Kotoni Staggs remains confident the current Brisbane side can go one better than 2023 as he nears a new contract with the club.
The 26-year-old centre is one of the few remaining in the current squad, along with Payne Haas and Gehamat Shibasaki, who made their NRL debuts in 2018 under Wayne Bennett.
Staggs, who played under 20s with Brisbane, wants to be a Bronco for the rest of his career and is ideally positioned to do so.
Now a key member of the club's leadership group, Staggs returned from a hip-flexor injury to score a try and play a wonderful game in the 20-12 derby win over the Dolphins.
AAP has been told a deal for Staggs is close to being finalised, with coach Michael Maguire making it clear he is a priority re-signing.
"My manager will take care of that and hopefully he'll get another contract. Obviously, I don't want to leave," Staggs said.
"I've been here (in the NRL side) for eight years now and have been signed at the club for 11 years.
"As a young kid, this is where I wanted to be and I don't see myself anywhere else."
The Broncos are in the top four after a 3-1 start to the season. Staggs suffered heartbreak in the 2023 grand final loss to Penrith but has belief this current squad can go one better.
"We've got to take it week-by-week and this (Dolphins) game, we'll watch that and put that to bed and focus on the Tigers next week," he said.
"The group we've got now, 100 per cent I think we could win the grand final, but there's 20-something rounds to go and we've just got to play well in them."
Staggs has a great record in the derby clash with the Dolphins and was determined to fire against former teammate and opposite number Herbie Farnworth, who he kept relatively well contained.
"Having Herbie up against me – who I hadn't versed yet and obviously he's one of the best centres at the moment – I knew that I had to turn up," he said.
Staggs was also motivated to fire after being rushed back into the side.
"Obviously, missing the first three games wasn't ideal, but that made me hungrier to get back. What a game to come back for," he said.
