Former NRL premiership winner Matty Johns has paid Selwyn Cobbo the ultimate compliment after comparing him to league great Greg Inglis and insisting the switch to fullback in place of Reece Walsh has offered Brisbane a “point of difference.” Cobbo was outstanding at fullback against the previously undefeated Bulldogs last week, as he recorded a try assist, four tackle breaks, and 151 run meters from 18 carries in the 42-18 thumping.
Broncos great Justin Hodges said Cobbo’s imposing presence and steady hand at the back were just what Brisbane needed after criticizing the often erratic performances of Walsh in the No. 1 jersey. And with Walsh set to be sidelined for at least another month with a knee injury, Cobbo will get plenty more chances to impress in the fullback role, starting with Sunday’s Magic Round showdown against the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.
If Cobbo keeps putting in performances like the one he did against the ladder-leading Dogs, it will give Broncos coach Michael Maguire a huge decision to make when Walsh returns. It’s unlikely Maguire would move the incumbent Maroons fullback and $5 million man out of the No. 1 jersey when he does return, but many agreed with Hodges that Cobbo’s switch to fullback simplified the Broncos attack and helped the team’s other stars thrive in attack.
Johns also loved Cobbo’s switch to the No. 1 role and said the hulking star’s towering frame and powerful running game reminded him of Maroons and Kangaroos legend Inglis, who was also one of the great fullbacks in his prime. Johns says the faster nature of the modern league has seen a shift towards smaller and faster fullbacks like Walsh, Ryan Papenhuyzen, Jye Gray, and Sua Fa’alogo but said Cobbo offered Maguire’s men a powerful new dimension that worked wonders against Canterbury.
“I did like him; it’s been a bit of a point of difference with other fullbacks this year because if you look at where the game is, the big trend used to be the GI (Greg Inglis) fullback, the Latrell fullback,” Johns said on SEN radio. “That big, robust player. But what’s happened with the faster rucks in the game is that area of defensive responsibility is in the middle of the field.
“And those big guys are going backwards, and their eyes are rolling in the back of their heads, and that’s why guys like Sua Fa’alogo and Jye Gray—those smaller guys—have been the trend. But Cobbo was very good the other night; there were just so many shades of GI in the way he moves, the way he holds the football, and his power. It gives them something to think about.”
Selwyn Cobbo impresses in place of Reece Walsh.
Many analysts thought the Broncos looked like a better side with Cobbo at fullback instead of Walsh, whose erratic displays have often come under criticism. Walsh has a tendency to try and overplay his hand in attack and force plays that often result in mistakes. By contrast, Cobbo’s display against the Dogs was much more measured but still devastating enough to create headaches for the opposition.
Broncos great Hodges said while he loves what Walsh offers the side, he thought Cobbo provided a better link with Brisbane’s other dangerous attacking players by keeping things more simple. “I think that’s (Cobbo playing fullback) what they need. It’s no disrespect to Reece; we love the way he plays, but sometimes he can be a little bit too erratic. I just don’t think we need that,” the Broncos legend told News Corp.
“We’ve got so many dangerous players in that Broncos outfit, I think Selwyn just did his job… He didn’t try to get too creative, he didn’t try to draw and pass, and he didn’t try to get on the block shape… When you have Reyno (Adam Reynolds), (Ben) Hunt, Billy Walters, and the forward pack, just let them do the work. That’s what Selwyn did; he just chimed in when he had to.”
Queensland coach Billy Slater also believes fullback is Cobbo’s best position long-term. “He’s a different player from Reece, and they’ve done this without Reece, put 50 points on the team that everyone’s talking about, without probably their most dynamic attacking player,” Slater said about Cobbo on Channel Nine’s Sunday Footy Show. “He’s (Cobbo) more powerful; he plays a different style. I thought he was really good. I think it’s probably his best position long-term… for a quiet guy, he is always in the game.”
Cobbo is off-contract at the end of this season and will likely attract huge interest from rival clubs, especially if he keeps playing the house down at fullback in Walsh’s absence. The Broncos are already under a salary cap squeeze, and Cobbo could realistically attract offers upwards of $1 million per season as a fullback, meaning the Broncos could have a tough time trying to hang onto the 22-year-old star.
Complicating any decision around Walsh is the fact he recently signed a four-year extension worth $5 million. Maguire would be hard-pressed to move him to a different position if he’s earning so much coin as a fullback.
