignored – ask Craig Bellamy.
Or maybe he is smarter than I give him credit for, and is making a big thing of “not enough money for both” in the hope that one of them will break, and sign now for less – just to be able to stay with a team with huge potential.