Brisbane centre Kotoni Staggs busted his shoulder and played through more than three months of pain last year to showcase what the NRL club means to him.
The 24-year-old wants to regain his NSW Blues jersey and take the Broncos back to playing finals football in 2023 after his off-season shoulder surgery was a success.
Staggs defended strongly in the 24-all draw with Gold Coast last week and his shoulder held up well in his first game since September last year.
Every facet of his play will be tested against North Queensland on Saturday in the NRL Pre-Season Challenge clash on the Sunshine Coast where he will line up against Queensland Maroons centre Valentine Holmes.
Holmes got the better of Staggs in the corresponding trial last season but the Broncos centre had a disrupted 2021 where he played just four games due to his recovery from an ACL, before suffering a late season MCL injury.
It is his development off the field that Staggs is most proud of.
"Attention to detail. Don't take short cuts. You've got to take care of your body," Staggs said, when asked about the mindset behind his own peak physical shape.
"You have to do everything right. I've had a few (injuries) now and I know how to get my head around it a bit better now."
Staggs could have cut his season short and had surgery in late May after injuring his shoulder for NSW in the State of Origin series, but he battled on to help Brisbane get into a strong position on the NRL ladder before a late fadeout to miss finals.
"It was the position we were in as a club," he said.
"We were in the top four so I didn't want to get surgery too early and rule myself out of that. So, as anyone else would, I went through the pain.
"Obviously we fell short and (I) played injured. I wanted to do what was best for the team.
"This club can be great again," he added when asked whether Brisbane could regain their powerhouse status.
"I think we are heading in the right direction."
Staggs made his Origin debut last year for NSW in the 16-10 loss, but did not play in the next two Origin games.
"One hundred per cent I want to be a part of (Origin again). Things happen for a reason," he said.
"That is where I hurt my shoulder in that game. I want to bounce back from that.
"I thought I did everything right (against the Titans last Sunday).
"My shoulder was ready to go. I pulled out of the All Stars because I wanted to focus more on the club."
