Questions are being asked about the bizarre situation in Brisbane Broncos.
Questions are being asked about why the Brisbane Broncos still haven’t confirmed the signing of Grant Anderson from the Melbourne Storm, or a supposed contract extension for Kotoni Staggs. Reports emerged last November that Anderson had signed with the Broncos for 2026, and Storm coach Craig Bellamy confirmed the outside back’s departure in April.
But the Broncos are still yet to formally announce Anderson’s arrival. Coach Michael Maguire has stated on numerous occasions that he’d love to keep both Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs, and a contract extension for Staggs is said to be all-but signed.
However that too is yet to be confirmed, and it’s led to renewed speculation about what the future holds. With the Broncos under immense salary cap pressure, it’s likely they’ll eventually have to part ways with one of Staggs or Cobbo.
Cobbo has been linked to NRL expansion teams PNG and Perth, and could become a marquee signing for one of the new franchises. As for Staggs, rumours have been rife for months that he’s agreed to a new deal to remain in Brisbane on $2.4 million over three seasons.
Why haven’t the Broncos announced Grant Anderson?
But the deal still hasn’t been lodged with the NRL, and it’s led to concerns that one of the parties (Staggs or the Broncos) might have gotten cold feet. With Anderson arriving in 2026 and Gehamat Shibasaki establishing himself as a first-grader, it opens up the possibility that the Broncos could look to save a heap of money by parting ways with both Staggs and Cobbo.
Neither of Anderson or Shibasaki (or Jesse Arthars or Deine Mariner for that matter) would be on big contracts, meaning the Broncos could upgrade their forward pack if Cobbo and Staggs departed. There’s a serious need to improve the back-row in Brisbane, with the likes of Jordan Riki, Brendan Piakura and Kobe Hetherington struggling.
Speaking on Triple M radio on Sunday, leading journalist Michael Hooper said: “The funny thing with the Grant Anderson contract is it’s never been formally announced. If you speak to anyone at Melbourne, they certainly believe it is going to happen, but the Broncos have never put out a formal announcement.”
In the same segment, James Graham asked what more Staggs has to do to earn a new deal. The former Bulldogs captain questioned what the signing of Anderson means for Staggs and Cobbo.
He (Staggs) must be sitting there thinking ‘I carried this team last year. Why did I bust my arse?” Graham said. “And why would they go and sign Grant Anderson in November?’ Grant Anderson’s agent must have thought it was a prank phone call from the Broncos considering they’re supposedly trying to re-sign Staggs and Cobbo.”
NRL pundit Anton Posa also recently described it as ‘weird’ that Anderson’s move to the Broncos hasn’t been confirmed over six months later.
Kotoni Staggs extension with Broncos ‘not done’
Brisbane-based journalist Ben Dobbin declared the Staggs deal “not done”, despite the player and Broncos continually saying it’s a mere formality. The Brisbane centre has reportedly ‘verbally agreed’ with club officials to remain, and will become one of the highest-paid centres in the NRL on $800,000 per season if the reports are correct.
Obviously I have just left that in management hands,” he said last month. “They are sorting that out and I will continue playing footy with the Broncs. Hopefully it just gets sorted soon and we can get on with it.
“I’ve always wanted to be at this club as a young kid and I’ve been here for almost eight years now. I don’t see myself being anywhere else. I love the club and it has done a lot for me and helped me along my path and journey inside and outside of footy. Hopefully we can get something done.”
But the Broncos are still yet to formally announce Anderson’s arrival. Coach Michael Maguire has stated on numerous occasions that he’d love to keep both Selwyn Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs, and a contract extension for Staggs is said to be all-but signed.
