NRL speed demon: Selwyn Cobbo sizzles in Broncos speed testing
The arrival of Reece Walsh has attracted most of the attention over Brisbane’s pre-season so far, but another backline star outshone their new recruit in testing.
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Warning NRL rivals. Selwyn Cobbo is getting bigger, stronger ... and faster.
The Broncos young gun has put opponents on notice after beginning Brisbane’s 2023 pre-season with a bang, impressing in speed testing to confirm Cobbo as one of the quickest players in the NRL.
The Queensland Origin sensation clocked a sizzling 4.7 seconds in the 40-metre sprint, making Cobbo the second fastest player at the Broncos behind only boom rookie Deine Mariner, who stormed home in 4.6 sec.
Incredibly, Cobbo posted the rapid time at a monstrous 108kg, almost 20kg heavier than classy centre prospect Mariner.
The 20-year-old also outpaced Broncos marquee recruit Reece Walsh in 40-metre sprint testing, underlining Cobbo’s rare athleticism and why he is primed to light up Brisbane’s flanks again this season.
Having undergone just one full pre-season, Cobbo’s body is responding to the heavy weights regimes that now underpin every NRL club’s high-performance program.
While the Indigenous flyer is currently above his preferred playing weight, 12 brutal weeks of pre-season in Brisbane’s summer heat will give Cobbo the launchpad for another dominant premiership campaign.
Cobbo has been described as Brisbane’s version of Latrell Mitchell, but his manager believes the fleet-footed winger can become physically bigger than the South Sydney superstar.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if 2023 ends up being a bigger year than 2022 was for Selwyn,” said his agent Tas Bartlett.
“I caught up with Selwyn the other day for a strategy meeting around what 2022 was like for him and his goals moving forward for this season.
“I think Selwyn can physically get bigger than Latrell.
“Selwyn did some testing at the Broncos the other day and the only guy faster than him is Deine Mariner, so he is faster than Reece Walsh over 40 metres.
“It’s pretty frightening how fast Selwyn can move for a big man.
“He returned to pre-season a couple of kilos overweight but someone as athletic as Selwyn, it won’t take him long in pre-season to get back to his optimum weight.
“Selwyn played at 100kg last year and the Broncos want him at 102kg this year.
“He is a year older, his frame will naturally fill out with weights which is pretty scary for NRL opponents considering Selwyn runs with no fear.”
Cobbo’s first full season of NRL was the ultimate rollercoaster.
In a head-spinning rise, the ‘Cherbourg Iceberg’ represented the Indigenous All Stars at 19, scored 15 tries in 18 games for the Broncos, made his Queensland Origin debut and was selected in Australia’s Prime Minister’s XIII.
But there was also some turbulence.
Cobbo was fined $700 in May for a driving offence and showed up late to Brisbane’s captain’s run on the eve of their crucial last-round match against the Dragons, which earned the ire of coach Kevin Walters.
Cobbo later admitted he was burnt out by the grind of a gruelling NRL season, but Bartlett is confident the Maroons ace has returned to pre-season mentally tougher for his experiences.
“No doubt it was a learning year for Selwyn,” Bartlett said.
“He has gone from a quiet kid from Cherbourg to an Origin player and one of the most recognisable faces in the game in 12 months.
“That, combined with the week in, week out grind of NRL, did take a mental toll on Selwyn.
“Turning up late to training showed the effect it was having on him, but people forget how young and raw Selwyn is. He was a blank canvas coming to the Broncos and is learning what it takes to be a professional in the NRL.
“Not going on the World Cup tour (with Australia) was a good thing for Selwyn. He can have three months at the Broncos to do the heavy lifting and the work to get his body and mind right for his second full season.”
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