Broncos coach Michael Maguire has reiterated that he wants off-contract stars Kotoni Staggs and Selwyn Cobbo to re-sign with the club but said he was distancing himself from discussions.
Staggs and Cobbo will be crucial to the Broncos as they try to return to the top four and premiership contention after they finished 12th in a dismal 2024 campaign.
But Staggs and Cobbo, two of the most damaging outside backs in the NRL, are yet to be locked in beyond 2025.
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"I've said I want to keep both, so that's up to the organisation to get that sorted … I tend to stay away from that; I like to just make sure I'm coaching," Maguire said on SEN radio.
"I tell everyone who I want, and it would be great for both of those boys to be here. They've jumped into training [during the summer].
"I've sort of known Kotoni for quite some time and to watch him develop into who he is now — he's a leader — is really good to see. You learn your lessons as a young bloke and now he's one of the leaders.
"And Sel is doing work in the background working hard, as well."
Kotoni Staggs (left) and Selwyn Cobbo. Getty
The make-up of Brisbane's best 13 is unclear less than two months out from the beginning of the club's new campaign with a question mark hovering most prominently over the hooker position.
Billy Walters was the Broncos' first-choice hooker under the reign of his dad, Kevin, as coach, but whether Maguire backs Walters, Cory Paix, Blake Mozer or Tyson Smoothy as his No.9 this year remains to be seen.
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"I probably won't give away too much there because I've just said to the boys, 'Go and compete'," Maguire said.
"I'm very fortunate that I've got some really good dummy-halves, and [with] the craft they're learning and what I'm trying to get them to understand and running the game plan … they've all shown they're very capable. So it's going to be good competition over the next month to drive to where we want to get to. But I could go in any which way with these guys."
The Broncos will begin their season against the Roosters at Sydney's Allianz Stadium on Thursday, March 6.
