Cobbo conundrum? How speed demon’s rise could spark retention nightmare

Broncos speedster Deine Mariner has a mission: to ensure he is the club’s long-term centre.

While Brisbane in 2024 look unlikely to repeat their success of the previous season, when they played their way to the grand final, Mariner at last had his chance in his preferred role.

The 21-year-old launched his NRL career on the wing, scoring 14 tries in 13 games there this year, but has spent the past six rounds in the No.4 jumper, as Selwyn Cobbo battled injuries and personal matters.

Now Cobbo, who has not played since round 21, will make his comeback on the wing against Parramatta, opening the door for Mariner to secure the centre job.

While Mariner stressed Cobbo brought “things other players can’t bring to the team”, he made it clear centre was where he saw his own future.

“Wing was just a position to get some reps in to build into centre because obviously centre is a much more defensive position,” Mariner said.

“I’m always going to be confident to play centre because that’s a preferred position for me – I’m happy with where I’m at.”

Should Mariner remain in the centres, it poses a question over Cobbo’s future.

Salary cap constraints caused Brisbane to lose Herbie Farnworth, Tom Flegler and Kurt Capewell last year, and now Cobbo and Kotoni Staggs – off contract at the end of 2025 – will be in the crosshairs of several clubs.

Staggs produced arguably a career-best performance against the Cowboys, and the Sydney Roosters could come equipped with a war chest, given current centre pairing Joey Manu and Joseph Suaalii will defect to rugby union.

Brisbane will also need to extend fullback Reece Walsh, while the club’s depth among its forwards has been called into question this year, and could inspire a hunt for reinforcements.

Canberra firebrand Corey Horsburgh has reportedly been connected to Brisbane.

After an emphatic start to the season, culminating in a star State of Origin showing in Queensland’s series opening triumph, Cobbo’s form has wavered since he was left out of the series’ game two.

Maroons coach Billy Slater said mental exhaustion and the 22-year-old’s need to play with pain-killing injections were behind his omission, before returning for the decider.

Should Staggs and Mariner remain at the club, and given the emergence of rookies Israel Leota and Josiah Karapani, Cobbo would face tough choices.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters – who previously declared Brisbane could keep Staggs and Cobbo – said Cobbo’s skillset was needed on the wing, a move that will need to reap rewards, with Brisbane unable to lose again to stand a finals chance.

“He’s in the best physical condition [he’s been in] all season, really,” Walters said.

“We’re expecting a big game from Selwyn. [Wing] is more his position at the moment, he’s strong with his carries and catches the ball well, and he’s good defensively on the wing.

“You put all those together, and it makes for an easy decision.”

Sydney Morning Herald

 

[Big Pete]

For the Broncos K Hunt comes to mind...good enough to keep Slater at bay in the rep teams but unfortunately we didn't get to see how good he could have been due to the publicity stunt of AFL.

I'm not sure he would have been in the Lockyer/Smith/Thurston category as i just don't think he loved the game enough (i'm sure i remember seeing a Wide World of Sports section on him when he broke through and he admitted to enjoying NBA more than league)) but a real shame that he didn't stay in league.

Hunt was a special player, I don't think he quite measures up to the names I listed, but very few could have achieved what he was able to at such a young age. Not the greatest athlete, but completely fearless in everything he did.

I'd probably have Taylor and Fifita ahead of him in terms of individual brilliance.

I think Darren having played AFL as a kid made his awareness of intercepts and stealing loose passes other level .

His agility and acceleration also comes to mind. It tapered off later on, but he was an impressive athlete in his own right at his peak.

 

[Mustafur]

I mean if we are talking Highest ceiling, it has to be Walsh lol.

 

[Wolfie]

Hunt was a special player, I don't think he quite measures up to the names I listed, but very few could have achieved what he was able to at such a young age. Not the greatest athlete, but completely fearless in everything he did.

I'd probably have Taylor and Fifita ahead of him in terms of individual brilliance.


His agility and acceleration also comes to mind. It tapered off later on, but he was an impressive athlete in his own right at his peak.

I presume we are talking about The Coal Train with Taylor?

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Big Dave. I usually prefer the hard working, get the job done team players over players like Dave, but there was just something about him i really liked watching. I can remember when i first saw him playing when he was 16 or 17 and this massive unit had speed, power and bags of skill. He was chipping and chasing and pulling it off, a bloke of his size shouldnt have been able to do that.

One of the few players i can say literally had everything to be the best player in his position. I say everything, the one thing he didnt have was a worth ethic and a bit of common sense. He could truly have been one of the all time greats if he put his mind to it.

 

[Sproj]

As sad as it always is to mention him, you have a huge glaring omission unless I missed it too:

JYY

They guy had a freakish fend, was super quick, could turn on a dime and was ridiculously strong for his size. Had all the skill in the world and could score a try from nothing. Should have been an all time great.

 

[LittleDavey]

As sad as it always is to mention him, you have a huge glaring omission unless I missed it too:

JYY

They guy had a freakish fend, was super quick, could turn on a dime and was ridiculously strong for his size. Had all the skill in the world and could score a try from nothing. Should have been an all time great.

Yup, this still makes me sad. Kid was on a trajectory like very few others.

 

[Big Pete]

I presume we are talking about The Coal Train with Taylor?

I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with Big Dave. I usually prefer the hard working, get the job done team players over players like Dave, but there was just something about him i really liked watching. I can remember when i first saw him playing when he was 16 or 17 and this massive unit had speed, power and bags of skill. He was chipping and chasing and pulling it off, a bloke of his size shouldnt have been able to do that.

One of the few players i can say literally had everything to be the best player in his position. I say everything, the one thing he didnt have was a worth ethic and a bit of common sense. He could truly have been one of the all time greats if he put his mind to it.

The way he was able to pick up loose passes without breaking stride was impeccable. It's a shame that era didn't stick around long enough. Hannant, Taylor, Eastwood, K. Hunt - theoretically it would have made a strong hierarchy. Sadly as Taylor and Eastwood showed, there's more to Rugby League than just pure talent. Both still had good careers, but had the ability to be Hall of Famers.

As sad as it always is to mention him, you have a huge glaring omission unless I missed it too:

JYY

Read it again.

Like Karmichael, what made Yow Yeh so good was how competitive he was. He pushed himself as hard as he could possibly go and that's what saw him reach those dizzying heights and also what ended up prematurely ending his career.

Still, he's royalty on here so I saw your post coming a mile away.

 

[mrslong]

Speaking of GI - I read that he potentially was the fastest 400m runner in Australia as a junior and Athletics Australia wanted to recruit him.

He was bloody elite, but he came into grade too young for his frame and developed those back/hip injuries and the mental health issues when he piled on the weight made his star wan and people went right off him (planes not flying also had us turning on him, a lot of pie jokes)

Ultimately it was GI’s injuries that made the NRL consider making it mandatory to be over 18 to play NRL iirc.

The greatest raw talent I’ve seen. I’ll never forget The Storm game in 2006 at Suncorp it was our last regular round loss before we turned it around and they only won off a Greg Inglis length of the field piece of nastiness.

 

[Big Pete]

I’ll never forget The Storm game in 2006 at Suncorp it was our last regular round loss before we turned it around and they only won off a Greg Inglis length of the field piece of nastiness.

I don't think this actually happened, at least not in the game you're thinking of.

You could be thinking of the 2005 Final where rookie GI put the game to bed.

I remember a game against New Zealand where it looked like the Kiwis were going to run away with it only for Inglis to score this massive long distance solo try out of effectively nothing. Then Gasnier laid it on for Karmichael to score the heart-breaker.

 

[Alec]

GI is one of my top 5 players ever i think. Unstoppable when he was on top form. Quick, skillful and had that brute force to go with it. I reckon if he looked after himself a bit better and had some better luck with injury he would be up there with the players you mentioned. Still gutted we never got him.

The dark ages before waterproof airplanes.

 

[mrslong]

I don't think this actually happened, at least not in the game you're thinking of.

You could be thinking of the 2005 Final where rookie GI put the game to bed.

I remember a game against New Zealand where it looked like the Kiwis were going to run away with it only for Inglis to score this massive long distance solo try out of effectively nothing. Then Gasnier laid it on for Karmichael to score the heart-breaker.

Maybe it was just a break he made to set up a try. He definitely did something elite after half time. We were up until he did that then we lost the game. However it was a bit of a moral victory for the team and we went on a roll after that. Was at the game, it was a Sunday afternoon and he was playing fullback.

 

[thenry]

Speaking of GI - I read that he potentially was the fastest 400m runner in Australia as a junior and Athletics Australia wanted to recruit him.

He was bloody elite, but he came into grade too young for his frame and developed those back/hip injuries and the mental health issues when he piled on the weight made his star wan and people went right off him (planes not flying also had us turning on him, a lot of pie jokes)

Ultimately it was GI’s injuries that made the NRL consider making it mandatory to be over 18 to play NRL iirc.

The greatest raw talent I’ve seen. I’ll never forget The Storm game in 2006 at Suncorp it was our last regular round loss before we turned it around and they only won off a Greg Inglis length of the field piece of nastiness.

Agreed on everything to do with GI. Was the best NRL athlete I've seen tbh.

Goes to show how good a job Berrigan did on him in the 2006 GF. He had one job, tackle GI. And he did it. I remember winceing every time GI got the ball, expecting a long break.