Kotoni Staggs said he watched Jonah Pezet’s last outing closely and expects Brisbane to send traffic at the Eels playmaker on Thursday night. That approach ties a personal matchup into a larger decision: Pezet will join the Broncos next year, but for now he remains an enemy in a must-win round two opener.
Kotoni Staggs and Jordan Riki set to test Jonah Pezet on Thursday night
Staggs will play outside Jordan Riki when Brisbane lines up against Parramatta’s playmaker, and the plan is direct. “I think we won’t change that and we’ll probably put Riki on him and make him make tackles, ” Staggs said, adding, “I think we can get some joy down that edge. ” Jordan Riki’s role will be to send regular pressure at Jonah Pezet while Staggs looks to exploit the outside lane.
Jonah Pezet’s recent form and his route to Brisbane next year
Jonah Pezet’s Eels were overrun by Melbourne’s Storm in his most recent match, a game that left the playmaker forced to make 21 tackles and miss two. The Storm’s forward Joe Chan produced 198m and a try from his 16 carries and forced an error that led to a try for his former teammate. Pezet left the Storm at the end of the 2025 season and will spend one year at the Eels before joining Brisbane on a long-term deal; he has been described as the heir apparent to Adam Reynolds for when Reynolds departs.
Brisbane’s early-season strain after the 26-0 loss to Penrith
Brisbane’s premiership defence began with a 26-0 defeat to Penrith and a completion rate of just 62 percent of their sets. That result, coupled with Payne Haas’ decision to sign with Souths next year and a shock loss to Hull KR in the World Club Challenge, has stoked public talk of a premiership hangover. “Not at all, ” Staggs said when asked about those fears. “They were better on the night and we just didn’t play our game. It was round one and we’ll get better from that and we’ll learn from this game going onwards. It’s only early days. “
For now, the immediate test is the round two opener. Both teams enter the match reeling from first-up losses where they were outplayed. That framing makes Thursday night a clear turning point for Brisbane’s defence of the title and for how the Broncos handle a player who will join them next year.
Staggs’ comments underlined the narrow focus inside the Broncos camp: Pezet is a Parramatta Eel to be contained this season, and a future teammate after that. “We have him next year, but that’s next year, ” Staggs said. “We’ve got to focus on this year now. He’s a Parramatta Eel so we’ll try to play our game against him. “
Brisbane intends to test Pezet repeatedly. They will send Jordan Riki at him time and again on Thursday night, with Kotoni Staggs ready to work the outside edge. That tactical image returns the story to its opening moment: a Broncos centre studying film, pointing at a rival, and preparing a simple plan — pressure the playmaker, force tackles, and look for opportunity down the flank.
The confirmed next development is the round two clash on Thursday night, when Kotoni Staggs and Jordan Riki will put that plan into action against Jonah Pezet.
