Brisbane Broncos coach Michael Maguire flags positional move for outside back Selwyn Cobbo

Broncos coach Michael Maguire is considering shifting Selwyn Cobbo back to the wing in a bid to rediscover his mojo following an inconsistent 2024 campaign.

Brisbane coach Michael Maguire is considering moving Selwyn Cobbo back to the wing in a bid to reignite the enigmatic Broncos matchwinner.

Cobbo faces an uncertain future at Red Hill with the 22-year-old off-contract next season and under pressure to rediscover his mojo following an inconsistent 2024 campaign.

Former Broncos coach Kevin Walters shifted Cobbo from the wing to centre last season to fill the void left by Herbie Farnworth’s departure to the Dolphins.

Cobbo started the 2024 premiership promisingly, building a centre strike force with Kotoni Staggs, but by season’s end, he posted just six tries from 19 games and was a shadow of the wing sensation who shot to a Queensland Origin debut in 2022.

Selwyn Cobbo was quiet in the centres for the Broncos. Picture: NRL Photos

Now Maguire has revealed he is mulling over the prospect of shifting Cobbo back to the wing as the Cherbourg young gun fights for his future at the Broncos.

Speed machine Deine Mariner has been groomed as a centre since his Broncos Academy days and Maguire says a return to the left wing could extract the best of Cobbo’s imposing 105kg frame.

“Selwyn is potentially a wing option, yes,” Maguire said.

“Sel can definitely play on the wing and at centre at a high level, so I need to look at the balance of the team.

“With the wingers in this day and age, they play a different style.

“Selwyn is a good sized body and he is pretty handy at bringing the ball back, so I’m working out at the moment the best way to go with Selwyn.

“Deine Mariner is an option at centre. He has plenty of growth in him as well.

“The importance of the back three (fullback and two wingers) these days is huge.

“You have to get back upfield as quick as you can. The back three get your sets going so I’m mindful of that with Selwyn.”

Cobbo has impressed Michael Maguire at training.Picture: Nigel Hallett

Cobbo was a revelation on the flanks in his introduction to the NRL.

In the 2022-2023 seasons, the Indigenous ace lit up the code on the left wing, scoring 35 tries from 42 games, including four doubles and a staggering five hat-tricks.

His fearless running on kick returns, aerial strength and finishing prowess made Cobbo one of the hottest prospects in the game and propelled the young gun into the Origin arena at the tender age of 20.

Maguire believes Cobbo can be equally damaging at left centre with his size and fend, but is weighing up whether the Maroons flyer is better suited to the wing.

The new Broncos coach has been impressed with Cobbo’s application in pre-season.

While there were concerns about his conditioning upon reporting for pre-season three weeks ago, Cobbo is buying into the culture of high-performance Maguire is driving at Red Hill.

At Broncos training on Thursday, Maguire put his arm around Cobbo and had a brief exchange with the utility back before giving him a pat on the back.

It is evidence of Maguire’s faith in Cobbo and willingness to connect with the tryscoring whiz, whose management has put contract talks on hold to ease the pressure valve.

Three NRL rivals have expressed interest in Cobbo, but Maguire is adamant the Indigenous All Stars representative has a big future at the Broncos.

“I want to keep Selwyn because when he is at his best, he is one hell of a talent,” he said.

“If Selwyn focuses on the training part, most of the contract stuff will sort itself out – it always does.”