On his first day of preseason as coach of the Brisbane Broncos, Michael Maguire has declared he still hopes to retain Selwyn Cobbo beyond the end of his current deal, despite the looming salary cap battle that will face him.
The incoming mentor wasted no time in putting his returning squad members through their paces on Monday afternoon, subjecting his troops to gruelling fitness tests and reducing re-signed props Xavier Willison and Marty Taupau to fits of spews and a minor fatigue-collapse respectively.
Cobbo was also spotted training with the rehab group, alongside star enforcer Payne Haas.
After the Broncos finalised a lucrative extension for fullback Reece Walsh, Maguire will now face a tightrope walk to keep big money men who will come in high demand, and make plays on the open market.
It puts marquee centres Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs – both off contract at the end of 2025 – in the firing line, with the latter appearing the priority signing.
However, Maguire stressed he hoped to keep both on the Broncos’ books, and believed he was the man who could unlock Cobbo’s potential – who has shown signs of brilliance, but an inability to piece his skill set together consistently.
“He’s strong, and in my opinion I think I can really help him grow his game. There’s something there, Selwyn’s young, and you can see the talent he has here at the Broncos, and when he’s played for Queensland he’s destructive,” Maguire said.
“But I feel I can grow him, not only as a player but as a person as well. What I enjoy doing, and the club will enjoy doing is growing individuals, and there’s a bit of work to do inside the walls, but that’s something we’ve set out to do.
“There’s always room for improvement with any player. It’s nice to see him apply himself, and he was in really good spirits this morning when I spoke to him.”
“Kotoni definitely wants to be a Bronco, he’s spoken about what this club means to him. They’re definitely two players I’d like to keep.”
The reality, however, is one of Cobbo or Staggs may need to take a pay cut to stay at Red Hill, as Maguire made no secret of his hopes to lure Ben Hunt back to the Broncos.
Hunt was official released from the final year of his Dragons deal last week, and a return to Queensland has been reported as his preferred option.
Brisbane are expected to be without five-eighth Ezra Mam for much of next season, depending on the fallout of his involvement in a car accident which put a mother and her daughter in hospital, when he allegedly drove without a license and failed a roadside drug test.
Maguire, who confirmed he has remained in contact with Mam, admits he “wouldn’t have a clue” when he would have some insight into what the path, or punishment, is moving forward.
As for Hunt’s comments this week declaring he still held a soft spot for the Broncos, Maguire believed it “said a fair bit” about the organisation.
“Someone of his calibre [wanting to come] in and around players we have shows how special the Broncos is. That’s a work in progress,” Maguire said.
“I won’t talk too much about contracts, but someone of Ben’s calibre coming into the team would definitely be great. Benny’s a world-class player … he’s got plenty of experience, and we all know what he’s capable of and what he brings.”
Sydney Morning Herald
