Over the past three seasons, Selwyn Cobbo has risen as one of the game’s chief wingers and featured on both the beginning and test stages, but his coach accepts it’s not indeed his best position.
Broncos guide Kevin Walters made the claim this week amid his to begin with media accessibility for 2024, in which he all but affirmed 21-year-old Cobbo will step into the middle part made empty by Herbie Farnworth’s flight to the Dolphins.
While Cobbo played four games in the centres back in his rookie season in 2021, he hasn’t started an NRL game there since, and last November he was picked by Mal Meninga to play for the Kangaroos on the flank, having earlier in the year scored a double on the right wing for the Maroons in Origin I.
But Walters believes moving one spot in will be a better fit for the 1.9-meter flyer in the long run and praised Cobbo’s ability to make good defensive decisions at centre.
“He is probably a bit more natural there in the centres than on the wing. So far, he has been really good there,” Walters said.
“He’s still only young, Selwyn, so he’s still maturing. But his fitness levels and his strength will get better as the year goes on.
His footy IQ is exceptionally great; he’s a really clever player, and you wish to be playing those middle parts.
Kevin Walters
“Protectively, I feel that’s where he’s progressing to be a great resource for us, with the way he peruses the assault.”
Indeed, after the takeoff of Farnworth, the Broncos are ruined for choice when it comes to backline alternatives, with Cobbo’s looming switch meaning noteworthy adolescent Deine Sailor may be cleared out to battle it out with Corey Oates and Jordan Pereira for the other wing spot nearby Jesse Arthars.
Whereas Sailor told NRL.com final year that he sees himself as a pro middle-term, the wing shapes as he best way into the side for the club’s season opener against the Chickens in Las Vegas, with Oates and Pereira having not been part of the first-choice line-up in 2023.
“Winger, middle, we have a few great choices there. That’s a portion of this year, having players within the preparing circumstances to see how they handle [those openings] and adjust to that,” Walters included.
“Deine is clearly a great youthful player; it’s close to finding the right position for him.”
Brisbane have squandered no time in continuing full preparation after the Christmas break, with Walters watchful of the condensed plan his side faces due to their association with the NRL’s notable trip to Vegas.
In conjunction with the Roosters, Ocean Falcons, and Rabbitohs, who meet within the diversion of the doubleheader at Allegiant Stadium, the Broncos begin their season at the end of the week, some time recently, the rest of the competition, but at that point, they have the advantage of an 11-day turnaround, some time recently taking the field in Round 2.
“We have got a shortened pre-season, so we ought to incline it up as best we can,” Walters said.
“Without overkilling it, it’s about getting the most out of our sessions.
“The next six weeks are approximately us reconnecting as a bunch, especially those folks coming in in those unused positions.”
