Selwyn Cobbo returns to Broncos starting side as Michael Maguire swings axe

Michael Maguire has again called on out-of-favour star Selwyn Cobbo to help save Brisbane’s season as the coach takes a chainsaw to his backline.

Broncos star Selwyn Cobbo is back from NRL exile after Brisbane coach Michael Maguire wielded the selection axe for Friday night’s clash against South Sydney at Suncorp Stadium.

Maguire has dumped wing duo Jesse Arthars and Josiah Karapani following Brisbane’s dismal 22-20 loss to the Eels which has left the Broncos’ top-four hopes on life support.

The pair’s axing has triggered a recall for Deine Mariner and Cobbo, who returns to the Broncos’ starting side after a 27-day stint with feeder club Wynnum Manly in reserve grade.

There were fears Cobbo had played his last game for the Broncos after he last month signed a one-year deal with River City rivals the Dolphins for the 2026 season.

But the former Queensland Origin flyer is back in business and has a chance to depart Red Hill with a premiership ring if he can vindicate Maguire’s faith by helping Brisbane to the finals.

Selwyn Cobbo returns to Brisbane’s starting side. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

Maguire was unhappy with the kick returns and defensive displays of Karapani and Arthars and they are the only two victims of Brisbane’s shock loss to the Eels.

The sixth-placed Broncos (10-8) are under pressure to hit back against South Sydney to stay within striking distance of the top four and Maguire is banking on the speed and tryscoring prowess of Cobbo and Mariner.

The Dolphins tried to secure Cobbo on an instant transfer before June 30 but Maguire rejected it, insisting the Indigenous ace was a part of his title plans _ and now the 23-year-old gets his big break.

“If Selwyn performs, he will be in the side. I’ve said this all along,” Maguire said after Cobbo’s last game for the Broncos in round 18 against the Bulldogs.

“If Selwyn is doing his job and playing to the standards I know he is capable of, absolutely I will have him in the team.

“Selwyn wants to be here and get the opportunity to win a competition at the Broncos.

“He has said that since I’ve been here and he still has that opportunity.”

Cobbo has scored five tries from 13 games this season, while Mariner, Brisbane’s fastest player, has a chance to impress after last appearing in Brisbane’s round 19 defeat of the Titans.

Meanwhile, Maguire has dismissed concerns about Payne Haas amid calls from Broncos legend Gorden Tallis for the superstar prop to be given a two-week break from playing.

The Broncos enforcer has been battling a lower back injury and he went down in the dying minutes of the Eels clash after rolling his ankle while colliding with a Parramatta player.

But Haas trained without complaint on Monday, giving Maguire total confidence Brisbane’s No.1 prop is ready to lead the Broncos’ top-four push against the Rabbitohs.

“Payne is fine,” Maguire said.

“He trained well (on Monday).

“There’s been a lot of chatter about Payne. He got stood on right towards the back end of the game and he limped off, which caused a bit of panic with people.

“He is like every player at this time of the season.

“He is one of our big guns and he gets talked about a lot, but he trained and he is ready to go.”

Tallis fears Haas is on the brink of burnout after another gruelling Origin campaign but Maguire backed the NSW enforcer to lead Brisbane’s finals assault.

“I’m confident he will get through the season fine,” he said.

“He is like all the guys in the game who play Origin.

Broncos prop Payne Haas has been battling a nagging back injury this year. Picture: NRL Images

“You have your different challenges and the noise around it is larger than what ‘Payno’ is really going through because of his status in the game.

“He is really good at what he does. He is the ultimate pro with his preparation.

“He had a good rest after Origin and since he came back he has done every session.

“I don’t think there’s too many players at this time of the year who haven’t got something going on.

“Payne is a big part of what we do and there is always a lot of attention around him, but he is getting himself ready to go.

“He was disappointed with what we tossed up against the Eels and he wants to make amends this week.”

WARRIORS v DOLPHINS

Friday, 6:00pm, Go Media Stadium

Warriors

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Adam Pompey 4. Kurt Capewell 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Te Maire Martin 7. Tanah Boyd 8. Demitric Vaimauga 9. Samuel Healey 10. Jackson Ford 11. Leka Halasima 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark

Interchange: 14. Taine Tuaupiki 15. Jacob Laban 16. Freddy Lussick 17. Tanner Stowers-Smith

Reserves: 18. Eddie Ieremia 20. Bunty Afoa 21. Edward Kosi 22. Kalani Going 23. Makaia Tafua

Dolphins

1. Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow 2. Jamayne Isaako 3. Max Feagai 4. Herbie Farnworth 5. Jake Averillo 6. Kodi Nikorima 7. Isaiya Katoa 8. Francis Molo 9. Jeremy Marshall-King 10. Felise Kaufusi 11. Connelly Lemuelu 12. Oryn Keeley 13. Kurt Donoghoe

Interchange: 14. Ray Stone 15. Aublix Tawha 16. Mark Nicholls 17. Josh Kerr

Reserves: 18. Harrison Graham 19. Peter Hola 20. LJ Nonu 21. Kenny Bromwich 22. Tevita Naufahu

BRONCOS v RABBITOHS

Friday, 8:00pm, Suncorp Stadium

Broncos

1. Reece Walsh 2. Selwyn Cobbo 3. Kotoni Staggs 4. Gehamat Shibasaki 5. Deine Mariner 6. Ezra Mam 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Xavier Willison 9. Ben Hunt 10. Payne Haas 11. Brendan Piakura 12. Jordan Riki 13. Patrick Carrigan

Interchange: 14. Billy Walters 15. Kobe Hetherington 16. Corey Jensen 17. Jack Gosiewski

Reserves: 18. Tyson Smoothy 19 Jesse Arthars 20. Ben Talty 21. Josiah Karapani 22. Jaiyden Hunt

Rabbitohs

1. Jye Gray 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Tallis Duncan 5. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 6. Jack Wighton 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Jai Arrow 9. Ryan Gray 10. Sean Keppie 11. Euan Aitken 12. Jacob Host 13. Lachlan Hubner

Interchange: 14. Siliva Havili 15. Liam Le Blanc 16. Thomas Fletcher 17. Ashton Ward

Reserves: 18. Peter Mamouzelos 19. Lewis Dodd 20. Tyrone Munro 21. Shaquai Mitchell 22. Salesi Ataata

TITANS v PANTHERS

Saturday, 3:00pm, CBUS Super Stadium

Titans

1. AJ Brimson 2. Jaylan De Groot 3. Brian Kelly 4. Jojo Fifita 5. Phillip Sami 6. Kieran Foran 7. Jayden Campbell 8. Moeaki Fotuaika 9. Sam Verrills 10. Jaimin Jolliffe 11. Jacob Alick-Wiencke 12. Beau Fermor 13. Klese Haas

Interchange: 14. 14. Tom Weaver 15. Reagan Campbell-Gillard 16. Iszac Fa’asumaleaui 17. Josh Patston

Reserves: 18. Arama Hau 19. Tukimihia Simpkins 20. Tony Francis 21. Ryan Foran 22. Alofiana Khan-Pereira

Panthers

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Thomas Jenkins 3. Izack Tago 4. Casey McLean 5. Brian To’o 6. Blaize Talagi 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Mitch Kenny 10. Lindsay Smith 11. Luke Garner 12. Liam Martin 13. Isaah Yeo

Interchange: 14. Brad Schneider 15. Liam Henry 16. Luron Patea 17. Isaiah Papali’i

Reserves: 18. Paul Alamoti 19. Matt Eisenhuth 20. Daine Laurie 21. Mavrik Geyer 22. Luke Sommerton

SHARKS v COWBOYS

Sunday, 4:05pm, Sharks Stadium

Sharks

1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 4. Siosifa Talakai 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Briton Nikora 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes

Interchange: 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Jesse Colquhoun 16. Billy Burns 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele

Reserves: 18. Jayden Berrell 19. Hohepa Puru 20. Mawene Hiroti 21. Thomas Hazelton 22. Samuel Stonestreet

Cowboys

1. Scott Drinkwater 2. Robert Derby 3. Jaxon Purdue 4. Zac Laybutt 5. Braidon Burns 6. Jake Clifford 7. Tom Dearden 8. Harrison Edwards 9. Reece Robson 10. Griffin Neame 11. John Bateman 12. Jeremiah Nanai 13. Reuben Cotter

Interchange: 14. Marly Bitungane 15. Kaiden Lahrs 16. Kai O’Donnell 17. Coen Hess

Reserves: 18. Jaxson Paulo 19. Nicholas Lenaz 20. Mason Kira 21. Jamal Shibasaki 22. Dane Aukafolau

Originally published as Selwyn Cobbo returns to Broncos starting side as Michael Maguire swings axe