Kotoni Staggs is rightly rated by good judges as one of the world's best centres but one more elusive mountain in State of Origin remains to be climbed.
The 27-year-old wrecking ball had his best season by far last year on the way to winning the grand final with Brisbane and shining in three Ashes Tests for Australia.
It is an anomaly that he has just one Origin match to his credit in 2022 for NSW.
It is surely just a matter of staying fit and healthy and Staggs will get a crack at playing a full series in his favourite position.
"That's on my bucket list this year, to get back in that Blues team and by me playing well and being consistent every week, it will put my best foot forward there," Staggs said.
"There's a lot of good centres in the NSW team so I have to be on my game every match leading up to the first game. I will be the best I can to get back in that team."
At the start of last year it would have been fairly straight forward to name Samoa captain Stephen Crichton and England international Herbie Farnworth as the world's best regular centres.
Broncos legend Steve Renouf insists Staggs must now be added to that elite list after a season where he made a career-best 26 line breaks and scored 12 tries.
"He has earned that title after making the Australian team and playing so well," Renouf told AAP.
"When you do that you are number one or number two in your position.
"Kotoni is right up there with Crichton and Herbie as a centre and you can bet they respect him when they play him. There is no question in my mind.
"He is different to them in style. Kotoni will run over you and bash you. He leads with everything he does and he does it physically."
Renouf, a Queensland and Test great, said the Broncos old boys had immense respect for the way Staggs treasured the past and present.
"He loves the history of the club and values the legacy of the jersey he wears. He has lived up to it," Renouf said.
"You see when he scores a try and the passion he has when he hits his chest.
"He's fresh from his best season and has just got to do what he did last year and he will (play Origin).
Staggs has of course key goals to achieve in the NRL with the Broncos this year.
Winning the World Club Challenge against Hull KR is first on his agenda and then replicating Renouf's feats of going back to back with Brisbane, as the man known as "Pearl" did in 1992-93 and 1997-98.
"One hundred per cent, I don't think it's any different to last year," Staggs said when asked about the team's desire to win the title again.
"People say they are going to be going after us, but they go after us every year no matter if we are a premiership team. It will be the same mindset. It should be good."
