Kotoni Staggs became a premiership player and Ashes-winning Kangaroos star in 2025, and now he wants to regain and keep his State of Origin spot long-term. And Zac Lomax’s decision to walk away from the NRL might have presented him the perfect opportunity.
Staggs emerged as one of the best centres in the NRL this year, helping the Brisbane Broncos win their first premiership in 19 years. He was then part of the Kangaroos team that won the Ashes series 3-0 against England.
Kotoni Staggs (L) wants to win back his State of Origin spot, and one could be available after Zac Lomax (R) quit the NRL. Image: Getty
He’s now played six Test matches for Australia, but curiously he’s only featured at State of Origin level once. His lone Origin game for NSW was in the series opener in 2022, but his debut was cut short by a shoulder injury that eventually required off-season surgery.
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The 27-year-old will be four years wiser in 2026, and has his eyes firmly set on regaining that Blues jumper. “Every year I set goals to achieve and that’s one … I want to have that Blues jersey and have it for a while,” he told AAP on Wednesday.
Stephen Crichton is fairly entrenched as one of the NSW centres, while Latrell Mitchell played all three games this year. A fully-fit Tom Trbojevic will come into calculations, but coach Laurie Daley will need to do some reshuffling after Lomax quit the NRL this week.
Kotoni Staggs played one State of Origin game for NSW in 2022. (Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
Lomax has been a stand-out for NSW in the last two series, playing on the wing. Daley might be tempted to shuffle the decks to get Staggs into his side, and he wouldn’t let anyone down on the wing.
“I’ve just got to keep playing good footy and time will tell, but that’ll be one thing on my mind, to try to get that Blues jersey,” Staggs said. “I haven’t really sat down and looked back yet, but it’s been one hell of a year and that’s why you play footy.
“It’s been amazing. playing footy in Brisbane, where everybody loves the Broncos and us winning … you walk around and everyone’s congratulating you wherever you go. As a kid that’s what you want to do … make the NRL and win a premiership.”
Andrew Johns flags bolter for NSW wing spot
With Brian To’o on the other wing, Daley also has the option of calling on Mark Nawaqanitawase or Josh Addo-Carr in State of Origin in 2026. Nawaqanitawase and Addo-Carr became the starting wingers for Kevin Walters’ Kangaroos team after Lomax and Xavier Coates withdrew.
Jacob Kiraz and Daniel Tupou will also come into calculations, and Andrew Johns floated Dolphins young gun Jack Boctock earlier this year. “He brings the ball out of trouble, which for Origin is what you need,” Joey said. “He’s a big body, he’s tall and strong in the air and a really good finisher. To me, he just looks like a rep player and an Origin sort of player.
“He’s over 100kg and he’s super athletic … he’s a gun. He is probably a couple of years off it, but I wouldn’t hesitate to put him in there.”