Cobbo back on wing and dare as Broncos get ruthless
Joel Gould |
Brisbane have fielded five different wing combinations this year and the recalled duo of Selwyn Cobbo and Deine Mariner have been told that they “have to perform” to stay there.
With six rounds to go the sixth-placed Broncos host cellar dwellers South Sydney on Friday night and must find their best combination and stick with it in the run to the finals.
The wing position has been problematic for coach Michael Maguire all year.
He started with Cobbo and Jesse Arthars, then switched to Mariner and Arthars before the Cobbo-Mariner liaison got a gig in the dire 34-6 loss to Manly. Then it was the turn of Josiah Karapani and Arthars before the Karapani-Mariner duo was trialled.
Arthars and Karapani then got back together but both were axed after the disappointing 22-20 defeat to Parramatta last week.
Injuries played a part in the constant changing of wing combinations but last week there were issues with positional play and impact.
Brisbane have struggled this season out of their own end when under the pump, and were guilty of that against the Eels. This is where Cobbo, who has impressed the coach in Queensland Cup, comes into the picture.
At his best the 23-year-old provides dynamic back-field running, a penchant for making the impossible look easy and a capacity to turn a game with instinctive brilliance.
Mariner’s great asset is his speed and ability to change direction and beat opponents with footwork. When in-form he is also an accomplished finisher.
“We have a competitive squad and we didn’t hit the mark last week so I’m giving Selly and Deino the opportunity to play the long game,” Maguire said.
“We have to get the back-field working harder too. Selly has been showing that, he has been excellent in the last few weeks and Deino showed that (in rounds 18 and 19) when he played first grade.
“When you have a competitive squad, I’m going to give them an opportunity to play if they perform.
“There is an expectation … as a back-field. It’s up to them to take the opportunity now.”
It has been a roller coaster 2025 for Cobbo who has played just one NRL game since round 13. Not only has he been in and out of the side, his future was a hot topic for months before he finally inked a one-year deal with the Dolphins for next season.
Now he has certainty about where he will be in 2026, and contractual matters are no longer a distraction, the Broncos hope he can have a successful back-end of the campaign and find the form that led to him representing Queensland and Australia.
“The door was always open, it was just a matter of performance,” Maguire said of Cobbo.
The Broncos are running out of time to make a statement on what their best football looks like and Maguire said they intended to implement it against the Rabbitohs.
AAP
