A fresh and fully fit Kotoni Staggs has revealed how managing his injured shoulder affected his performance for the Broncos last year as he prepares to hit the ground running against the defending premiers on Friday.
Staggs after playing a majority of last season with a torn labrum, an injury he sustained during his State of Origin debut for New South Wales.
Also an Indigenous All Stars and Tonga Test representative player in past years, Staggs battled his way through the back half of last season, saying he “didn’t want to let the team down” and pushed himself to play each week with the club a genuine chance to play finals football.
Speaking at a last week, Staggs said he had recovered well and had successfully put his shoulder to the test during the Pre-Season Challenge matches, ensuring coach Kevin Walters had no hesitation to name him to face the Panthers in their Round 1 clash on Friday night.
“I feel good; my shoulder’s been good,” Staggs told assembled media. “It's pulled up from both trials really well, and I'm just looking forward to the season now.
“(During the pre-season) I really wanted to make sure my shoulder was good. That was the first thing for me, to make sure my shoulder was ready to go.
“(Last year) it was pretty sore, (but) I didn't want to let the team down and obviously we were in a position where we could've made the finals.
“I didn't want get surgery before we couldn't make the finals, so I didn't want to go in and get my surgery when we're in a position like that.
“I love my footy and I love the club as well, so I didn't want to let the boys down, let the club down. So yeah, there was a bit of pain there, but you have got to go through that.
“I can't wait to get out there against Penrith in Round 1 and hopefully, we knock them off too.”
With the club announcing in recent days the departure at the end of this season of fellow representative centre Herbie Farnworth to new rivals the Dolphins, Staggs will shoulder more responsibility in his position, and has already shown leadership, working with young gun Deine Mariner to improve his game.
“Deino is good … he's still young fella learning and I'm trying to help him out every day at training,” Staggs said of the talent who played two NRL games last season.
“He's just a just a quick bloke on the field, he's so fast – when you give him the ball, he's gone!
“But he's still learning and I'm trying to help him out.”
This year, the Broncos start their season with two tough matches, with a date with the Cowboys to follow on from their opening round game against Penrith.
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With making the finals a key focus of the club this year, Staggs said it was important the side got out to a fast start.
“It's very important, especially (following on from) where we finished last year; we were in a good position to be in the finals, but we didn't really get there,” Staggs said.
“But having two teams like that to come up in Round 1 and Round 2 is going to be a challenge for us, but I think we can handle it and it's going to be good times ahead and hopefully a few wins at the start to.
“There's not much there (we have to change to play finals this year); there's a thing that Kevie always says in our meeting rooms – if we can save one try from each game, they we would be in the top four.
“So, it's just a matter of getting out there on the field and working together as a team and finishing the full 80 minutes.
“There were times when we were out there and we would play the 40 and that was us, but this year, we're focused on playing out that 80 minutes and just playing until the hooter goes.”