Broncos young gun Kotoni Staggs is understood to be attracting strong interest from the Titans, Bulldogs and Eels as Kevin Walters look to secure his prized centre to a long-term deal, according toย The Courier Mail.
Circling rivals will be looking to pry the 22-year-old from Red Hill on deals greater than $800,000-per-year as Brisbane battle with a tight budget in 2021.
Staggs remains unsigned past this season and could join former teammate David Fifita in joining Brisbane's Queensland rivals Gold Coast.
The Titans have pieced together a promising squad for the season after acquiring Fifita, Tino Faโasuamaleaui, Patrick Herbert, Sam McIntyre and Herman Eseโese.
See new recruits David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui in Titans colours for the first time at Cbus Super Stadium https://t.co/9pnn2zX9PW
— Gold Coast Titans (@GCTitans) February 10, 2021
Staggs has surged into the league's top echelon of centres in a short spell with the Broncos, scoring 23 tries from 47 matches in his first three seasons at the club.
Since his arrival at Red Hill, Walters has made his plans of retaining his rising stars clear, with Staggs likely the name perched atop of his list.
Speaking toย The Mail,ย Walters believes Staggs can be a club great in the next decade.
โI donโt want to lose Kotoni,โ Walters said.
โI understand there is interest in him but I see him as a 10-year player for the Broncos and itโs up to me to provide the right environment where he feels comfortable with what he is doing.
BANG ๐ฅ It's a Kotoni Staggs first-half double ๐#TelstraPremiership#NRLBulldogsBroncos pic.twitter.com/vlgB3rlUNK
— NRL (@NRL) September 7, 2019
โHe is a super player and we will fight hard to keep him at the Broncos.โ
Staggs' management has previously fielded interest from rival clubs in assessing the open market, with the aforementioned clubs set to ignite a multi-million dollar race for the heavily-touted NSW prospect.
Hope Staggs stays with the Broncos.
Theyโre the ones whoโve put lots of time & effort into developing him as a player.
Then itโs a big up your nose , to the poaching clubs who are too lazy to develop their own players.
Just like broncos developed pangai jr and milford etc…. What goes round comes round
At least they do develop a lot of their own players. Thatโs a lot more than can be said for many other clubs.
You are such a hypocrite EastOfDivide.
James Tamou
Trent Merin
Api Koroisau
Jamen Salmon
Mat Eisenhuth (Parra Junior)
Paul Momirovski
Scott Sorenson
More names but to many to list.
You seem to think every player in the NRL is a Riff junior.
I didnโt read anything about Staggs having anything to do with Penrith, in what Iโve texted above?
Only that the Broncos deserve to keep him, given theyโve actually put money & time into developing him.
As your Eels are included again in the teams looking to poach this player away. Itโs little wonder that youโre so touchy about that subject.
I know that Parramatta actually develop some players. Whether they are from Parramatta or not , is anyone question?
They did quite well in some other grades , such as Canterbury Cup & the semi-professional league , in 2019.
Pity that theyโre evidently not looking to try one of those players , as a first grade centre? Nope, letโs just buy another player.
Touchy , Touchy … Eels..
Yes, should have been โ is anyoneโs question โ, or โ another question โ.