A move to the Dolphins looms for Selwyn Cobbo in the coming weeks but his time at the Brisbane Broncos may not be up just yet, club great Darren Lockyer has warned.
Cobbo returned from a hamstring strain in the Queensland Cup with Wynnum-Manly last week, with the team falling short 18-16 against the Norths Devils in the preliminary final.
While the result did not end in favour of his team, the performance of Cobbo was one that caught the eye of all in the crowd as he pushed his case for a first-grade recall.
Cobbo was on Tuesday named in the No.20 jumper to remain an outside chance of facing Penrith in Sunday’s NRL preliminary final.
But with the Broncos winning six of their last seven games with Deine Mariner and Josiah Karapani on the wings, coach Michael Maguire looks set to stick with the status quo.
The Broncos need to win on Sunday to reach the grand final, which Cobbo could yet play a role in.
It would be his last game for the Broncos before jumping ship to their cross-town rivals.
“Look, I think he probably looked a bit fitter (in the QLD Cup) than I thought he might have,” Lockyer told Wide World of Sports’ QLDER.
“He has been out for a little while. He came back and he has done the little things right.
“He’s given himself an opportunity that if the Broncos are to win and someone goes down for whatever reason he might (get a call up for the grand final), you never know.
“If he doesn’t get another game at the Broncos, he is going to the Dolphins next year.”
While Cobbo is welcomed back to the reserves, the Broncos will be excited to see the return of Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam from respective hamstring injuries.
Xavier Willison comes into the squad to replace Patrick Carrigan as he serves a one-game suspension due to a high shot on Morgan Smithies last week.
If they are to qualify for the grand final and someone is to suffer a season-ending injury, Cobbo could see himself don the Broncos kit one more time, and on the biggest stage of all.
Cobbo will join the Dolphins on a one-year deal for 2026 and has been widely tipped to join the Perth Bears for their inaugural 2027 season.
