NEWS Staggs: I'm back, and even sorrier than last time

Kotoni Staggs will never ever do it again, whatever it was he did:

“I’ve put my hand up for the mistakes I’ve made off the field. Everyone makes mistakes at different times in their lives and no-one is perfect, but I’m living and learning my lessons and from here onwards I want to be the best person I can be and be a role model."

“What has come out with these incidents – it’s not really me. I’m a better person than that and I’m not just letting myself down at the end of the day, I’m letting down my family and my teammates and the fans."

“That’s pretty sad for me but now it’s time to get my head in the right place and move forward, and I promise I’m doing that.”

“I want to be a leader. I want to help my teammates as much as I can, I want to continue to grow and help the younger players out and be a leader and a mentor."

“A few guys have chosen to leave the Broncos but there are even more key players who’ve chosen to stay, and others like Adam Reynolds (South Sydney halfback) who are coming to our club, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to in the future.

“Coming through as a young fella at the Broncos, I always wanted to be in a position where I could sign a big contract with this club because it’s where I want to be, and now there a lot of younger fellas in the team and I want to stay here for another four years and help those younger boys come through.”

Incidents

Ayatollah Abdo earlier:

“I’ve spoken with Kotoni and we’ve discussed his situation and his indiscretions. He knows exactly what he needs to do to get back on the field. Together, with the Broncos, we’ve put the education and training programs in place to support Kotoni in rehabilitating. He’s in the process of completing those programs. There’s no doubt he’s a talented athlete with the potential to be a successful player."

“Ultimately though, it’s up to Kotoni to make the positive changes to get his career back on the right path.”

Leadership

Donuts:

“Our commitment to Kotoni is not just to get him back on the field. It’s a journey to ensure he can grow into a position of leadership and achieve his potential, not just on-field but off-field.”

McHunt

 

[Organix]

I don't read much of the tripe from other teams, but has any other player had such a sit-down with someone like Abdo in the past? Seems pretty patronising. It's a little surreal to me. I mean, how many footy players crack on to chicks at the pub? I know he got ejected afterwards, but that can't be anything new either.

 

[BroncsFan]

I don't read much of the tripe from other teams, but has any other player had such a sit-down with someone like Abdo in the past? Seems pretty patronising. It's a little surreal to me. I mean, how many footy players crack on to chicks at the pub? I know he got ejected afterwards, but that can't be anything new either.

Sounds like Dugan has committed his 45th incident so he might be inline for 1 on 1 performance review with the big boss

 

[holdzy]

I don't read much of the tripe from other teams, but has any other player had such a sit-down with someone like Abdo in the past? Seems pretty patronising. It's a little surreal to me. I mean, how many footy players crack on to chicks at the pub? I know he got ejected afterwards, but that can't be anything new either.

Didn't he tell some Broncos fan that came up for a signature that he walked like a ****** or something?

Seems like he's a tosser on the piss on the reg. Still being singled out like that is troubling.

 

[McHunt]

I don't read much of the tripe from other teams, but has any other player had such a sit-down with someone like Abdo in the past? Seems pretty patronising. It's a little surreal to me. I mean, how many footy players crack on to chicks at the pub? I know he got ejected afterwards, but that can't be anything new either.

Didn't he tell some Broncos fan that came up for a signature that he walked like a ****** or something?

Seems like he's a tosser on the piss on the reg. Still being singled out like that is troubling.

He's been described as a "bad boy for love."

 

[Mum-the-meatloaf]

Agree he has show some floggish tendencies, however there are much worse players in the game that haven't had to sit down and chat with dadda abdo

 

[McHunt]

Agree he has show some floggish tendencies, however there are much worse players in the game that haven't had to sit down and chat with dadda abdo

I suspect the Broncos palmed him off to the office so to speak, rather than have to bear the brunt of dealing with his dumbarse antics themselves. That way, they don't have to be the bad guys.

 

[Mum-the-meatloaf]

I suspect the Broncos palmed him off to the office so to speak, rather than have to bear the brunt of dealing with his dumbarse antics themselves. That way, they don't have to be the bad guys.

So the Bronx are mum in this situation - go speak to your father - haha

 

[Tristan1990]

I will be surprised if he makes it through his new contract without any more incidents

 

[theshed]

I will be surprised if he makes it through his new contract without any more incidents

This is rugby league, it’s not a matter if there will be another incident - it’s wether he’s playing good enough that it’s worth covering up.

 

[Organix]

Didn't he tell some Broncos fan that came up for a signature that he walked like a ****** or something?

Seems like he's a tosser on the piss on the reg. Still being singled out like that is troubling.

I am almost certain that any random at the pub, let alone a footy player could have easily said worse to me in my younger days going out in Brisbane. I mean, some jock throwing shade at the pub isn't something new either and even though he's a sports star and should be something of a role model, I highly doubt he hasn't copped some abuse at the pub from the older blokes. That's par for the course, isn't it? I dunno, while I think it's shitty to call names and stuff, it's still something that people have to learn to deal with and something that most blokes grow out of doing too.

 

[heartly87]

I don't read much of the tripe from other teams, but has any other player had such a sit-down with someone like Abdo in the past? Seems pretty patronising. It's a little surreal to me. I mean, how many footy players crack on to chicks at the pub? I know he got ejected afterwards, but that can't be anything new either.

Maybe along with his earlier non PC indiscretion this was deemed a further act of heterosexual aggression that the NRL thought needed enforced reeducation. Now all he has to do in the future is proclaim his infatuation with plump feet and he may get less scrutiny as fetishist.

 

[McHunt]

But wait, there's more:

“As a young kid growing up I played a lot of five-eighth. I love getting my hands on the ball early and you get that at five-eighth. You do have to pass and stuff, but we’ve got a good halfback coming next year that can organise and run the team. You always need a half that’s a ball-runner as well and that’s what I bring to the position.”

You do have to pass and stuff

“I’m focussed on playing centre for the rest of this season. It’s my call. Coming off an ACL, it’s a big injury. I don’t want to put myself under too much pressure. I want to go into a position I know how to play and am good at as well. That’s a call I made and Kevvie agrees with me."

“To play five-eighth I will need a pre-season under my belt. I’m not looking at playing five-eighth any time soon. I just want to get out there first and play a bit of football and see where I go from there."

“Maybe after a few games and everything is going my way I might end up having a shot there but in the back of my head is me playing centre and finishing off the season. Hopefully I can get a pre-season there and I might see myself there next year.”

“We’re not in a good position on the ladder and that’s in our hands to fix. We don’t want to end up with the wooden spoon again. We’re going to do everything we can to win some games. Hopefully we can finish on a positive and a bit higher on the ladder."

“It’s been hard watching the boys on the sideline, especially with the tough times we’ve been going through. I can’t wait to get back out there.”

McHunt

 

[007]

Yeh, passing and stuff helps....

 

[Wolfie]

I might be reading too much into that new interview, but i dont like the wording when he says he's made the call to play center for the rest of this year ( and he does say " Its my call " even though he does also say Kevvie agree's ). Surely the coach makes the call where the player wants to play, not the player, the player should put the best interests of the team first, not himself. Maybe thats why we are the way we are. As much as i cant stand them, the team first, next man up mentality of the Storm is what we are badly lacking.

For the record i think playing center will ease him back into the team, i just dont like the idea of a player making the call on what position he should be playing in.

 

[theshed]

Well 10 months off to study the 5/8 position and he comes up with “you have to pass and stuff”.

 

[McHunt]

Well 10 months off to study the 5/8 position and he comes up with “you have to pass and stuff”.

Meanwhile, Gould talking about Nathan Cleary here:

"He’s a pretty studious kid; he is a student of the game. He’s quite often in the video room long after everybody’s gone home from training and he’s sitting in there watching football. I would go in there, sit down and say, ‘What are you looking at?’ – just to make sure he wasn’t just watching football, he was actually studying."

"But he’d be in there and he’d be studying old vision of a Darren Lockyer, or an Andrew Johns, or an Allan Langer, or he’d be studying the great players today; Johnathan Thurstons and Cooper Cronks. Just looking at their timing, where they kick to, how they kick, on what tackle they kick, when they ran, how they position inside players and outside players, how they played short-sides."

“He’s moulding his game and it’s going to take years to do. He’s by no means the finished product yet. So, I think this is a great experience for him and to be without Jimmy Maloney at this level is going to be a new thing for him.”

So yeah, "passing and stuff."

 

[theshed]

Meanwhile, Gould talking about Nathan Cleary here:

"He’s a pretty studious kid; he is a student of the game. He’s quite often in the video room long after everybody’s gone home from training and he’s sitting in there watching football. I would go in there, sit down and say, ‘What are you looking at?’ – just to make sure he wasn’t just watching football, he was actually studying."

"But he’d be in there and he’d be studying old vision of a Darren Lockyer, or an Andrew Johns, or an Allan Langer, or he’d be studying the great players today; Johnathan Thurstons and Cooper Cronks. Just looking at their timing, where they kick to, how they kick, on what tackle they kick, when they ran, how they position inside players and outside players, how they played short-sides."

“He’s moulding his game and it’s going to take years to do. He’s by no means the finished product yet. So, I think this is a great experience for him and to be without Jimmy Maloney at this level is going to be a new thing for him.”

So yeah, "passing and stuff."

Staggs surely can’t be any dumber than Wighton and he’s done alright.