Kotoni Staggs Ready to Shine for the Blues
Former New South Wales (NSW) coach Michael Maguire has expressed confidence that Kotoni Staggs will be ready to make an impact for the Blues in the upcoming State of Origin series. Despite not playing for a fortnight, Maguire believes Staggs is in prime condition and will be able to shine when called upon.
The fitness of key player Latrell Mitchell remains uncertain ahead of the opening game on May 27 in Sydney. Mitchell was forced to leave South Sydney’s 32-10 loss to the Dolphins at Magic Round on Friday night after limping off. While Wayne Bennett, the head coach, downplayed the severity of the issue, it is known that Mitchell has been recovering from a back injury that kept him out for a week.
Another potential contender for a spot in the centres, Bradman Best of Newcastle, has also been ruled out of the series opener due to a calf injury. Best had performed well in his previous two Origin appearances but is expected to miss about three matches. This opens the door for Staggs, who has been suspended since round eight.
Maguire, who led the Blues to victory in the 2024 Origin series before moving to Brisbane, believes Staggs is more than ready to step up if given the chance.
“Yeah, definitely. I think he’s been excellent and he’ll be ready to go,” Maguire said. “To be honest, the rest has probably helped him in some way because he’s been battling a little bit of a foot injury. But he’s all fine. He’s out there training really well at the moment. So I know if Tones gets the opportunity he’ll represent that jersey really well.”
Staggs, 27, made his debut for the Blues in 2022 during game one of the series but was sidelined due to injury. Since then, he has not been selected again, though last year marked his best season in the NRL with the Broncos as they won the title. He also represented Australia in three Tests on the Ashes tour and has continued to perform strongly for the Broncos in 2026.
Maguire acknowledges the immense talent of Mitchell, having seen firsthand how impactful he can be in Origin games. However, he also believes Staggs brings his own unique qualities to the table.
“He’s obviously a big player, but someone like Kotoni can come up with special plays and big moments too,” Maguire said. “They’re the sorts of players in Origin games that are special… and he’s obviously one of them. I got to experience that with Latrell. I know they’ve got plenty of depth in what they’ll select from and it’s going to be one hell of an Origin series.”
Staggs has recently spoken about the importance of securing an Origin recall.
“I will let my footy do the talking, but I would love to be back there,” Staggs said. “The way I play in club-land is the way I would play in a Blues jersey. If I was to get the call-up again and put that Blues jersey on, I will do everything I could to win a series with them and also keep my spot.”
