Kotoni Staggs insists he can forge an NRL title-winning partnership with his new Brisbane centre partner Selwyn Cobbo this year.
It is a big call, after Australian representative Staggs and his England international partner Herbie Farnworth took the Broncos all the way to the decider in 2023 before losing 26-24 in a thriller.
The 21-year-old Cobbo, who has represented Australia and Queensland on the wing, will transition from right wing to left centre this season to fill the vacancy left by Farnworth joining the Dolphins.
Cobbo scored 20 tries last year playing outside of Staggs. This season he'll be on the other side of the field and wearing the centre jersey but Staggs said he would be just as lethal.
"Selwyn is one of those players you could put anywhere and he would do a good job for you. Give him the ball and he will do something out of nothing," Staggs said.
"Not many can do what he can do. Give him space and he will take it.
"He has been training well in the centres and doing everything we have asked.
"It is a different position and it is not just going to happen for him moving from wing to centre. but he is coming up to me and asking questions about what to do in certain situations when you get stuck.
"He wants to get better each day. I think he can do a good job for us and hopefully he can play Origin there."
Staggs and his Broncos teammates have re-watched last year's grand final, including the horror show of the last 20 minutes when they gave up a 16-point lead.
The 25-year-old said the pain still burned but his side had learned from it. Staggs is sure the Broncos can bounce back in 2024 and win the premiership, as Penrith did following their 2020 grand final loss to Melbourne.
"It is not the way we wanted to end the year. It was pretty tough to take, that loss, and hurt a lot," Staggs said.
"If we are in that position again hopefully we know what to do in those moments.
"There are young players coming through I am excited to watch and when they get their crack you never know how they can go. I have got a good feeling we can make it all the way this year.
"(Penrith) lost won to win one. You take a lot from that but you don't think it is going to come just like that either. You have still got to work hard."
Staggs certainly did that in 2023, when he represented Australia for the first time in an injury-free season in which he played a career-high 26 games.
"Injuries have played a big part in my career but last year I put my body first, and then myself," Staggs said.
"As you get older you understand the game better."
