Brisbane Broncos coach Kevin Walters will move Selwyn Cobbo to starting left centre after Herbie Farnworth’s exit from the club.
The 21-year-old Queensland representative, who has played most of his 49 NRL games as a winger, trained on Monday in the centre position Farnworth made his own before joining the Dolphins at the end of last season.
The Cobbo move will cause a backline reshuffle, with Jesse Arthars, Deine Mariner and Corey Oates likely to vie for the two wing positions.
Walters, in his first press conference of the year, confirmed the Cobbo switch.
“It is the plan to move him into that role. He is probably a bit more natural there in the centres than on the wing and so far he has been really good there,” Walters said.
“We will find out more when we start playing and he starts doing all the things the great centres do.
“Selwyn is young and still maturing with his fitness levels and strength and they will get better as the year goes on, but his footy IQ is very good which you need in that centre role.
“Particularly defensively, that is where I feel he is going to be a good asset.”
Selwyn Cobbo. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Walters said replacing Maroons and Australian prop Thomas Flegler, who also joined the Dolphins at the end of 2023, would create a healthy competitive environment.
Prop Keenan Palasia, who also played in last year’s losing grand final side, will need to be replaced in the top 17 after joining the Gold Coast.
Xavier Willison, 21, is in the mix after shining in his rookie season before a syndesmosis injury. Experienced pair Martin Taupau and Corey Jensen will also be in contention.
“Those three guys sat out last year’s grand final and they will put themselves in the frame in the next six weeks and into round one,” Walters said.
“We encourage our younger players to come through and work hard and learn from guys like Patty Carrigan and Payne Haas who are pretty well entrenched in the side.”
There are also high hopes for 19-year-old prop Ben Te Kura.
“Another good, young talent of ours who has come back in pretty good shape,” Walters said.
“We expect him to be playing some NRL at some stage this season.”
The Broncos kick off their NRL season in Las Vegas on March 3 against the Sydney Roosters.
Tony
Roar Guru
Brilliant :thumbup:
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Depends on the setting, out fishing with mates it's considered gold, but visiting the inlaws for Sunday lunch it gets you written out of the will.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Just fishing.....
Tony
Roar Guru
Value bet for what?
Tony
Roar Guru
What is a fart worth? :happy:
Tim Carter
Roar Pro
Pretty pathetic that my comment didn't make it through.
Robbo
Roar Rookie
Yes - I can see him as a powerful centre - defence will need to be his focus in the transition. Geez the Broncs feel right for this - Penrith obviously looking good. Dragons are the value bet
Muzz Manyana
Roar Rookie
Potentially a masterstroke. Cobbo needs to get his hands on the ball more!
peterj
Roar Rookie
Can Green or anyone else from WA. It’s all east coast bias Ben. Can’t you see that?
Nat
Roar Guru
It’s fair to say that Cobbo can/did score some tries that not many others could have on that right wing but I will still put Mariner (better than fair chance he starts there) down for 15 tries this season by virtue of his speed playing off Walsh.
Ben Pobjie
Expert
I’d have put Cam Bancroft there.
Maxtruck
Roar Rookie
Taller and heavier than Hodgo, but know where near as angry. Can he feed Walsh like Fartworth did ? I recon Walters had already made this call when he signed Walsh and knew Herbie was going
Nat
Roar Guru
Called it but not so left field to be a “shock”. The kid has more skills than the wing position allows him to show. If you go back to his early runs in late ‘21 he was playing center and was particularly good in defence and running lines. It also gives Mam a couple of 6.4”, 100kg options in attack.
Bunney
Roar Rookie
Good call Nat
langparker
Roar Rookie
Playing centre will probably keep Cobbo switched onto the game situation more, he’s inclined to daydream when the ball isn’t on his side of the field. Might be another Justin Hodges in the making. I reckon Xavier Willison will lock down that third prop role, he’s a big boy with leg speed and has good hands. That badly timed ankle injury ruined his chance of cementing a bench spot for the finals because he was just coming back at finals time. Has been a mainstay in Qld's junior origin sides & has a line-break in him, I think he’ll surprise people with his physicality. Fletcher Baker looks a straight swap for Palasia, same type of game and has similar NRL game numbers. Te Kura is probably a season behind Willison, but looks to be a long term prospect so I think the broncs weighed up the cost of keeping Flegler which would have impacted their chances of retaining Walsh & Mam. Can’t keep them all, as Penrith are finding out. Reckon they’re a bit top heavy with hookers in the squad, might be best for both parties if Cory Paix finds himself a gig elsewhere because he seems to be on the outer at Red Hill. He’s too good to play QLD Cup until his contract expires in 2 years. The Knights could do with a decent back up hooker while surely he’d make the Dragons team, even as a back up halfback to Hunt with what they’ve got.
BigGordon
Roar Rookie
Cobbo's an outstanding winger who could make a good centre. I guess time will tell if this move is a case of robbing Peter to pay Paul.