The Brisbane Broncos are facing growing scrutiny over their recruitment strategy, with mounting confusion surrounding the unannounced signing of Melbourne Storm outside back Grant Anderson and the delayed contract extension for star centre Kotoni Staggs.
Reports surfaced in November 2024 that Anderson had agreed to join the Broncos in 2026, a move later confirmed by Storm coach Craig Bellamy in April. Yet Brisbane has remained silent, offering no formal announcement — a puzzling delay that has triggered fresh speculation about the club’s internal planning and its ability to retain key players amid significant salary cap pressure.
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Head coach Michael Maguire has repeatedly expressed his desire to keep both Staggs and fellow representative back Selwyn Cobbo. However, neither player’s deal has been officially lodged with the NRL. Staggs is believed to have verbally committed to a $2.4 million contract over three years, while Cobbo is reportedly being targeted by NRL expansion clubs in PNG and Perth as a marquee recruit.
Anderson’s anticipated arrival, coupled with the breakout form of Gehamat Shibasaki — who is thriving on a modest deal — suggests the Broncos could be preparing for a major reshuffle in their backline. This would potentially allow the club to divert funds to bolster its struggling forward pack, where players such as Jordan Riki, Brendan Piakura, and Kobe Hetherington have underperformed.
NRL pundits have labelled the situation “weird” and “bizarre.” Speaking on Triple M, journalist Michael Hooper and former Bulldogs captain James Graham expressed disbelief at the club’s silence. Graham questioned whether the signing of Anderson, given its timing and secrecy, risks undermining the loyalty and morale of mainstays like Staggs.
“[Staggs] must be thinking, ‘I carried this team last year — why am I still waiting?’” Graham said. “And why chase another outside back if you’re trying to lock in the ones you already have?”
Despite reassurances from club insiders that the Staggs deal is near completion, the delay continues to raise eyebrows.
“I’ve always wanted to be at this club,” Staggs said recently. “Hopefully we can get something done.”
Whether the Broncos’ behind-the-scenes moves reflect calculated planning or internal disarray remains unclear. But as questions mount, the future of two of the club’s brightest talents hangs in the balance — and silence is proving more unsettling than reassuring.
