The Broncos will key their edge attack on Jonah Pezet this week, and kotoni staggs has signalled the team plan: send Jordan Riki at the Eels playmaker repeatedly and try to “get some joy down that edge. ” The move comes with Pezet set to join Brisbane next year and the defending premiers keen to respond after a low-scoring round one.
What if Kotoni Staggs and Jordan Riki make Jonah Pezet work for every tackle?
Brisbane will place Jordan Riki opposite Jonah Pezet, with Kotoni Staggs stationed outside Riki to exploit any openings. Staggs said he watched Pezet’s last outing closely and expects the Broncos to put traffic his way, leaving Riki to make tackles and Staggs to look for attacking opportunities. The plan mirrors what the Storm did when they directed lots of traffic at Pezet, forcing him into heavy defensive work; in that match Pezet made 21 tackles and missed two while Joe Chan produced a strong yardage and try tally from his carries and forced an error that led to a scoring play.
What happens if the Broncos’ wider issues persist and limit that plan?
Brisbane’s premiership defence began with a 26-0 loss in round one, with the side completing just 62 per cent of their sets. That performance has heightened questions about cohesion and attacking fluency. Staggs rejected talk of a premiership hangover when asked, saying “Not at all” and stressing the team will learn and improve. Still, the reality in front of staff and players is that execution problems will blunt any tactical targeting of Pezet if errors and low completion rates continue.
What happens when Jonah Pezet joins Brisbane next year? — Three scenarios
Pezet left his former club at the end of the 2025 season, will spend a year at the Eels, and is contracted to join Brisbane on a long-term deal. The immediate match plan is focused on stopping him this week; the broader picture already shapes recruitment and planning. Below are three constrained scenarios that flow directly from the current facts.
- Best case: Brisbane executes a focused edge plan. Riki handles the direct defensive work on Pezet, Staggs exploits space outside him, the Broncos improve completion rates, and the round-two match becomes a platform for building toward next year when Pezet arrives.
- Most likely: The Broncos make inroads at times but are held up by execution lapses. Pezet is forced into heavy defensive minutes as he was when targeted, creating periods of pressure but not a decisive swing, and Brisbane treats the match as early corrective work for the season.
- Most challenging: Completion struggles persist and negate the edge plan. Brisbane’s errors hand momentum away, Pezet’s defensive loads are mitigated by his teammates’ responses, and the match deepens scrutiny over form ahead of the longer-term roster changes already underway.
For now, kotoni staggs and his teammates are focused on the immediate task: make Jonah Pezet earn every carry and tackle, contain the Eels’ edge threats, and use the round-two opener to arrest the momentum loss from the opening-round defeat. The broader transition — including Pezet’s arrival next year — remains a factor in planning, but the Broncos’ short-term priority is clear: defend the edge, complete sets, and reassert the form that delivered them a premiership.
